CINEMA EXHIBITORS, 2024

In 2024, a total of 120 cinemas submitted their annual activity reports. In cooperation with the Croatian Audiovisual Centre (HAVC), from this year onwards, data on the number of screened films by region of their origin is now sourced from an administrative database.

In 2024, of the total number of permanent cinema exhibitors, 84 operated with a single auditorium, while 27 had multiple auditoriums. Regarding ownership structure, 34 cinema exhibitors operated independently, while 86 were part of other business entities, specifically seven within film exhibition companies, 52 within cultural-educational institutions (cultural centres, public and open universities) and 27 within other institutions and companies.

A total of 318 films were screened in cinemas across Croatia in 2024, including 250 premieres and 40 Croatian films. As many as 88% of cinema exhibitors screened films for more than six months of the year.

Comparison with 2023 shows the following trends: the total number of film screenings increased by 2%, the number of screenings of Croatian films decreased by 51%, the number of screenings of foreign films increased by 5%, the total number of viewers decreased by 12%, the viewership of Croatian films dropped by 43%, and the viewership of foreign films increased by 9%.

Nevertheless, there was an increase in the average number of viewers per screening of Croatian films, confirming a continued rise of domestic audience interest in national cinematography over the past five years. Although Croatian films account for only 3 – 7% of the total number of films, they show higher auditorium occupancy compared to foreign films.

During the warmer months, in addition to eight registered summer cinema exhibitors, seven additional permanent cinema exhibitors organised open-air screenings.

As for non-cinematic content, 1 097 short films were shown in 2024 and viewed by a total of 27 706 spectators. Opera, ballet, sports, and music events, which attracted 55 245 spectators, representing an increase of 55% compared to 2023.

The total number of employees in cinemas in 2024 was 578, of which 339 were women (59% of the total workforce, compared to 57% in 2023) and 109 were projectionists (representing an increase of 22% compared to the previous year).

The total number of employees decreased by 12%, but at the same time there was a noticeable increase of 55% in the engagement of volunteers and additional staff.

Financial indicators

Despite the decline in total viewership, the revenue from ticket sales in 2024 increased by 2% compared to the previous year. The average ticket price was 4.33 euro (compared to 3.66 euro in 2023). The revenue from alternative content also increased by 8%, which is in line with the growing number of visitors to these programs.

NOTES ON METHODOLOGY

Sources and methods of data collection

Data are the result of the processing of annual reports filled in by cinema exhibitors on the Annual Report on Cinemas (KINO-1 form). Data on the number of films in Croatian cinemas according to the region of origin are taken over from the administrative database of the Croatian Audiovisual Centre.  

Coverage and comparability

The statistical survey covers cinema exhibitors, film distributors on the Croatian market. Data are comparable to those from previous years.

Definitions and explanations

Cinema venue is a space in which films are shown.

Cinema exhibitor is a natural person or legal entity engaged in public screening of films, which is registered in the activity of public showing of audiovisual works, which has at its disposal a space and equipment that is in line with special regulations, and which is entered in the register of exhibitors kept by the Croatian Audiovisual Centre.

Public screening is considered a showing of films with the intention to make them available to a larger number of people in cinema exhibitors and within other organised public screenings.

Permanent cinema exhibitors show films in a permanent auditorium equipped with a cinema projector, film screen and seats.

Open-air cinema exhibitors show films in a permanent open-air space.

Mobile cinema exhibitors do not have a fixed auditorium but show films at their headquarters or outside of it, either in an auditorium or in an open-air space.

Screening is a public showing of a film programme, a projection of a feature film, with or without an addition, lasting for approximately 120 minutes.

Film production companies and TV centres produce feature and short films independently or in co-production.

Distributor is a natural person or legal entity engaged in distribution of audiovisual works, which is registered in the activity of distribution of audiovisual works and entered into the register of distributors kept by the Croatian Audiovisual Centre.

Audiovisual works are feature films and documentaries, animated films, alternative films, experimental films and other audiovisual works which present artistic and/or author’s expression, irrespective of the filming and displaying technique and medium used.

Territorial constitution

Data by counties are presented according to the Act on the Territories of Counties, Towns and Municipalities in the Republic of Croatia (NN, Nos 86/06, 125/06, 16/07, 95/08, 46/10, 145/10, 37/13, 44/13, 45/13 and 110/15) with the situation as on 31 December 2024

 

Abbreviations
EU	European Union
mm	millimetre
NN	Narodne novine, official gazette of the Republic of Croatia
UK	United Kingdom
USA	United States of America
Symbols
-	no occurrence

 

Published by the Croatian Bureau of Statistics, Zagreb, Ilica 3, P. O. B. 80
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Persons responsible:
Mario Vlajčević, Director of Demographic and Social Statistics Directorate
Lidija Brković, Director General

Prepared by:
Marija Gojević and Gordana Bralić

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