CINEMA EXHIBITORS, 2025

In 2025, a total of 125 cinemas submitted their annual activity reports. The data on the number of screened films by the geographical origin of film production is sourced from an administrative database.

In 2025, of the total number of permanent cinema exhibitors, 92 operated with a single auditorium, while 26 had multiple auditoriums. Regarding the ownership structure, 35 cinema exhibitors operated independently, while 89 were part of other business entities, specifically five within film exhibition companies, 63 within cultural-educational institutions (cultural centres, public and open universities) and 22 within other institutions and companies.

A total of 336 films were screened in cinemas across Croatia in 2025, including 255 premieres and 48 Croatian films. As many as 90% of cinema exhibitors screened films for more than six months of the year.

In 2025, compared to 2024, the following trends were observed: the total number of film screenings decreased by 2%, however, the number of viewers increased by 3%. The share of screenings of Croatian films accounted for 5% of total screenings, while the share of viewers of Croatian films accounted for 7% of total cinema visitors.

The average number of viewers per screening of Croatian films also continued to grow, confirming a continued rise of domestic audience interest in the national cinematography over the past five years.

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

As for non-cinematic content, 1 271 short films were shown in 2025, with a total of 34 609 viewers, that is, 20% more than in the previous year. Opera, ballet, sports, and music events attracted 61 825 viewers, representing an increase of 11% compared to 2024.

The total number of employees in cinemas in 2025 was 599, of which 340 were women. There were 120 projectionists.

There was a noticeable increase of 3% in the total number of employees and a 42% increase in the engagement of volunteers and additional staff on contracts.

Financial indicators

Despite a slightly lower total number of viewers, the revenue from ticket sales in 2025 increased by 12% compared to the previous year. The revenue from alternative content also increased by 11%, which is in line with the growing number of visitors to these programmes.

 

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 by 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 2025.

 

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
Phone: (+385 1) 48 06 111
Press corner: press@dzs.hr

Persons responsible:
Mario Vlajčević, Director of Demographic and Social Statistics Directorate
Lidija Brković, Director General

Prepared by:
Marija Gojević, Gordana Bralić and Maja Lončar

USERS ARE KINDLY REQUESTED TO STATE THE SOURCE.

Customer Relations and Data Protection Department

Information and user requests
Phone: (+385 1) 48 06 138, 48 06 154, 48 06 115
E-mail: stat.info@dzs.hr

Subscription
Phone: (+385 1) 21 00 455
E-mail: prodaja@dzs.hr