Data from the “Cinema Revolution” and “Cinema in Festa” initiatives helped drive box office growth to over €460 million by the end of September, marking a 10% increase compared to pre-pandemic levels in 2019.
The two projects address two different target audiences: “Cinema Revolution” focuses exclusively on Italian and European films, whereas “Cinema in Festa” encompasses all movies in theaters.
As highlighted by Undersecretary of State for Culture Lucia Borgonzoni, the Ministry of Culture (MiC) contributed significantly to implementing these initiatives, enabling Italy to strengthen its standing within the European market.
The €3.50 ticket price not only doubled attendance during key periods, but also reshaped the seasonality of cultural consumption in Italy, turning summer into a major asset for the entire audiovisual industry—thanks in part to the high quality of both domestic and international releases.
Among the most prominent international releases, Odissea stood out by breaking all records and helping Italy secure its position as a leading market in Europe ahead of France, Spain, and Germany. Additionally, other films such as Spider-Man: Brand New Day and Oceania, along with eight Italian titles (Le città di Pianura, The Echo Chamber, Serpenti, Ketticè, Gioia mia, Il malloppo, Il bene comune, and Che Dio perdona a tutti), accounted for nearly 30% of total revenue and attendance among the featured lineup.
The figures recorded by “Cinema Revolution” mark the close of the 2026 season with 1,676,271 admissions and €10.59 million in revenue. Although attendance and revenue showed a slight decline compared to 2025 (-0.5% in admissions and -0.2% in box office earnings), this was due to the campaign running for one less week.
Meanwhile, over the four-day period from Monday, September 21 to Thursday, September 24, “Cinema in Festa” registered 786,187 admissions, generating a total revenue of €2.91 million. Positive trends were also confirmed year-over-year: compared to the September 2025 edition, the initiative posted a 105.17% rise in attendance and a 5.73% increase in revenue, reaffirming the power of discounted pricing to bring audiences back to theaters.
These results show that both initiatives have become an established summer moviegoing habit, delivering positive outcomes both in terms of turnout and public perception. For this reason, “Cinema Revolution” and “Cinema in Festa” have already been confirmed for next season.
