of Que. theatrical market

Perhaps the greatest impact of the full distribution rollout for movies in the Quebec market is increased access for u.s. films, now widely distributed and dubbed in French and released day and date with their original versions.

And with movies available in theaters and cine-parks, on home video, pay-per-view, pay-tv and free tv in an 18- to 24-month window, it seems the old practice of delaying French-track releases for u.s. studio films is no longer tenable.

At first, legislation helped force the day-and-date release policy, but Motion Picture Association of America members realized the practice would have a direct, and positive, impact on market share. And that’s exactly what’s been going on.

Indeed, the presence of French-track films on Quebec screens has grown each year since bottoming out in 1985 at 53%.

Overall, the theatrical exhibition industry in Quebec hit new heights in 1994. Admissions were up 8% over ’93, and last year was the best year in this market since 1981, according to information released this spring by Bureau de la statistique du Quebec.

Admissions for films from foreign territories (other than France), and for films from Quebec and the u.s. increased in 1994. Of a total of 18.5 million admissions in theaters and cine-parks in Quebec in 1994, just under 85%, or 15.6 million, were for u.s. films, up 8% over 1993.

This is also the result of an increase in u.s. film production and the ongoing spread of suburban multiplex cinemas.

Theatrical projections in this market are up from 274,000 in 1990 to 408,000 in 1994, while the number of u.s. titles distributed in Quebec theaters and cine-parks rose 10% in ’94 to approximately 315, an increase of 64% over 1990.

Quebec theatrical films accounted for 4% of all admissions, or 766,420 admissions, largely based on the performance of four features – Louis 19, le roi des ondes, distributed by Malofilm Distribution; Octobre, distributed by CFP Distribution; Matusalem, distributed by Allegro Films Distribution; and Love and Human Remains, distributed by Max Films Communications.

There were 889,295 admissions for films from France in 1994, a 14% decline from ’93; 83,820 admissions for Canadian films other than Quebec films, a severe drop of 58%; and 1.1 million admissions for films from other territories, a 22% increase over ’93 and the best performance for this category in five years.

According to Bernard Boucher, director of research and international affairs at sodec, local films have to be judged in comparative terms.

Boucher says four Quebec films, or 20% of the total, had box office receipts of $300,000 or more in 1994 while 100 u.s. films, or 28% of a total of approximately 215 films, attained similar earnings of $300,000 or more.

According to the Regie du Cinema, Quebec-based distributors acquired 40% of all theatrical permits issued by the provincial regulatory body last year. However, distributors are quick to point out the 40% figure is considerably higher than their share of the theatrical gross, estimated at $80 million.