BOX OFFICE: Serbian Box Office Plummets in 2020

26-01-2021

BOX OFFICE: Serbian Box Office Plummets in 2020

By Zoran Janković

Weekend With Pop by Miroslav Momčilović

BELGRADE: The total cinema admissions in Serbia plummeted from 4,784,598 in 2019 to 1,562,590 in 2020, while total gross fell from 16.6 m EUR in 2019 down to 5.2 m EUR in 2020, as a result of the Covid-19 crisis. Cinemas in Serbia were closed from March until early September, and later on they operated with official restrictions regarding the working hours and the number of cinema-goers allowed.

The most watched Serbian premiere film in regular distribution during 2020 was the dramedy Weekend With Pa / Vikend sa ćaletom, with 53,718 admissions and 183,000 EUR / 21,619,847 RSD gross. The film scripted and directed by Miroslav Momčilović was produced by the Brigada production company and coproduced by United Media, and it was distributed by MCF Megacom Film.

The second most watched Serbian premiere film in 2020 was Father / Otac by Srdan Golubović, produced by Serbia’s Baš Čelik, France’s ASAP Films, Germany’s Neue Mediopolis, Croatia’s Propeler Film, Slovenia’s Vertigo, Bosnia and Herzegovina’s scca/Pro.Ba, in coproduction with ZDF Arte and Arte France, and distributed by MCF Megacom Film, which racked up 15,010 admissions and 47,000 EUR / 5,534,001 RSD gross.

Vienna Hallways by Mladen Đorđević The rest of the domestic chart is as follows: Fathers of Liberty / Ime naroda by Darko Bajić, produced by Zillion Film with executive producer Košutnjak Film, with 2,636 admissions and 7,800 EUR / 925,450 RSD gross, A.S. (25) by Milena Grujić, produced by Faculty of Dramatic Arts in Belgrade / Fakultet dramskih umetnosti, distributed by FAME Solutions, with 1531 admissions and 4,500 EUR / 530,206 RSD gross, and the docufiction Vienna Hallway / Sumrak u bečkom haustoru by Mladen Đorđević, produced by Corona Film and Cinnamon Films, and distributed by MCF Megacom Film, with 866 admissions and 2,800 EUR / 325,800 RSD gross. In addition, Ajvar directed by Ana Marija Rossi, produced by Serbia’s Biberche, coproduced by Montenegro’s Artikulacija and distributed by Taramount Film, as well as 4 Roses / 4 Ruže directed by Vasilije Nikitović, produced by Kinooko Film, and distributed by Cinefest, entered distribution in 2020 and they scored 51,953 admissions and 166,000 EUR / 19,601,361 RSD gross and 52,706 admissions and 178,000 EUR / 21,055,899 RSD in 2019 and 2020 combined, respectively.

The most popular foreign premiere films in Serbian cinemas in 2020 were: The Gentlemen, Tenet, After We Collided, Mulan and The Trolls: World Tour, the first three being distributed by Blitz Film & Video and the fourth and fifth by MCF Megacom Film and Taramount Film, respectively.

Published in Serbia