CINEMA ATTENDANCE
HOLDS OWN
Copyright 2001 www.tombraiderchronicles.com
[ November 21st 2001 ]
The general
political and social climate in much of the Middle
East is in turmoil, which hardly seems conducive
to well-being and prosperity, let alone movie-going.
Yet according to a report in todays Variety Magazine,
cinema attendance has held up remarkably well
in the region's larger markets, including Lebanon,
Turkey and the United Arab Emirates, since the
events of Sept. 11.
The Middle
East, including Turkey and Israel, generates about
2% of the majors' overseas theatrical revenues.
The most active new market in the Middle East,
the UAE has seen considerable investment in new
screens by local operators and foreign exhibs,
including Australia's Greater Union and Ster Century.
Hollywood movies are extremely popular, exemplified
by "Lara Croft: Tomb Raider," which generated
$506,000, and "Jurassic Park III" which netted
just over $339,000.
"There
has been a fourfold increase in revenue from the
UAE in the past two years," says one distrib.
"There is a large Afghan and Pakistani population
in Dubai, but cinemagoing is relatively upscale.
The new multiplexes are in fairly fierce competition
for sections of the population that can afford
to go to the cinema."
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