Introduction. Minority Report(s)

All the studies carried out by the European
Audiovisual Observatory in the last few years on
various categories of “niche films” (arthouse films,
films made in the new EU member states, films
produced in the Mediterranean countries, films
made in third countries other than the United
States, films by women, European animated films,
documentaries, children’s films, etc) illustrate with
dramatic clarity the minority position of these
various categories on the European market. For
policymakers, institutional leaders, professionals
and film lovers who treasure diversity, identifying
these minority positions can have a depressing
effect. However, statistical indicators are essential
for producing a diagnosis and asking the questions
that can lead to attempts to find solutions,
whether political or professional. Is it normal that
films by women in 2010-2012 only made up
17.5% of European film production and 8.7%
of admissions of European films in the European
Union, even though women represent half the
population? Is it normal that in the European
Union the market share of European films outsidetheir domestic market fluctuates from year
to year between 6.3 and 9.6%? Is it normal that,
ten years after EU enlargement, EU admissions of
films originating from new Member States constitute
on average 1.25% of all EU admissions
even though those countries represent 19% of
the total EU population? Is it normal that, each
year, the market share of films other than American
or European productions is just 2 to 3% of EU
admissions and that this small share of the cake
mainly goes to films from English-speaking countries
(Australia, Canada, etc.), thus leaving only
a few crumbs of market share to African, Arab,
Asian and South American works or to works
from European non-EU countries such as Russia
or Turkey ? Is it normal that films that receive
awards in Cannes or win a European Film Award
rarely exceed 2.5 million admissions, i.e. that less
than five European citizens per thousand actually
see them in a cinema?