26% Growth in Iran Box Office Earnings

EghtesadOnline: Iran's box office earnings during the first 11 months of the current Iranian year (March 21, 2019-Feb. 19) stood at 2.94 trillion rials ($20.44 million) to register an increase of 621.26 billion rials ($4.31 million) or 26.75% compared with last year’s similar period.

News ID: ۷۸۵۴۴۰

29 February 2020

A total of 74 movie titles were released in Iranian theaters during the period and 25.74 million people went to the movies, according to data published in Panel.cinemashahr.ir—the official Iranian website providing detailed information on box office earnings to the public. The outlet became operational on Feb. 25, 2019, according to Financial Tribune.

The number of moviegoers witnessed a year-on-year decrease of 3.28% during the period.

The average cinema ticket prices stood at 114,250 rials ($0.79), up by 27,050 rials ($0.18) or 31.02% year-on-year.

The above figures indicate that the rise in box office earnings stems from the increase in ticket prices and not in the number of moviegoers.

Close to half of box office earnings came from only six movie titles, namely the comedy “Motreb” directed by Mostafa Kiaei with 383.5 billion rials ($2.66 million), "6.5 Per Meter" directed by Saeed Roustayi with 271.98 billion rials ($1.88 million), "Texas 2" directed by Masoud Atyabi with 250.88 billion rials ($1.74 million), "Rahman 1400" directed by Manouchehr Hadi with 218.91 billion rials ($1.52 million), “When the Moon Became Full” directed by Narges Abyar with 190.12 billion rials ($1.32 million) and “The Warden” directed by Nima Javidi with 149.81 billion rials ($1.04 million). The six titles earned a total of 1.46 trillion rials ($10.17 million) combined.

Box office earnings during the first Iranian month (March 21-April 20) stood at 573.73 billion rials ($3.98 million), registering an increase of 34.74% compared with last year’s similar month.

The earnings amounted to 266.81 billion rials ($1.85 million) during the second Iranian month (April 21-May 21), indicating a decrease of 1.82% year-on-year and a fall of 53.5% month-on-month.

Sales during the third Iranian month (May 22-June 21) stood at 295.93 billion rials ($2.05 million), up by 134.5% YOY and by 10.91% MOM.

As for the fourth Iranian month (June 22-July 22), the earnings rose by 36.27% YOY and declined by 0.31% MOM to reach 295.01 billion rials ($2.04 million).

The earnings witnessed noticeable declines in the fifth Iranian month (July 23-Aug. 22) both from YOY and MOM perspectives, as Iranian cinemas earned 239.5 billion rials ($1.66 million) during the month to register 14.95% and 18.81% declines YOY and MOM respectively.

The downward trend continued during the sixth Iranian month (Aug. 23-Sept. 22), as box office earnings amounted to 115.95 billion rials ($805,260) during the month, indicating 9.26% and 51.58% falls YOY and MOM respectively.

Sales during the seventh month Mehr (June 22-October 22) stood at 139.2 billion rials ($966,717), down by 32.95% YOY and by up by 20.05% MOM.

During the eighth Iranian month (Oct. 22-Nov. 21), earnings rose by 57.14% YOY and by 75% MOM to reach 243.6 billion rials ($1.69 million).

Ticket sales in the ninth Iranian month (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) saw noticeable rises by 88% and 41.15% YOY and MOM respectively, amounting to 343.84 billion rials ($2.38 million).

Box office earnings totaled 247.78 billion rials ($1.72 million) in the 10th Iranian month (Dec. 21, 2019-Jan. 20) to register a 31.75% rise YOY and a downturn of 27.94% MOM.

As for the 11th Iranian month (Jan. 21-Feb. 19), earnings amounted to 182.09 billion rials ($1.26 million) to go up by 31.04% YOY and down by 26.51% MOM.

Iranian box offices earned close to 2.4 trillion rials (more than $16.66 million) during the last Iranian year (ended March 20, 2019), to register an increase of about 25% compared to earnings in the year before.

As a report by the Iran Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture shows, 79 films were released in theaters last year.

The movie "Centipede" directed by Abolhassan Davoudi was the highest grossing movie of the year, earning over 370 billion rials ($2.69 million) and attracting 4.21 million viewers. In fact, the movie is the all-time highest-grossing film of the Iranian cinema.

According to Panel.cinemashahr.ir, Iranian cinemas attracted more than 28 million people last year, which shows a more than 22% increase compared to the year before.

Each Iranian goes to the movies 0.3 times per year on average, according to a report by the Persian economic daily Donya-e-Eqtesad.