Despite the optimistic signs of recovery observed over the past two years, cinema attendance across all five Nordic markets experienced a decline in 2024. This downturn ranged from a modest 3% drop in Denmark to a more significant drop of nearly 13% in Norway. Factors contributing to this decline included lingering effects from the COVID-19 pandemic and the Hollywood strikes that resulted in a shortage of major U.S. films. However, the impact was somewhat offset in certain regions by the strong performance of local productions, which captured audience interest and filled the gap left by international blockbusters.

In Finland, local films achieved a remarkable record market share of 31.6%, with the epic love story ?Stormskerry Maja? leading the way. Meanwhile, in Sweden, the touching documentary ?The Last Journey? became a standout success, showcasing the heartwarming journey of TV personalities Filip Hammar and Fredrik Wikingsson as they aim to revive the spirit of Filip?s aging father during their travels in France. This Swedish Oscar nominee significantly contributed to the country?s impressive 22% market share, marking the highest ticket sales in seven years, demonstrating the audience’s affinity for heartfelt storytelling.

In Iceland, Hollywood-Icelandic filmmaker Baltasar Kormákur delivered the nation?s biggest hit with ?Contact,? a poignant tale of love and cherished memories that garnered critical acclaim, even being shortlisted for the Oscars in the best international film category. This film resonated deeply with audiences, showcasing the blend of local and international storytelling that characterizes Icelandic cinema.

In contrast, Denmark?typically a frontrunner in the Nordic cinema landscape?faced challenges, particularly with homegrown films. The nation saw a decline, attributed partly to the lowest number of national premieres in a decade. Similarly, Norway struggled with the absence of local blockbusters, resulting in the weakest performance since the pandemic, highlighting the vulnerabilities of the region’s film industry in the face of global market shifts.

Alongside local successes, Disney?s ?Inside Out 2? also dominated the Nordic box office charts, illustrating the audience’s preference for familiar franchises. This trend of choosing safe bets like sequels and adaptations of well-known intellectual properties seems to be a significant factor in the current cinema landscape, as audiences gravitate toward content they recognize and trust.

Analyzing Denmark?s Cinema Trends in 2024

In Denmark, cinema revenues reached DKK 964.94 million ($135.5 million), with 9.8 million tickets sold. These figures represent the worst performance in 30 years, according to preliminary data from the Danish Film Institute and the Danish Film Distributors Association, FAFID. While the year-on-year decline in admissions was a mere 3%, the overall impact is significant, marking a troubling trend for the industry.

The downturn in cinema attendance in Denmark is attributed to several factors, including the ongoing fallout from the pandemic, increasing competition from streaming services, and the Hollywood strikes. DFI analyst Martin Kofoed Hansen highlighted a notable decline in the number of first-run films, dropping 18 to a total of 209. This was further exacerbated by a decade-low number of Danish films, with only 22 titles released compared to the usual average of 31, reflecting challenges in local film production.

The 22 new Danish films released in 2024 collectively earned DKK 208.4 million ($29.3 million) from 2.3 million admissions, representing an 8% decrease year-on-year. This figure is also 37% below pre-COVID averages. The domestic market share, which typically exceeds 28% in Europe, was reduced to 23% in 2024, a slight dip from 25% in the previous year. Nevertheless, according to the DFI, local films still achieved significantly better sales than the overall number of films available.

Three Danish films made it into the top ten: the mature romance ?When in Rome? starring Rolf Lassg?rd and Bodil J?rgensen, the crime thriller ?Boundless,? adapted from the popular Jussi Adler-Olsen?s ?Department Q? series, and the political thriller ?Kingmaker,? a sequel to the 2004 hit ?King’s Game,? based on another popular crime series by Niels Krause-Kj?r. These successes highlight the ongoing demand for quality storytelling within the Danish film landscape.

Despite the challenges faced, U.S. titles maintained a significant presence in the Danish market, with local films capturing only 58% of the market share, down from 63% in 2023. Hollywood films dominated the box office, with ?Inside Out 2? emerging as the largest hit, illustrating the continued appeal of established franchises over original content.

Looking ahead to 2025, Hansen expressed optimism that the decline in attendance will reverse, fueled by a lineup of audience-attracting films from both the U.S. and Denmark. Anticipated releases include the Danish Oscar contender ?The Girl with the Needle,? ?Checkered Ninja 3,? the third installment in the beloved animated franchise, and Mads Mikkelsen’s ?Back to Reality? directed by Anders Thomas Jensen, with a release slated for this fall.

Top 10 Movies in Denmark for 2024

(Ranking based on admissions (title, distributor, admissions, box office, release date)
Source: Danish Film Institute, FAFID ? Gross BO ? DKK1 = $0.14 as of Jan. 2025)

Exploring Finland’s Cinematic Achievements in 2024

Cinemagoing in Finland during 2024 remained below pre-COVID levels, with total admissions reaching only 6.7 million, resulting in box office revenues of ?89.5 million ($94 million). This represented a decline of 5.5% in ticket sales compared to 2023 and a staggering 20.7% below the average from 2015 to 2019, according to estimates from the Finnish Film Foundation. Despite these figures, the strong performance of local films played a crucial role in mitigating the decline, as highlighted by the Foundation?s head of statistics, Petri Peltonen, who noted the exceptional success of domestic films across the nation.

Remarkably, for the first time in recorded history, every region?s most-watched film was a locally produced title, underscoring the growing popularity of Finnish cinema. Following the success of ?Barbie? in 2023, which achieved the highest ticket sales since 2014 (7.2 million), it was the turn of the inspiring tale of Finnish woman Maja in the period film ?Stormskerry Maja,? which soared to the top with nearly 470,000 tickets sold. This sweeping epic, directed by Tiina Lymi and based on the best-selling novels by Anni Blomqvist, achieved a record high for a local film in the past decade, showcasing the potential of Finnish storytelling.

In addition to ?Stormskerry Maja,? which outperformed Disney?s ?Inside Out 2,? four other local films made it into the top ten. These included the comedy spin-offs ?Luottomies-elokuva: All in? by Kari Ketonen and ?Kyllä isä osaa ?elokuva? by Panu Raipia, the family film ?Hayflower, Quiltshoe and the Hen? by Reetta Aalto, and ?Long Good Thursday? by Mika Kaurismäki, the fourth film in the popular comedy series about the ?Grumpy? older farmer based on Tuomas Kyrö?s novels. The diverse range of genres reflects the audience’s appetite for local narratives and humor.

The animated film ?Niko ? Beyond the Northern Lights,? released in October, also surpassed the 100,000 admissions mark, further emphasizing the strength of local productions in Finnish cinemas.

With 2.1 million tickets sold from 48 new premieres, including 15 documentaries, Finnish titles achieved their best results since 2017, marking a 27.7% increase from 2023, although still 1.3% below the 2015-19 average. This impressive growth translated to a record market share of 31.6%, a significant jump from 23.4% in 2023. Box office revenues also peaked at ?27.37 million ($28.7 million) in 2024, reflecting a 35.8% increase from the previous year and a 21.1% increase from the 2015-19 average.

In 2024, Finnish cinemagoers exhibited a growing affinity for familiar local stories and nostalgic narratives. The head of distribution at the Finnish Film Foundation, Ilmari Arnkil, predicted that this trend may continue into 2025, highlighting the potential for Finnish cinema to resonate with audiences on a deeper emotional level.

On the U.S. front, following the Hollywood strikes in 2023, 79 new premieres accounted for 53.7% market share, a decline from 66.8% in 2023. In addition to ?Inside Out 2,? major American hits included the franchises ?Despicable Me 4,? ?Dune: Part 2,? ?Deadpool & Wolverine,? and the romantic drama ?It Ends with Us,? demonstrating that while local films thrived, international franchises still wield significant influence in the Finnish market.

Top 10 Movies in Finland for 2024

(Ranking based on admissions (title, distributor, admissions, box office, release date)
Source: Finnish Film Foundation – Gross BO ?1 = $1.05 as of Jan. 2025)

Assessing Iceland’s Film Landscape and Local Hits

In Iceland, the film industry is typically dominated by U.S. films, which usually capture over 80% of the market share. However, the absence of Hollywood titles last year had a notable impact on the theatrical market for this smallest Nordic nation. The box office saw a 5.8% drop to ISK 1.6 billion ($11.4 million), with admissions declining by 9.8% to 904,809. In pre-pandemic times, ticket sales generally exceeded 1.2 million. As Daníel Traustason from the rights holders? association FRISK noted, ?Cinemagoing in Iceland reverted to our pandemic days, where classic films were showcased on the big screen.?

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