Cinema: Operators smile again with attendance up 30% in French-speaking Switzerland

Swiss cinema operators are experiencing a resurgence of optimism, with attendance figures showing a marked increase in the first half of 2026. This positive trend follows a challenging year in 2025, which saw notable declines in viewership, particularly in multiplexes.

By the 21st week of 2026, Swiss cinemas had recorded 4.68 million admissions. This represents a substantial increase of nearly 890,000 admissions compared to the same period last year, according to provisional data from the Federal Statistical Office (OFS). The growth was not uniform across the country, with German-speaking Switzerland seeing a 19% rise, French-speaking Switzerland experiencing a significant 30% jump, and Ticino showing an impressive 42% increase.

The OFS noted that this growth benefits the country as a whole, while maintaining the overall balance between linguistic regions. This recovery is largely attributed to the success of several films at the box office, which have drawn audiences back to theaters. The positive figures echo the sentiment observed among French cinema operators during the Cannes Film Festival.

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This growth benefits the entire country.