Cinemas in the Netherlands sold 7% fewer tickets last year, but Dutch films were more popular, reaching a nine-year high in ticket sales, according to industry figures.

Smaller art-house and independent cinemas were also more in demand, according to the Dutch cinema association NVBF and film distributors.

In total, cinemas sold 29 million tickets for a total of €311 million which is well down on pre-coronavirus year of 2019, when 38 million tickets were sold. Inside Out 2, Despicable Me 4, and Deadpool & Wolverine topped the list of most popular films.

The impact of coronavirus and a strike by American actors which delayed a number of projects had an influence on sales, Wilco Wolfers from distribution company WW Entertainment told the Financieele Dagblad.

Last year was also without major public draws such as Barbie and Oppenheimer, he said.

Nevertheless, Dutch films were more popular. In total, 90 were released last year, attracting five million viewers – a rise of 20% on 2023. The increase took the share of Dutch film in the total to 17%.

Crime film Loverboy, which made it from YouTube to the big screen, was the most popular Dutch film, followed by Bon Bini: Bangkok Nights and romcom Verliefd op Bali.

This year, the film sector has high hopes for Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, Lilo & Stitch and next December Avatar: Fire and Ash. Dutch horror film Amsterdamned 2 is also scheduled for release.