Brazilian cinema admissions in the first six months of 2007 matched the figures for the same period last year, with attendance up only 0.15%.

Box-office sales, however, rose 4% thanks to increase in ticket prices.

According to Filme B, a local film company that reviews theatrical market numbers, Brazil's total box office amounted to $207m (R$384m), with admissions reaching 47.6m.

These 2007 figures include the results from local independent distributors, which represented approximately 3.5m tickets sold. Because these companies, such as Paris Filmes, Imagem, Mais Filmes, Estacao and Imovision, didn't provide their numbers last year, the difference in admissions and box office sales were calculated without their figures in this first half of the year.

Brazilian films were seen by just over 5m people, representing a market share at 10.6%, down from 2006's 13% market share.

The Brazilian champ in 2007 is A Grande Familia - O Filme, a movie version of a famous sitcom that sold more than 2m tickets and grossed R$ 15.4 m. It's the only domestic production to appear in 2007 first half ranking - at the sixth spot.

Although blockbusters such as Spider Man 3, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End and Shrek The Third performed really well in Brazil, total figures are below expectations. Because some blockbusters dominated the market, occupying most of the screens, they didn't leave much room for the films with medium budgets, that usually play a considerable role in the total figures.

Top 10 Brazil - first half 2007 (in admissions)*
1 Spider Man 3 (Sony) - 6.1m
2 Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (BVI) - 3.7m
3 Shrek The Third (Paramount/Dreamworks) - 3.3m
4 Night at the Museum (Fox) - 3m
5 300 (Warner) - 2.7m
6 A Grande Familia (EUR-MAM) - 2m
7 Ghost Rider (Sony) - 1.8m
8 The Pursuit of Happyness (Sony) - 1.6m
9 Mr. Bean's Holiday (Universal) - 879.000
10 Blood Diamond (Warner) - 724.300

*Source: Filme B (figures through July 2)

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