Swedish cinemas registered the best annual result since the late 1980s with 18.4 million admissions in 2012, up 12% on 2011 (16.4 million), according to the Swedish Film Institute.

With 18,358 million admissions in 2012 – 12% up on 2011 (16,419 million) – Swedish cinemas registered the best annual result since 1989 (18,431 million).

The top grossing Swedish release was secret agent thriller Hamilton – I nationens intresse (Hamilton - In the Interest of the Nation), which sold 512,661 tickets.

But Hamilton was out-gunned by 007. James Bond’s latest mission, Skyfall, topped the chart with 1,045,219 admissions.

Hamilton was the top-grossing Swedish release (#6 overall) and contributed to the 4 million attendance for domestic features, which increased their market share from 20% in 2011 to 22%.

European fare controlled 18% of the market (up from 15%), while US product was down to 60% (from 65%).

Eight of the top 25 titles in the box-office were Swedish.

The statistics also reflected the growing audience interest in local documentaries: Kristina Lindström-Maud Nycander’s Palme was the best-attended Swedish doc in almost 25 years and headed the top 10 list with Malik Bendjelloul’s Searching for Sugar Manand Sara Broos’ För dig naken (For You Naked).

Top Five Swedish Releases (2012)

  1. Hamilton – I nationens intresse
    Dir: Kathrine Windfeld - 395,264 admissions
  2. En gång i Phuket (Once Upon a Time In Phuket)
    Dir: Staffan Lindberg - 395,264
  3. Snabba cash II (Quick Money II)
    Dir: Babak Najafi – 323,475
  4. Cockpit
    Dir: Mårten Klingberg - 272,600
  5. Hypnotisören (The Hypnotist)
    Dir: Lasse Hallström - 266,087

Top Five International Releases (2012)

  1. Skyfall
    Dir: Sam Mendes (UK-US) - 1,045,219 admissions
  2. The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
    Dir: Peter Jackson (US) – 833,145
  3. The Dark Knight Rises
    Dir: Christopher Nolan (US) – 717,958
  4. Ice Age: Continental Drift
    Dirs: Steve Martino, Mike Thurmeier (US) - 596,318
  5. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2
    Dir: Bill Condon (US) – 521,936