The French box office saw an increase of 6.7% over 2007 with 188.8 million admissions, with French films taking the number one and two spots.

The French box office saw a year on year increase of 6.7% over 2007 with 188.8 million admissions, France's National Cinema Federation (FNCF) has announced.

Although the figures are impressive, 2008's numbers fall a fraction (-.1%) below those of 2006.

Far and away the number one film of the year, Dany Boon's Welcome To The Sticks, sold 20.4 million tickets.

Further, the year's runner-up was also a French film: Frederic Forestier and Thomas Langmann's Asterix At The Olymic Games sold 6.8 million tickets to beat out 2007's number two, Spider-Man, which sold 6.3 million.

Although 2008 was the first time since Titanic in 1998 that a film passed the 20 million admissions mark, ticket sales were still down from 2004's record breaking 195.5 million total and just a notch above 2001's 187.4 million.

The FNCF lamented that fact given that at least 50 multiplexes have been opened since 2001, citing internet piracy as having a direct and negative impact on cinema admissions.