Amelie, produced by Claudie Ossard and UGC, and distributed by UGC Distribution (UFD), launched in April 2001 to a roaring success in France, with 8.64 million spectators, and went on to win four Césars ((Best Film, Best Director, Best Music, and Best Set Design). Internationally, it was released on 5 continents, in 50 countries, and reached nearly 23 million spectators for €133.5 million in box office revenues. Thanks to this performance, it dethroned Asterix and Obelix versus Cesar (15.8 million admissions) as the biggest worldwide success of a majority French and French-language production (since 1995). It held this position for ten years, until the arrival of the phenomenon The Intouchables (31.9 million tickets).
A French-German coproduction, in Germany, the film's protagonist's little quirks, Yann Tiersen's lively music, and Jeunet's fresh and original direction charmed 3.1 million moviegoers and made Die fabelhafte Welt der Amelie the 16th most viewed film of 2001. Prokino Filmverleih, its local distributor, was enamored with the film at the script stage, and the company's CEO Ira Von Gienanth fondly remembers the summer of 2001 spent working on the film's release plan, the offices decorated with the film's posters, and the soundtrack playing on a loop. A passion that was undoubtedly passed on to the German public, given the number of tickets sold, the highest in Europe and the second highest abroad after the United States.
Antonio Medici, CEO of Bim Distribuzione, which distributed the film in Italy, recalls that French cinema was until then often considered by the general public as "too intellectual, slow, and arthouse." Il favoloso mondo di Amelie overcame this cliché and "revived the light-hearted French comedy, full of happiness and empathy," thus allowing new spectators to discover French productions with a fresh look. In addition, it paved the way for "mainstream" French comedies such as The Intouchables, The Bélier Family, Two is a Family, and the Serial (Bad) Weddings saga, thereby strengthening the links between foreign and French film industry professionals
Amelie also opened new paths for French cinema exhibition, in Japan for example. French auteur cinema had always faced difficulties finding berths in the major chain's theaters. Amelie was one of the first titles of this kind to benefit from a wide print run, and to be screened simultaneously by big multiplexes and by mini-theaters (equivalent to our arthouse theaters). It was shown at Cinema Rise in Tokyo for eight months! According to the distributor New Select Co., Ltd (formerly Albatros), it generated a new model for the release of non-mainstream productions in Japan, a model that continues to this day.
Amelie's originality also lies in the position the film claimed at the box office in markets that are traditionally difficult to access for non-English language films, such as North America and the United Kingdom. Buoyed by the Audience Award at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2001 and five Oscars nominations in 2002, the comedy that launched Audrey Tautou generated $33.2 million in the USA (Miramax), being almost 5.5 million spectators in 300 theaters, and £5 million in the United Kingdom (Alliance Films – 784,000 admissions). On the other side of the world, Amelie is still the most popular French-language production in Australia since 1995 (Dendy Films – AU$6.8 million, 763,000 admissions).
In many countries, Jean-Pierre Jeunet's fourth feature was a blessing for local distributors. In Poland, for example, whose film industry was going through a crisis around 2000. The local distributor Gutek Film had planned to release the film in about thirty theaters, a small run that would nevertheless lead the film to a final result of 753,000 spectators, which is to say an impressive 26,000 admissions per print, the highest abroad ahead of the Japanese (24,000)! In addition to the territories already mentioned, Amelie exceeded the symbolic threshold of 100,000 spectators in 24 others.
Twenty years ago, we would never have imagined celebrating this anniversary in the current context, with thousands of theaters shuttered around the world. According to Antonio Medici of Bim Distribuzione, Amelie's little pleasures touch us more today, because they are the ones we are eager to rediscover in our daily lives. This is why, with a new impetus from Newen Connect a TF1 Group Company, Bim Distribuzione and many other distributors around the world are working on a rerelease of Jean-Pierre Jeunet's film to celebrate the reopening of theaters!
In connection with this news
Movies(6)
Amelie
![The 20th anniversary of the fantastic international career of Amelie (7) The 20th anniversary of the fantastic international career of Amelie (7)](https://i0.wp.com/medias.unifrance.org/medias/25/2/537/format_web/media.jpg)
Asterix and Obelix versus Cesar
![The 20th anniversary of the fantastic international career of Amelie (8) The 20th anniversary of the fantastic international career of Amelie (8)](https://i0.wp.com/medias.unifrance.org/medias/28/0/28/format_web/media.jpg)
Serial (Bad) Weddings
![The 20th anniversary of the fantastic international career of Amelie (9) The 20th anniversary of the fantastic international career of Amelie (9)](https://i0.wp.com/medias.unifrance.org/medias/110/204/117870/format_web/media.jpg)
The Bélier Family
![The 20th anniversary of the fantastic international career of Amelie (10) The 20th anniversary of the fantastic international career of Amelie (10)](https://i0.wp.com/medias.unifrance.org/medias/226/15/135138/format_web/media.jpg)
The Intouchables
![The 20th anniversary of the fantastic international career of Amelie (11) The 20th anniversary of the fantastic international career of Amelie (11)](https://i0.wp.com/medias.unifrance.org/medias/68/235/60228/format_web/media.jpg)
Two is a Family
![The 20th anniversary of the fantastic international career of Amelie (12) The 20th anniversary of the fantastic international career of Amelie (12)](https://i0.wp.com/medias.unifrance.org/medias/133/138/166533/format_web/media.jpg)
The 20th anniversary of the fantastic international career of Amelie
Movies(6)
Amelie
![The 20th anniversary of the fantastic international career of Amelie (14) The 20th anniversary of the fantastic international career of Amelie (14)](https://i0.wp.com/medias.unifrance.org/medias/25/2/537/format_web/media.jpg)
Asterix and Obelix versus Cesar
![The 20th anniversary of the fantastic international career of Amelie (15) The 20th anniversary of the fantastic international career of Amelie (15)](https://i0.wp.com/medias.unifrance.org/medias/28/0/28/format_web/media.jpg)
Serial (Bad) Weddings
![The 20th anniversary of the fantastic international career of Amelie (16) The 20th anniversary of the fantastic international career of Amelie (16)](https://i0.wp.com/medias.unifrance.org/medias/110/204/117870/format_web/media.jpg)
The Bélier Family
![The 20th anniversary of the fantastic international career of Amelie (17) The 20th anniversary of the fantastic international career of Amelie (17)](https://i0.wp.com/medias.unifrance.org/medias/226/15/135138/format_web/media.jpg)
The Intouchables
![The 20th anniversary of the fantastic international career of Amelie (18) The 20th anniversary of the fantastic international career of Amelie (18)](https://i0.wp.com/medias.unifrance.org/medias/68/235/60228/format_web/media.jpg)
Events(3)
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TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) - 2001
![The 20th anniversary of the fantastic international career of Amelie (20) The 20th anniversary of the fantastic international career of Amelie (20)](https://i0.wp.com/medias.unifrance.org/medias/175/83/21423/format_vignette/media.jpg)
Academy Awards - 2002
Awards
United States
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Academy Awards - 2002
![The 20th anniversary of the fantastic international career of Amelie (21) The 20th anniversary of the fantastic international career of Amelie (21)](https://i0.wp.com/medias.unifrance.org/medias/113/62/147057/format_vignette/media.jpg)
The 20th anniversary of the fantastic international career of Amelie
Events(3)
TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) - 2001
Feature film and short film festival
Canada
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TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) - 2001
![The 20th anniversary of the fantastic international career of Amelie (23) The 20th anniversary of the fantastic international career of Amelie (23)](https://i0.wp.com/medias.unifrance.org/medias/175/83/21423/format_vignette/media.jpg)
Academy Awards - 2002
Awards
United States
from
to
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Academy Awards - 2002
![The 20th anniversary of the fantastic international career of Amelie (24) The 20th anniversary of the fantastic international career of Amelie (24)](https://i0.wp.com/medias.unifrance.org/medias/113/62/147057/format_vignette/media.jpg)
Cesar Awards - French film industry awards - 2002
Awards
France
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Cesar Awards - French film industry awards - 2002
![The 20th anniversary of the fantastic international career of Amelie (25) The 20th anniversary of the fantastic international career of Amelie (25)](https://i0.wp.com/medias.unifrance.org/medias/237/97/25069/format_vignette/media.jpg)
Persons(6)
Jean-Pierre Jeunet
![The 20th anniversary of the fantastic international career of Amelie (26) The 20th anniversary of the fantastic international career of Amelie (26)](https://i0.wp.com/medias.unifrance.org/medias/128/157/171392/format_web/jean-pierre-jeunet.jpg)
Antonio Medici
![The 20th anniversary of the fantastic international career of Amelie (27) The 20th anniversary of the fantastic international career of Amelie (27)](https://i0.wp.com/medias.unifrance.org/medias/155/196/50331/visuel/generique-personne-defaut.png)
Claudie Ossard
![The 20th anniversary of the fantastic international career of Amelie (28) The 20th anniversary of the fantastic international career of Amelie (28)](https://i0.wp.com/medias.unifrance.org/medias/198/88/22726/format_web/claudie-ossard.jpg)
Audrey Tautou
![The 20th anniversary of the fantastic international career of Amelie (29) The 20th anniversary of the fantastic international career of Amelie (29)](https://i0.wp.com/medias.unifrance.org/medias/175/90/23215/format_web/audrey-tautou.jpg)
Yann Tiersen
![The 20th anniversary of the fantastic international career of Amelie (30) The 20th anniversary of the fantastic international career of Amelie (30)](https://i0.wp.com/medias.unifrance.org/medias/155/196/50331/visuel/generique-personne-defaut.png)
Ira Von Gienanth
![The 20th anniversary of the fantastic international career of Amelie (31) The 20th anniversary of the fantastic international career of Amelie (31)](https://i0.wp.com/medias.unifrance.org/medias/155/196/50331/visuel/generique-personne-defaut.png)
The 20th anniversary of the fantastic international career of Amelie
Persons(6)
Jean-Pierre Jeunet
![The 20th anniversary of the fantastic international career of Amelie (33) The 20th anniversary of the fantastic international career of Amelie (33)](https://i0.wp.com/medias.unifrance.org/medias/128/157/171392/format_web/jean-pierre-jeunet.jpg)
Antonio Medici
![The 20th anniversary of the fantastic international career of Amelie (34) The 20th anniversary of the fantastic international career of Amelie (34)](https://i0.wp.com/medias.unifrance.org/medias/155/196/50331/visuel/generique-personne-defaut.png)
Claudie Ossard
![The 20th anniversary of the fantastic international career of Amelie (35) The 20th anniversary of the fantastic international career of Amelie (35)](https://i0.wp.com/medias.unifrance.org/medias/198/88/22726/format_web/claudie-ossard.jpg)
Audrey Tautou
![The 20th anniversary of the fantastic international career of Amelie (36) The 20th anniversary of the fantastic international career of Amelie (36)](https://i0.wp.com/medias.unifrance.org/medias/175/90/23215/format_web/audrey-tautou.jpg)
Yann Tiersen
![The 20th anniversary of the fantastic international career of Amelie (37) The 20th anniversary of the fantastic international career of Amelie (37)](https://i0.wp.com/medias.unifrance.org/medias/155/196/50331/visuel/generique-personne-defaut.png)
Ira Von Gienanth
![The 20th anniversary of the fantastic international career of Amelie (38) The 20th anniversary of the fantastic international career of Amelie (38)](https://i0.wp.com/medias.unifrance.org/medias/155/196/50331/visuel/generique-personne-defaut.png)
Companies(11)
Alliance films / Momentum Pictures
Activities : Foreign distributor (feature film), Foreign production company, Buyer (feature films)
View fileBim Distribuzione
Activities : Foreign distributor (feature film), Foreign production company, Buyer (feature films)
View file
The 20th anniversary of the fantastic international career of Amelie
Companies(11)
Alliance films / Momentum Pictures
Activities : Foreign distributor (feature film), Foreign production company, Buyer (feature films)
View fileBim Distribuzione
Activities : Foreign distributor (feature film), Foreign production company, Buyer (feature films)
View fileCinema Rise / Taiwa Inc.
View fileDendy Films/Becker Group
Activities : Foreign distributor (feature film)
View fileGutek Film
Activities : Foreign distributor (feature film), Foreign distributor (short film)
View fileMiramax Films
Activities : Foreign distributor (feature film), Film exports/foreign sales, Foreign production company
View fileNew Select Co., Ltd
Activities : Foreign distributor (feature film), Buyer (feature films)
View fileNewen Connect a TF1 Group Company
Activities : Film exports/foreign sales
View fileProkino Filmverleih
Activities : Foreign distributor (feature film), Foreign production company, Buyer (feature films)
View fileUGC Distribution
Activities : Film exports/foreign sales, News agency (France), French distribution
View fileUnion Générale Cinématographique (UGC)
Activities : Executive Producer, Associate producer, Co-production, French distribution
View file
Economic data(8)
- AustraliaView file
- GermanyView file
- ItalyView file
- JapanView file
The 20th anniversary of the fantastic international career of Amelie
Economic data(8)
- AustraliaView file
- GermanyView file
- ItalyView file
- JapanView file
- North AmericaView file
- PolandView file
- USAView file
- United KingdomView file