Besson’s Valerian bombs

French cinema is attracting audiences around the world but results have been dented by Luc Besson’s $180million sci-fi epic Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets bombing in the US.

Connexion journalist Connexion journalist

Published Friday 29 September 2017 - 20:42 Modified Friday 29 September 2017 - 20:42

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Industry figures show Valerian took $44m in the US, about $65m in China and only $202m worldwide. Despite much of its cost being covered by pre-sales it is still heading for a loss.

However film hits have come with the animation Ballerina in Spain and Mexico, Omar Sy’s Demain tout commence in Germany and Italy while Raoul Peck’s James Baldwin docu-film I Am Not Your Negro has been seen by a US audience of a million.