New data from the Federal Statistical Office (FSO) has shown that Swiss films are not popular among the Swiss population, with only 2 percent of films purchased, rented or viewed on streaming platforms being made in Switzerland, despite making up 10 percent of the catalogue in 2019.

Movies made in Switzerland remain unpopular on streaming services

The new report from the FSO took data from video-on-demand and streaming providers such as Netflix, Apple TV, Disney+ and Swiss providers like Swisscom. They found that the use of streaming services through the internet increased by 50 percent in 2019, and the FSO predicts a similar trend will be found in 2020, due to the pandemic.

Of the films available, films made in Switzerland made up around 10 percent of the catalogue, but only 2,2 percent of rentals and purchases in 2019 were for Swiss movies. Of those films actually watched, 0,8 to 1,4 percent of movies were Swiss. Hollywood films made up around 70 percent of the viewing time, dominating Europe and the rest of the world.

Funding proposed to boost Swiss film industry

This has generated discussion about whether plans by the Swiss government for a “Lex Netflix” tax on streaming providers’ profits, to be given to Swiss filmmakers, is a reasonable solution, given their lack of popularity. The matter is to be sent to a referendum next year.

The Tages-Anzeiger, when reporting on the issue, flipped the argument by saying that the lack of Swiss films was the main reason why nobody watches them. They noted that the findings gave politicians all the more reason to fund Swiss art and Swiss movies.