A recent study conducted by the French media regulator ARCOM reveals intriguing insights into the availability of films in France from 1950 to 2021 across various video-on-demand platforms.

Approximately 43% of the films released during this period are now accessible through legitimate video-on-demand services. Simultaneously, another 42% have found their way onto illicit platforms, with 11% being exclusively present on these illegal channels.

The report suggests that more contemporary films have a higher likelihood of being available on legitimate services. For instance, a substantial 79% of films released since 2010 are accessible through these platforms, and an even higher 84% of those released in 2020 and 2021 are available through legal means.

However, the scenario changes for films that are over 30 years old, with fewer than a quarter of them being present on legitimate video-on-demand services.

Video on demand availablity

The majority of films available through legitimate means can be found on transactional video-on-demand (VOD) services, constituting 43%, whereas only 43% are accessible via subscription video-on-demand (SVOD) platforms.

Interestingly, 57% of films legally available are exclusive to specific VOD services, whereas only 5% have such exclusivity on SVOD platforms.

Delving into the nationality of the films available, it’s noted that 45% of those accessible through legitimate services are French productions or co-productions. This figure surpasses the proportion of French films released theatrically over the same period.

American movies also have a significant presence, comprising 32% of films available legally. While only 27% of films released theatrically during the study period were American.

The availability timeline varies for different VOD services. Pay VOD films typically become accessible four months after their theatrical release in France, while films appear on SVOD platforms that have signed approved agreements guaranteeing support for production six months after their release. Free VOD services typically offer films 36 months after their release.

This study sheds light on the evolving landscape of film accessibility in the digital age, where the availability of movies depends on various factors, including age, production origin, and the type of video-on-demand service used.