12 Countries That Produce the Best Movies in the World

In this article we present the list of 12 Countries That Produce the Best Movies in the World. Click to skip ahead and see the 5 Countries That Produce the Best Movies in the World.

The United States, India, and Japan rank near the top of the list of the countries that produce the best movies in the world according to moviegoers the world over.

The global box office has sagged in recent years given the Covid-19 pandemic shuttering movie theaters across the globe as well as the rise of streaming services like Netflix. The movie industry has also been surpassed by the gaming industry in total revenue in recent years.

Global box office revenue slumped to $11.8 billion in 2020, before rebounding to $21.3 billion last year. Despite that 80% rise, ticket sales in 2021 were still just half what they were in 2019 before the pandemic hit.

When it comes to movie producing countries, the United States has been far and away the global leader for decades. According to data compiled by The Numbers, the U.S. has produced nearly 23,000 movies that have earned over $609 billion at the box office. That’s 5x more movies produced and 11x the revenue generated than any other country.

Does that mean the United States should automatically top the list of the countries that produce the best movies in the world? Finding a fair methodology to rank the best movie-producing countries is challenging given the disparity between different countries in the number of movies produced, which for the most part leads to the top movie producing countries inevitably producing the most standout movies as well. And we didn’t want this list to simply be a rehash of which countries have the biggest movie industries.

By the same token, ranking which countries produce the best movies based solely on one or a few standout movies, if using for instance the number of Oscar wins for best international film, also doesn’t seem overly accurate. A country could produce one great movie that takes home the award, but little else of substance, while another country could produce a number of high-quality movies but not have that one big winner.

Given the entirely subjective nature of which movies are best, we decided to turn to the people instead and let them have their say. This methodology is by no means perfect either, and the data can be tainted in a number of ways, but in general it gives a good representation of which countries produce movies that people from all parts of the world want to see.

Before we get to the countdown, we loaded up OpenAI’s artificial intelligence chatbot ChatGPT, to find out what questions people ask about the movie industry and then recorded the associated answers to those questions.

Question 1: Which countries have the largest and most successful film industries?

ChatGPT’s Answer: There are a number of countries that have large and successful film industries, including:

  1. United States: The U.S. film industry is one of the largest and most successful in the world, and generates significant revenue from the production, distribution, and exhibition of films and television shows. The U.S. is home to a number of major studios and production companies, and has a well-established distribution system that allows films to reach audiences around the world.

  2. China: China has a growing and highly lucrative film industry, and has become a major player in the global film market in recent years. Chinese films and co-productions with foreign partners have generated significant revenue, and the country has a large and growing domestic market for films.

  3. India: India is home to one of the largest and most successful film industries in the world, and generates significant revenue from the production, distribution, and exhibition of films and television shows. Bollywood films are particularly popular and have a large international audience.

Question 2: Which countries have the most internationally renowned filmmakers and actors?

ChatGPT’s Answer: There are a number of countries that have internationally renowned filmmakers and actors, including:

  1. United States: The U.S. film industry is home to many internationally renowned filmmakers and actors, including directors such as Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, and Quentin Tarantino, and actors such as Meryl Streep, Denzel Washington, and Tom Hanks.

  2. India: Indian cinema is home to many internationally renowned filmmakers and actors, including directors such as Satyajit Ray and Mira Nair, and actors such as Shah Rukh Khan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan.

  3. China: Chinese cinema is home to many internationally renowned filmmakers and actors, including directors such as Wong Kar-wai and Zhang Yimou, and actors such as Jet Li and Zhang Ziyi.

Question 3: Which countries have the most diverse range of film styles and genres?

ChatGPT’s Answer: There are a number of countries that have a diverse range of film styles and genres, including:

  1. United States: The U.S. film industry is known for its diversity, and produces a wide range of film styles and genres, including animated features, action and adventure films, comedies, dramas, and more.

  2. India: Indian cinema is known for its diverse range of styles and genres, including Bollywood musicals, art house films, and regional cinema. Indian cinema has a long and rich history, and has had a significant influence on the global film industry.

  3. China: Chinese cinema is known for its diverse range of styles and genres, including martial arts films, historical dramas, and romantic comedies. Chinese cinema has a long and rich history, and has had a significant influence on the global film industry.

Question 4: Which countries have the most advanced film production technologies and facilities?

ChatGPT’s Answer: There are a number of countries that have advanced film production technologies and facilities, including:

  1. United States: The U.S. film industry is known for its highly developed infrastructure and state-of-the-art production technologies and facilities. The country is home to a number of major studios and production companies, as well as a wide range of specialized equipment and software.

  2. China: China has a growing film industry and has made significant investments in advanced production technologies and facilities in recent years. The country is home to a number of major studios and production companies, and has a number of state-of-the-art facilities for film production.

  3. Japan: Japan has a long and successful film industry, and is known for its advanced production technologies and facilities. The country is home to a number of major studios and production companies, and has a number of state-of-the-art facilities for film production.

Question 5: Which countries have the most supportive policies and funding for the film industry?

ChatGPT’s Answer: There are a number of countries that have supportive policies and funding for the film industry, including:

  1. France: The French government has a long tradition of supporting the arts, including the film industry. The country has a number of initiatives and programs in place to support the development of the film industry, including funding for film production, distribution, and exhibition, as well as tax incentives and grants.

  2. Canada: The Canadian government has a number of initiatives in place to support the film industry, including funding for film production, distribution, and exhibition, as well as tax incentives and grants. The country also has a number of co-production agreements with other countries, which help to support the development of the film industry.

  3. South Korea: The South Korean government has a number of initiatives in place to support the film industry, including funding for film production, distribution, and exhibition, as well as tax incentives and grants. The country also has a number of co-production agreements with other countries, which help to support the development of the film industry.

Question 6: Which countries have the most successful box office returns and global distribution networks?

ChatGPT’s Answer: It is difficult to accurately compare the box office returns and global distribution networks of different countries, as the film industries of different countries are structured differently and have different sources of funding. However, some of the countries that are known to have large and successful film industries and generate significant revenue from the box office and global distribution include:

  1. United States: The U.S. film industry is one of the largest and most successful in the world, and generates significant revenue from the production, distribution, and exhibition of films and television shows. The U.S. has a well-established distribution system that allows films to reach audiences around the world.

  2. China: China has a growing and highly lucrative film industry, and has become a major player in the global film market in recent years. Chinese films and co-productions with foreign partners have generated significant revenue at the box office, and the country has a large and growing domestic market for films.

  3. India: India is home to one of the largest and most successful film industries in the world, and generates significant revenue from the production, distribution, and exhibition of films and television shows. Bollywood films are particularly popular and have a large international audience.

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Now that we know a little more about the global film industry and countries’ standing within it, let’s begin the countdown of the 12 countries that produce the best movies in the world.

12 Countries That Produce the Best Movies in the World
12 Countries That Produce the Best Movies in the World

Photo by Myke Simon on Unsplash

Our Methodology

To compile this list, we used The Top Tens’ list of the top countries that make the best movies, which is ongoing and can be voted on by anyone. Be prepared for some surprises (one in particular) and one glaring omission, which was no doubt due to the political environment surrounding that country.

Note that the following write-ups are primarily generated by ChatGPT. In some instances the responses have been edited for style and clarity, or additional information has been added by the author.

12 Countries That Produce the Best Movies in the World

12. Canada

Kicking off the countdown of countries that produce the best movies in the world is Canada, which is overshadowed by the much larger U.S. film industry even within its own borders, but which nonetheless

has a thriving film industry that has produced many notable movies over the years.

Some of the most famous Canadian films include "The Sweet Hereafter," "Mon oncle Antoine," "Goin' Down the Road," "The Red Violin," and "The Barbarian Invasions." Additionally, many Hollywood films and television shows are also produced in Canada, making use of the country's diverse landscapes and experienced film crews.

11. Belgium

Belgium has a long history of film-making and has produced several classic movies throughout its history. Some of the most highly-regarded Belgian films include "Man Bites Dog," "The Artist," "Bullhead," "The Kid with a Bike," and "In Bruges." Belgium is known for its unique and innovative approach to film-making, and its filmmakers often tackle challenging and thought-provoking subjects in their work.

10. Croatia

Croatian filmmakers are known for their unique and distinctive storytelling style, and their films often explore complex and thought-provoking themes. Some of the top films to be come out of the country are "The Living and the Dead," "The High Sun," "Armin," "On the Other Side," and "You Carry Me."

9. Germany

The German film industry has a long and storied history, with some of the earliest films being produced in Germany in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Some of the most notable figures in the history of German cinema include Fritz Lang, whose iconic film "Metropolis" was released in 1927, and Rainer Werner Fassbinder, who was one of the key figures in the New German Cinema movement of the 1970s.

Today, the German film industry continues to produce a wide range of high-quality films that are celebrated both at home and abroad, and is more than deserving of its place on the list of countries that produce the best movies in the world.

8. Serbia

Some notable Serbian filmmakers include Emir Kusturica, who has won numerous awards for his films, including the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. Other notable Serbian filmmakers include Aleksandar Petrovic, who is considered one of the pioneers of the Yugoslav film industry, and Dusan Makavejev, who is known for his avant-garde and political films. These filmmakers, and many others, have contributed to the rich history and tradition of Serbian cinema.

7. Italy

The Italian film industry is one of the oldest and most vibrant in the world. It has produced many iconic films and filmmakers, including Federico Fellini, who is considered one of the greatest directors of all time, and Roberto Benigni, whose film "Life is Beautiful" won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. The Italian film industry has a long history of combining art and entertainment, and it continues to entertain audiences around the world to this day.

6. United Kingdom

Closing out the first half of the list of countries that produce the best movies in the world is the British film industry, which has a long and rich history. It has produced some of the most revered films and filmmakers of all time, including Alfred Hitchcock, who is considered one of the greatest directors ever, and the legendary James Bond franchise, which has been a global phenomenon for decades. The UK film industry is known for its high-quality productions and its ability to consistently produce successful and critically acclaimed films on a variety of subjects.

 

Please continue to see the 5 Countries That Produce the Best Movies in the World.

 

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Disclosure: None. 12 Countries That Produce the Best Movies in the World is originally published at Insider Monkey.