Sweden's cinemas, consisting of Filmstaden, Folkets Bio, Folkets Hus och Parker, Svenska Bio and Sweden's rural cinemas, believe that the concept of health must be broadened. More specifically, it is about the fact that they think that cinema visits should be included in the wellness allowance given out by employers.

– We think that you should have a slightly broader view of health and well-being, says Filmstaden's marketing manager Helena Eklund.

According to her, there are benefits to experiencing culture together and getting an outlet for emotions through film.

"For example, a horror movie where you scream together, then you've got an outlet.

Even when it comes to sad films that can make the viewer sad or anxious, Eklund maintains that it is mostly positive.

The proposal is made with reference to the EU-funded project "Culture for health", which has compiled 300 research studies that show that different forms of culture are good for health and well-being.

Downward biotrend

In 2022, Swedish cinemas had 10.4 million visitors. The same figure in 2019 was 15.9 million, pandemic restrictions and an increased proportion of streaming come into play in between. Eklund admits that the proposal hopes that the numbers will turn upwards again.

"It's clear that we want to get back to those numbers, but what happened during the pandemic made us realise that we also have a different function.

"It's important to exercise"

Ola Sigurdson is a professor of faith and philosophy of life and has written the books "Culture and health: a broader perspective" and "Culture and health in practice". He is positive that cinema visits, but also other forms of culture, could be included in the wellness grant.

– In the World Health Organization's definition of health, it is not only an absence of disease, but also a state of total physical, mental and social well-being.

There, Sigurdson believes that culture plays an important role as, according to him, it asks existential questions and it is through it that we meet other people.

"Of course, it's important to exercise as well, but it's just one thing in a larger whole.