France's $45-million movie Astérix and Obélix against Julius Caesar -- the most expensive film ever produced by a French studio -- almost single-handedly doubled the audience for French films in Europe last year, Unifrance, the organization charged with promoting French cinema, said Thursday that French films drew 26 million patrons last year, versus 13 million in 1998.

Unifrance noted that in Germany, Italy and Switzerland Astérix and Obélix made the top-ten box office list. Europe accounted for 82 percent of the audience for French films, the group noted.

Source: Studio Briefing