‘Honeyland’ Is The Bee’s Knees Of Openers; ’The Farewell’ Welcomes Solid Third Frame: Specialty Box Office
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Opening non-fictioners had a tough start this weekend, though the top title had some impressive results. Honeyland won Sundance’s best world documentary prize along with other nods including cinematography.
The Neon release directed by Tamara Kotevska and Ljubomir Stefanov is a challenge. Its subjects mostly speak an old form of Turkish and it would be a challenge for a geography nerd to find this region of Macedonia where the movie unfolds on a map, but it works. Likely Honeyland’s fab reviews sweetened the deal this weekend, but it’ll need word of mouth to buzz it forward. Hopefully that’s the case. Honeyland grossed an estimated $30K in the three-day, averaging $15K in two theaters.
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The weekend’s headlining specialty newcomers were dominated by docs in the awards race, but they were slow out of the gate overall. Fellow Sundancer Mike Wallace Is Here debuted in three opening runs for $19,500, reporting a $6,500 per theater average. Mike Wallace will hopefully scoop holdover momentum as it expands. PBS Distribution’s For Sama, set amidst the endless tragedy in Syria, it’s a tough sell, but insiders are giving it kudos. For Samagrossed $9,350 in three theaters Friday to Sunday, averaging $3,117.
Drama The Mountain recalls a dark medical practice. Set in America in the ‘50s, the drama starring Jeff Goldblum and Tye Sheridan grossed $16K in two theaters, averaging just over $8K. The Venice debut played at IFC Center and the Nuart.
[UPDATE]:
The volume stayed mid-level at best for David Crosby: Remember My Name in its second frame. Jumping by seven runs the doc grossed an estimated three-day $29,396 in 11 theaters, averaging $2,672. The Sony Classics release bowed in four locations, grossing $43,483, averaging $10,871.
Amidst the doom, The Farewell won’t be leaving. The Sundance premiere from A24 starring Awkwafina played 100 additional runs in its third frame, grossing over $1.55M, landing it in the top 10 as of Sunday morning despite being in far fewer theaters than the studio titles. Last weekend, Lulu Wang-directed mostly Mandarin-language title grossed $1.14M in 35 locations, averaging $32,723. It has cumed $3.69M.
Bleecker Street comedy The Art of Self-Defense crossed $2M over the weekend, shedding 9 runs vs its previous frame, playing 541 theaters in its third outing. The Jesse Eisenberg starrer took in $311,317, averaging $575.
Fellow comedy Sword of Trust played 32 additional runs in its third weekend outing, grossing $55,683 in 44 locations. Directed by Lynn Shelton, the IFC Films title had 12 theaters last weekend, grossing $60,376 for a $5K PTA.
Doc Marianne & Leonard: Words of Love played 28 additional theaters marking its first full month in release. The Roadside Attractions title took in over $95K in 83 locations, averaging $1,146
Maiden docked in 113 ports in its fifth weekend for a three-day estimated gross of just under $205K. The TIFF 2018 premiere averaged $1,813 this weekend, about 39% below its $2,984 PTA last weekend. Maiden has totaled just under $1.16M.
CBS Films reported a $135K gross for Ron Howard’s Pavarotti in its 8th weekend in theaters. The doc played 135 theaters, averaging $1K. It has cured $4.23M.
In its tenth weekend, Echo In the Canyon played 118 gigs, fifteen fewer locations than its prior frame. The Greenwich Entertainment title grossed $118K, rounding out to a $1K PTA. Echo was in 133 theaters last weekend, grossing $202,809 for a $1,525 PTA. It has cumed $2.9M and should cross $3M by mid August.
NEW RELEASES
For Sama (PBS Distribution) NEW [3 Theaters] Weekend $9,350, Average $3,117
Honeyland (Neon) NEW [2 Theaters] Weekend 30,000, Average $15,000
Mike Wallace Is Here (Magnolia Pictures) NEW [3 Theaters] Weekend $19,500, Average $6,500
The Mountain (Kino Lorber Films) NEW [2 Theaters] Weekend $16,013, Average $8,006
RETURNING/SECOND WEEKEND
At War (Cinema Libre) Week 2 [1 Theater] Weekend $1,551, Cume $3,509
David Crosby: Remember My Name (Sony Pictures Classics) Week 2 [11 Theaters] Weekend $29,396, Average $2,672, Cume $86,247
HOLDOVERS / THIRD+ WEEKENDS
The Art of Self-Defense (Bleecker Street) Week 3 [541 Theaters] Weekend $311,317, Average $575, Cume $2,059,656
The Farewell (A24) Week 3 [135 Theaters] Weekend $1,553,864, Average $11,510, Cume $3,691,551
Sword Of Trust (IFC Films) Week 3 [44 Theaters] Weekend $55,683, Average $1,266, Cume $156,012
Super 30 (Reliance) Week 3 [128 Theaters] Weekend $60,000, Average $469, Cume $189,224
Marianne And Leonard: Words Of Love (Roadside Attractions) Week 4 [83 Theaters] Weekend $95,125, Average $1,146, Cume $561,216
Maiden (Sony Pictures Classics) Week 5 [113 Theaters] Weekend $204,858, Average $1,813, Cume $1,159,682
Wild Rose (Neon) Week 6 [144 Theaters] Weekend $77,800, Average $540, Cume $1,388,332
The Last Black Man In San Francisco (A24) Week 8 [114 Theaters] Weekend $133,800, Average $1,174, Cume $4,106,341
Pavarotti (CBS Films) Week 8 [135 Theaters] Weekend $135,000, Average $1,000, Cume $4,235,098
Free Trip To Egypt (Matson Films) Week 9 [2 Theaters] Weekend $3,915, Average $1,958, Cume $21,787 (Fathom Event on 6/12: $71,087)
Echo In The Canyon (Greenwich Entertainment) Week 10 [118 Theaters] Weekend $118,000, Average $1,000, Cume $2,905,645
The Biggest Little Farm (Neon) Week 13 [61 Theaters] Weekend $36,480, Average $598, Cume $4,142,148
Meeting Gorbachev (1091) Week 13 [4 Theaters] Weekend $3,778, Average $945, Cume $246,372
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