The Quebec-made romantic comedy Duo was a box-office disappointment in its opening June 16 weekend but rebounded somewhat in the week of June 23, taking a per-screen average of $1,486, up from $1,121, and claiming the number-one spot among domestic films.
“The summer is always a tricky time for releasing a film,” says Sylvain Gagné, VP of distribution and marketing for Christal Films. “Even though our per-screen average is up, you can only have solid word of mouth if you have a really strong opening week. We didn’t have it. It’s tough for these movies to compete with Superman Returns and Pirates of the Caribbean 2.”
Sure enough, Duo dropped to a per-screen of $818 over the July 1 weekend. “This was a really good film that I think deserved to do better. We’re looking forward to the DVD release,” says Gagné.
[b]Meanwhile, Sturla Gunnarsson’s Beowulf & Grendel – popular with the elf, hobbit and fairy crowd – began its six-city U.S. tour with a limited release in Seattle on June 16.
The movie had pulled in US$9,000 after two weeks, according to Variety.
“We’ve had a much different campaign here than you had in Canada,” says Barbara Javitz, senior VP of operations for distributor Union Station Media. “We didn’t have as much money. We were doing it more along the lines of a grassroots campaign.”
It opens next in New York City on July 7, and Chicago on July 14.[/b]
Back in Canada, the next opening to watch is Le Secret de ma mère, Ghyslaine Côté’s family melodrama that stars Quebecoise chanteuse Ginette Reno (Mambo Italiano), set to hit theaters July 7.