In specialty box office news, with regards to two films we’ve covered quite a bit, both opening last Friday…
The Grand Jury Prize award winning film (last year’s SXSW Film Festival) will expand to theaters in Chicago, Los Angeles, San Jose, Philly, and more, in coming weeks.
The film stars relative newcomers in Tashiana Washington and Ty Hickson.
It’s received some public celebrity love since its debut last year, from the likes of Wyatt Cenac, Sofia Coppola, Elizabeth Olsen, and among others, and looks like it should do well overall during its theatrical run.
The film opened in 4 theaters to a $40,900 opening weekend box office take, for an average per screen of around $10,000.
Branded as Australia’s answer to The Supremes, The Sapphires stars Chris O’Dowd, Aboriginal actress Deborah Mailman, pop singer Jessica Mauboy, Shari Sebbens, Miranda Tapsell, and Tory Kittles.
And third, the Sundance Film Festival and Berlin International Film Festival prize-winning British/Egyptian drama My Brother The Devil, opened on 2 screens, grossing $12,100, for an average per screen of around $6,000.
Written and directed by Egyptian-Welsh screenwriter and director Sally El Hosaini (her feature film debut) the film stars James Floyd, Fady Elsayed and Saïd Taghmaoui. It tells the story of two sons of Egyptian immigrants coming of age on the streets of gangland, East London.
Rounding out the cast are familiar names of black British talents you might recognize, like Ashley Bashy Thomas, and Letitia Wright.
Reviews have very been strong across the board, and the film has picked up numerous awards on the film festival circuit, where it’s been for much of the last year.
Paladin Distribution is handling the film’s release theatrically in the USA.
Look for both Sapphires and My Brother The Devil to expand to other markets this, and future weekends.
