NORDIC FILMS BACK IN TOP FORM
The new season kicks off splendidly for Nordic films at home: Denmark has 3 titles at Nº2, Nº 4 and Nº10 at the local box office, Iceland has two titles in the Top 10, including Astropia at Nº1, Norway has 5 Lies (5 Løgner) at Nº7 and Goodbye Bafana at Nº8, and Sweden has three titles in the Top 10 including Wonderful and Loved by All (Underbar och älskad av all) at Nº1.
In Denmark, OleBornedal is filling the screens with Just Another Love Story (Kærlighed på film) playing to packed houses on 70 screens, and The Substitute still running in 24 cinemas after 11 weeks, with a total 190,000 admissions. Launched last Friday by SF/Filmcompagniet (see news section), Just Another Love Story took the second place at the box office last weekend, just after The Bourne Ultimatum and has now been seen by over 36,000 people. "The admission figures are right on target" said Sune L. Thomsen, Film and Distribution Manager at SF Film Denmark.
The horror film Room 205 (Kollegiet) by newcomer Martin Barnewitz is stable at Nº4 and 52,321 admissions in three weeks for Nordisk. The animated film A Tale of Two Mozzies (Cykelmyggen og dansemyggen) also on Nordisk's line-up continues to charm children and parents after 12 weeks. The film has passed the 105,802 admissions in 12 weeks.
In Iceland, Astropia has fulfilled the wishes of producer Julius Kemp and upcoming filmmaker Gunnar B. Gudmundsson, taking the top position at the local box office in its first week with 11,000 admissions in five days, beating another strong opener from the US - The Bourne Ultimatum. Astropia was released by Samfilm in 6 cinemas and should hold on to this good print run. "Now that the film has opened well in Iceland, we are going to start looking more actively for an international sales agent", said Kemp from Kisi Production. Another new Icelandic film, the children film with Hrefna Hallgrimsdottir and Linda Aseirsdottir playing Skoppa og Skritla is number 8 with 504 admissions from one print booked by Sena.
In Norway, 5 Lies (5 Løgner) by newcomer Lars Daniel Krutzkoff Jacobsen has kept its Number 7 position in its second week, totalling 10,244 admissions from 27 prints for Scanbox. Bille August's Goodbye Bafana opened slowly for Sandrew Metronome with 2,210 admissions for an 8th place at the Top 10.
In Sweden, the feel good movie Wonderful and Loved by All by Hannes Holm opened strongly to producer Patrick Ryborn's great satisfaction: "Last weekend was one of the hottest in years, but the film still attracted 25,000 people over the first three days and 45,000 in six days", said Ryborg. I was expecting a bit less, so I'm very happy!" The biggest hit of the week, Wonderful and Loved by All was released by BVI with 75 prints. The film is still being promoted heavily with a TV campaign on TV4, radio and newspaper advertisement. The Swedish teenage movie Ciao Bella released by Sandrew Metronome is still playing at Nº9 and the Nordisk Film release Irene Huss-Tatuerad Torso is at Nº10.
No Nordic films were in Finland's Top 10 last weekend.