Silent Friend from 1-2 Special had a terrific opening of $74.4k. at two New York City locations for a per theater average of $37.2k, the highest PTA for a non-English language release since Neon’s Oscar-winning Sentimental Value, as per the distributor. The strong gross was built on sold out Q&A and non-Q&A screenings alike at Film Society of Lincoln Center and the Angelika Film Center.
Directed by Ildikó Enyedi and starring Tony Leung, the film took six awards at the 2025 Venice Film Festival where it premiered, including the FIPRESCI Prize and Best Young Actress for newcomer Luna Welder. Expands in the New York tristate area and opens in Los Angeles, Washington, D.C, San Francisco and other cities 5/15, rolling out to more major markets 5/22 and 5/29.
The limited opening bodes well for the rollout with the film at 97% with critics on Rotten Tomatoes (32 reviews). It centers around a majestic ginkgo tree in the heart of a botanical garden in a medieval university town in Germany and three lives that transform around it over the course of a century.
Obscured Releasing had a solid opening for well-reviewed sexual psychodrama Blue Film by Elliot Tuttle with $31k at 2 engagements, the IFC Center in New York and Landmark Sunset in LA. Expands to San Francisco, BAM and Laemmle Gendale next weekend. Fetish camboy Aaron Eagle (Kieron Moore) agrees to spend the night with an anonymous client, only to discover a disturbing tie to his past.
The Python Hunt from Oscilloscope Labs debuted to $13.8k at the Angelika Film Center in NYC. By Xander Robin, the Everglades-set doc expands to select markets throughout May with in-person appearances at key Southern engagements and a tour across its home state of Florida with special guests. Follows an annual snake hunting competition hosted by state of Florida to save the threatened Everglades ecosystem form invasive pythons. “We’ve been saying it from the jump: this documentary is wild. But beyond the thrill of the hunt, the film delivers a deeply nuanced and compelling anthropological observation of humanity in nature, all captured in a vibey container with a carefully curated soundtrack,” the distributor said. One way or another, it’s guaranteed to leave an impression.”
Influenced from Brainstorm Media and Menemsha Films opened with $13.1k at NYC’s Quad Cinema. Directed by Rachel Israel, written by and starring Jill Kargman. Adds LA and Phoenix next week, Boston and Chicago 5/29, followed by Philadelphia, DC, Toronto and other cities.
Noting a few other indies that have been sticking around.
In its 4th weekend, Steal This Story, Please! by Carl Deal and Tia Lessin, about pioneering journalist Amy Goodman and her daily news broadcast Democracy Now!, opened in Chicago, Milwaukee and Minneapolis while continuing to play in select cities. The estimated weekend gross is $63.5k on 33 screens, with $25k from the Music Box in Chicago, for a cume of $382k.
Adds Atlanta, Houston and Dallas next weekend as it roll out to top 100+ markets throug May and June with Deal, Lessin, and Goodman crisscrossing the country in support of the release from Xceptional Communications release with booking support from mTuckman media.
Ben McKenzie cryptocurrency documentary Everyone Is Lying To You For Money from The Forge is at an estimated gross of $11.7k on 9 screens for a cume of $88k. McKenzie had sold out Q&A screenings this weekend in Seattle and Portland. Heads to Chicago next week.
Janus Films continued the national expansion for Sophy Romvari’s Blue Heron in week 4, grossing an estimated $121k on 97 screens for a cume of $277.5k. Certified RT Fresh at 97%.
Our Hero Balthazar by Oscar Boyson grossed $36.6k for a cume of $217k on 20 screens including its seventh week at the Village East in NYC with cast and crew continuing to do weekly in-person Q&A’s since its initial March 27 release. The film from Picturehouse has over 85K social followers on its parody Instagram account (@bboymalone212). Halsey exec produced. Stars Jaeden Martell as a wealthy New York teenager who, eager to impress his activist crush, follows an online connection to Texas where he’s convinced he can stop an act of extreme violence.
Wide release indies rounded out box office toppers at 8th, 9th and 10th place, according to Comscore, all in week 2. Neon’s Adam Scott-starring horror Hokum by Damian McCarthy is at an estimated $3.3 million for the three days on 1,900 screens for a cume of about $12.5 million; Reni Harlin’s shark thriller Deep Water from Magenta Light Studios is eyeing a $780k weekend at 1,301 locations for a $3.7 million cume; and Andy Serkis’ animated Animal Farm is at $663k for the weekend with a cume of $5 million.
Roadside Attractions’ historical, faith-based A Great Awakening passed $8 million in week 6 with $33k at 87 theaters.