A24’s drama Sing Sing starring Colman Domingo turned out the third highest limited opening and per screen average of the year so far, and Touch from Focus Features by Icelandic director Baltasar Kormákur has a nice opening. Indian 2 marks the third straight week with one or more Indian films in the top ten. It’s a upbeat box office weekend with indie distributor Neon’s upscale horror Longlegs cleaning up with a $22 million opening.
India 2, director S. Shankar’s Tamil-language (Tollywood) political action thriller and sequel to Indian from 1996, is looking at circa $1.97 million on 1,065 screens. Imax noted that the film delivered $190k for North America in one night of previews on 44 big screens. Popular Indian titles in recent weeks include sci-fi epic Kalki 2899 AD and romantic comedy Jat & Juliet 3.
Touch from Focus debuted at 315 theaters in North America. The well-reviewed film is at 95% with critics on Rotten Tomatoes and off to a solid start grossing $470k.A romantic thriller spanning decades and continents follows one man’s emotional journey to find his lost love.
Searchlight Pictures’ Kinds of Kindness, in week four, saw $324k in 730 theaters for a cume close to $4.7 million for the Yorgos Lanthimos film starring Emma Stone.
Greg Kwedar’s Sing Sing, set against the backdrop of the Sing Sing Correctional Facility, grossed $137,119 on just four screens for a $34.3k PSA. Based on a true story, and sitting at 97% on Rotten tomatoes, had multiple sold-out Q&As in both NY and LA. A24 said the film’s exit scores are the highest the distributor has ever recorded.
Remaining on four screens in NY and LA throughout July with a nationwide expansion set to begin in August.
A24 also had Maxxxineon 2,370 screens for a $2.1 million weekend ($11.8 million cume), and Janet Planet on 41 screens at $46k ($615k cume)
Other indie openings: Dandelion by Nicole Riegel from IFC Films is seeing $65.5k on 446 screens.
LD Entertainment and Variance Films’ release of Luke Gilford’s National Anthem grossed an estimated $42.4k on four screens opening weekend for a per screen average of $10.6k. A story of young love set in the world of a rural queer ranching community follows Gilford’s bestselling publication of the same name and features original songs by Perfume Genius. Expanding nationwide on approximately 200 screens this coming Friday.
Abramorama doc American’s Burning saw $15.5k at the Angelika Film Center. Directed by David Smick, executive produced by Academy Award winners Michael Dougals and Barry Levinson
David Hinton documentary Made In England: The Films Of Powell & Pressburger from Cohen Media Group took $7.8k at one location, the Quad in NYC. Sold-out Q&As with narrator and EP Martin Scorsese and longtime collaborator Thelma Schoonmaker. CMG is planning a slow, curated roll-at the Jacob Burns Film Center Friday and followed by LA as the Academy Museum presents a large Powell & Pressburger program — similar to the one that unspooled at MoMA. Will hit targeted film centers, film societies, cinematheques and arthouses in major cities throughout July and August.