Yahoo News Arthouse Crowd Warms To Tough New York Drama ‘A Thousand And One’; ‘His Only Son’ Sustains Faith-Based Winning Streak – Specialty Box Office
Focus Features’ Sundance Grand Jury Prize winner A Thousand And One opened to a solid $1.8 million at 926 theaters — $1,942 per theater average — supported by a 96% Rotten Tomatoes critics’ score and a B+ CinemaScore. It came no. 7 at the domestic box office, a strong showing for a complex, gritty film in a slow-to-recover specialty market.
“The fantastic critical response coupled with Teyana’s raw, powerhouse performance gives us confidence this film will continue to resonate with audiences across the country,” said Lisa Bunnell, Focus Features President of Distribution.
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New York was the top market, overperforming with 18% of sales so far this weekend. Atlanta, D.C., Chicago and Philadelphia also have stronger than usual market shares for the debut feature from video and short film director A.V. Rockewell. Teyana Taylor is stunning as an unapologetic, free-spirited young Black woman, Inez, who kidnaps her six-year-old son Terry from the foster care system. They embark on a life together, clinging to their secret and to each other as they try to reclaim a sense of home, identity and stability in a rapidly changing New York City.
RT audience score is 84%. “Winning the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance solidified to us that A Thousand And One speaks to audiences in a viscerally emotional way, and is a testament to A.V’s passion for telling this incredibly personal story,” said Bunnell.
His Only Son from faith-based Angel Studios, jumped in at no. 4 on 1,920 theaters with a $5.3 million opening, as per Comscore. It’s wide for specialty but showing faith-based film continuing a strong hold at the box office. Jesus Revolution from Lionsgate was no. 10 this weekend, in week six, on 1,415 screens with a $1 million weekend and a cume pushing $51 million.
His Only Son recalls one of the most controversial moments of the Old Testament as God orders Abraham (Nicolas Mouawad) to kill his son Isaac (Edaan Moskowitz). As father and son, with two servants, travel to the altar, Abraham is flooded by vivid memories of the years he and his wife Sarah (Sara Seyed) spent longing for the son they were promised. By David Helling.
Audiences loved it at 95% RT. PostTrak clocked great exits as well, as Deadline reported, which is typical for these films, at 93% positive, 83% recommend. 65% female leaning, 66% over 45. Largest want-to-see was those over 55, who repped 46% of the crowd. Diversity demos were 56% Caucasian, 29% Latino and Hispanic, 7% Black, and 8% Asian/other. Circuits in the Bible belt did business, with the South and South Central standing out, yet with the top theater being in Lititz, PA.
Also opening: Neon’s Cannes-premiering Enys Men by Mark Jenkin grossed $71.2k for three days in 62 theaters, and $100k over five days including advance screenings Wed.
Also, as per Comscore, Cinegalaxy’s Telugu period action drama Dasara by Srikanth Odela opened in 510 theaters to a debut weekend of $794.5k for a PTA of $1,558 and a domestic cume through Sunday of $1.69 million.
And Welcome Villain Films opened horror Malum by Anthony DiBlasi on 249 screens in 86 markets for an estimated weekend gross of $221.74k.
Holdovers: MGM’s Zach Braff’s written and directed A Good Person starring Florence Pugh and Morgan Freeman grossed $510.2k on 687 screens (up from 530) for a cume of $1.75 million.
Greenwich Entertainment’s Nam Jun Paik documentary posted a box office of $6.6k at NYC’s Film Forum, and a cume of $22.7k in week two. Opens at LA’s Laemmle Royal and San Francisco’s Roxie Cinema April 7.
Sideshow/Janus Films’ week-two for Tori And Lokita grossed an estimated $9,827 on eight screens for a per-screen average of $1,228 and new cume of $27,254. The film will expand through April, adding Chicago, Portland, Santa Barbara, and more next weekend. Theatrical only.
Abramorama’s What the Hell Happened To Blood Sweat & Tears in week two was at an $8k estimated gross on four screens; total cume of $18.57k.
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