Two Australian films matched or exceeded their production budgets at the local box office last year: Bran Nue Dae and Animal Kingdom.
In 2009, Samson & Delilah stood out as the only local film to exceed its budget ($1.6 million) after grossing almost $3.2 million at the local box office, according to data compiled by Inside Film.
Local films grossed $50.6 million at cinemas last year – down from $54.8 million, according to Screen Australia data released last week. It represented 4.5 per cent of the record $1.3 billion in total annual box office receipts – down from 5 per cent in 2009.
Nonetheless, several local films released in 2010 also performed strongly overseas, including Daybreakers ($US30.1 million) and Legend of the Guardians: the Owls of Ga'Hoole ($US55.67 million).
A box office performance which exceeds a film's production budget is not an indication that a film is profitable for investors.
A film generally takes several years before it moves into profit, as ancillary sales, such as DVD, kick in. Annual DVD sales data will be released by Screen Australia (via tracking company GfK) later this year.
Australian Feature Films at the Box Office 2010
Source: MPDAA, IF