By Adam Coleman
Mao’s Last Dancer has taken more than $4.3 million after only one week, to top the box office for local releases and enter the top 50 grossing Australian films of all time.
Based on the extraordinary true story and memoirs by Li Cunxin, Bruce Beresford’s dance epic has increased its screen average to a huge $16,301, the highest for any release this week.
Released on 266 screens, the film is just shy of topping the total Australian box office for the week coming in second to Disney film, Up.
However, Mao’s Last Dancer has taken the top local release spot from road movie Charlie & Boots, which has now grossed more than $3.4 million after five weeks at the box office.
Charlie & Boots only had a week to bask at the top of the local release box office after surpassing Caméra d’Or winning Samson & Delilah, which has now taken more than $3.1 million, an impressive feat on only a handful of screens.
Mao’s Last Dancer is already matching the likes of Japanese Story and Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome in the all time Australian box office list.