No Australian film has broken through with mainstream cinema audiences since Simon Baker’s 'Breath' launched in May. Even so, the upcoming line-up looks sufficiently appealing to ensure this year will surpass the 2017 calendar year total of $49.4 million
Given the record number of titles flooding into cinemas this year, Australian feature films and documentaries overall have performed respectably, most as limited releases with minimal marketing.
As the Australian feature films and feature docs released in cinemas this year have surpassed the calendar 2017 total, exhibitors generally are happy with the diversity of product and the number of titles that have resonated with mainstream audiences.
The 18 Australian films and feature docs released in cinemas since the start of the year, plus holdovers, have racked up a modest $14.3 million.
The Australian titles released in cinemas this year including holdovers will overtake the calendar 2017 total in the next week or so, boosted by Bruce Beresford’s Ladies in Black.
Bruce Beresford’s 'Ladies in Black' opened impressively last weekend, considering that the primary target audience - mature cinemagoers - don't normally rush out to see films in the first weekend.
The critics hated 'Venom', blasted as a “puddle of simplistic, sanitized PG-13 drivel” and clumsy, monolithic and fantastically boring. Audiences must be watching a different movie.
While children’s and family titles understandably are dominating ticket sales during the school vacation, Bruce Beresford’s 'Ladies in Black' looked smart in its second weekend.