Musical Australian film The Sapphires has crept to $3.63 million after one week at the local box office.
The film, set during the Vietnam War when four talented singers from an Aboriginal mission in Victoria were discovered by an unlikely talent scout, is showing on 279 screens, giving it a strong screen average of $12,031.
Screen Australia noted that The Sapphires had now joined a number of other local films to break the $3 million mark in its opening week including: Happy Feet 2, Tomorrow When the War Began, Mao's Last Dancer and Australia. Upcoming local films slated for wide release on more than 200 screens include Kath and Kimderella (September 6), Bait 3D (September 20) and Mental (October 4).
"This is the first time in many years that Australian films will be so eagerly anticipated by audiences in cities and regional centres across the country," Screen Australia chief executive Ruth Harley said in a statement. "Screen Australia is very pleased that these films will be accessible to so many people across the cinema-going demographic and we wish them every success."
Meanwhile, the production house behind The Sapphires, Goalpost Pictures, has also released a new iPhone app to promote the film, which has been strongly marketed by Hopscotch/eOne.
Soul Sync is a lip-syncing app that syncs your mouth to The Sapphires’ songs. The app takes images of your face while you warm up, inserting you as the lead singer in a selection of 1960s-inspired music videos.
Few Australian films are supported by promotional apps although Soul Sync received financial support from the government. Sony Australia released a game to support local western Red Hill in 2010.
Contact this reporter at bswift@www.if.com.au or on Twitter at @bcswift.