‘Lost Illusions’ Nabs Top Spot At Lincoln Center, Film Forum As NYC Arthouse Revival “Moving In The Right Direction” – Specialty Box Office
12.06.2022 - 23:11
/ deadline.com
Following its Venice Film Festival bow and seven César Awards including for Best Film, Lost Illusions was the top weekend title at two core NYC arthouses — taking $10,850 of its estimated $13,579 three-day gross from Film Forum and Film at Lincoln Center.
The period piece based on the Honoré de Balzac novel about greed and hypocrisy in the art world of 1800s Paris was also the top film at the Laemmle Royal in LA. It opened on six screens for a PSA $2,263. Distributor Music Box Films is giving Lost Illusions (Illusions Perdues), from director Xavier Giannoli, a traditional platform rollout with a 60-day theatrical window, expanding to San Francisco, Miami, Denver, Minneapolis and Atlanta next Friday and additional markets including Boston and Seattle on June 24.
“We’re happy with New York. New York has come back,” said Music Box theatrical distribution chief Kyle Westphal.
The most decorated film at the French equivalent of the Oscars has stellar reviews (read Deadline’s here). It was MUBI Go’s pick for Movie of the Week (the platform gives subscribers a weekly free ticket to one arthouse film of its choosing). Its period piece pedigree has a contemporary, satirical edge — highlighted in the reviews — which should help with word of mouth among younger demos, Westphal said. Lost Illusions is classic counterprogramming as Jurassic World Dominion joins Top Gun: Maverick in theaters this weekend. “It’s all of these pieces going together,” Westphal said.
“Comparatively, since we started back with releases last year, it’s like, ‘Okay, we are going to make $500 this weekend.’ Then, it was, ‘If we’re lucky, we’ll do $1,000 a screen.’ New York was always leading the way on that. In April, The Rose Maker did a $3,500 opening at the