Independent cinema box office: “Fjord” at the top of independent debuts, “Naza” in full swing

The drama of Neon, winner of the Palme d’Or at Cannes Fjord starring Sebastian Stan and Renate Reinsve had a stunning $124,000 premiere on four screens in New York and Los Angeles, as a documentary Naza marks a strong expansion of the second week.

That of Cristian Mungiu Fjord This is the second director’s Palme d’Or for Mungiu and the seventh consecutive victory for Neon. The film also won the FIPRESCI prize at Cannes and is Romania’s entry for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film. It follows a devout Romanian and Norwegian couple named Gheorghius who resettle in a village in a distant fjord where they become closer to their neighbors, the Halbergs. Their children bond. But when teenager Elia Gheorghiu shows up at school with bruises, the community questions the traditional education that young Gheorghiu receive from their parents. Rotten tomatoes certified 90% fresh.

Naza by Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, two of the Oscar-winning directors of No other landwill surpass $500,000 on Monday after a two-week expansion.

Some exhibitors include four-day weekend estimates to note Monday, the Columbus Day holiday in the United States.

After grossing $125,000 in its first eight days at New York’s IFC Center, the documentary expanded to 85 engagements in over 30 markets grossing an estimated $298,000 for the 3-day weekend and $378.2k over the four days, bringing its cume to $504,074.

The film, released independently with support from The Guardian and MK2, sees the filmmakers interview Israeli soldiers and intelligence agents, whose identities are withheld, about the civilian death toll in Gaza. Its deployment will continue until October.

100% Certified Fresh with reviews on Rotten Tomatoes.

Chris Rock Misty green from A24 launched in limited release on six screens in New York and Los Angeles at $85.7K for the three-day weekend and $98.7K for the four days. Star Rosalind Eleazar’s portrayal of a talented actress struggling for her second act in Hollywood has earned praise since the film’s premiere at TIFF alongside a cast including Daniel Kaluuya, Adam Driver, Anna Kendrick and Rock himself. Expand selectively in major markets this weekend.

Bleecker Street is looking at a three-day gross of around $70,000 for the Alex Gibney documentary Musk on four screens for a per-theater average of $17.2,000. The animated documentary premiering in Venice has a running time of almost four hours, which limits screening times.

California plot’ from Magenta Light Studios led by James McAvoy, opened for an estimated $18.7K at five locations in New York and Los Angeles. McAvoy stars with Seamus McLean Ross, Samuel Bottomley, Lucy Halliday and Rebekah Murrell in the story of two Scottish boys from Dundee who conned the music industry by posing as an established California rap duo.

Julia Loktev’s moving documentary My Unwanted Friends Part II – Exile opened exclusively at Film Forum in New York this weekend. A sequel to the first part released last year, which was shortlisted for the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature and won the NYFCC and LAFCC Awards for Best Non-Fiction Film, is estimated to gross $7.5,000 limited by the 6-hour running time and seating capacity (100 seats).

Independently released with media support from Cinetic and mTuckman, the Venice and Telluride selection will then open in Los Angeles on October 16 before rolling out to markets across the country throughout the fall.

Lifetime If I go, will they miss me? is estimated to gross $29.6K from 42 screens for a new growing $980.7K in week 5. The Rich Spirit release stars Danielle Brooks and J Alphonse Nicholson and is directed by Walter Thompson-Hernandez. Certified RT 95% fresh, it will continue to be broadcast exclusively in theaters in the coming weeks.

Note: the release by Fathom Entertainment of Guillermo del Toro Pan’s Labyrinth 20th anniversaryranked no. 11 at the domestic box office with an estimated $1.66 million from 1,168 locations. In post-war Spain, a young girl discovers a mysterious labyrinth and a magical world while living under the rule of her brutal stepfather. The 2006 film stars Ivana Baquero, Sergi López, Maribel Verdú and Doug Jones.

Trafalgar Releasing concert film Queen Budapest arrived at the number. 16 with an estimated $681,000 from 312 locations. The concert film captures Queen’s performance at the Budapest Stadium in 1986 during the Magic Tour. Starring Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor and John Deacon, the restored film is directed by János Zsombolyai.