Art house releases were kept to a minimum this week, as the Cannes Film Festival comes to a close. Fighting against holdovers at the indie box office were Vertical Entertainment’s “Berlin Syndrome” and, in a two-screen release, Abramorama’s Grateful Dead documentary “Long Strange Trip.”
“Long Strange Trip” loaded Deadheads into the two theaters where it screened, earning the highest PSA of the weekend with a total of $34,131. Among holdovers, Roadside Attractions’ “The Wedding Plan” was the standout, as it expanded to 95 screens and grossed an estimated $311,150. That pushes the film’s PSA up for its third frame, with an average of $3,275.
“Berlin Syndrome,” which is directed by Cate Shortland, made only $23,300 from 25 screens this weekend for a $932 per screen average. The film stars Teresa Palmer as Clare, an Australian photographer who hits it off with a local named Andi (Max Riemelt). Clare quickly finds herself in danger when it turns out Andi is a dangerous obsessive who locks her in his apartment. The film has performed well with critics, earning 76 percent on Rotten Tomatoes.
Two other holdovers hit milestones this weekend. BH Tilt’s “Lowriders” passed $5 million with a third frame total of $539,900 and a PSA of $1,616. Meanwhile, Sony Pictures Classics’ “Norman: The Moderate Rise & Tragic Fall of a New York Fixer” passed $3 million in its seventh frame with $503,556 from 324 theaters.