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'Then She Found Me' Wins Awards, Opens Well in NYC

Helen Hunt's directorial debut, "Then She Found Me," won the prestigious Audience Award at the 2008 Palm Springs International Film Festival. Then, at ShoWest 2008, Hunt was selected Breakthrough Director of the Year. It debuts in New York City theatres on April 25, in Israel on May 1, in Los Angeles on May 2; down in Australia on May 8 and in 12 other countries over the summer.

In its opening weekend (Apr. 25-27, 2008) in nine U.S. theatres, Then She Found Me grossed $72,594 for a very healthy per-screen average of $8,066. In week three it expanded to 153 screens, bringing in $467,577, ranking #17 for the week and averaging $3,056 per screen. The total take for the first three weeks (through May 11, 2008) was $890,591.

Several critics gave it positive reviews [see Then She Found Me's project page]. Of the 568 users of The Internet Movie Database who had seen Then She Found Me, as of Apr. 24, 2008 (the day it opened in New York City), a whopping 76.1% gave it positive ratings and 23.4% rated it a perfect 10. The average rating was 6.9 out of 10. Every demographic group rated it highly, with the most enthusiastic being people 17 and younger (rating it 9.4 out of 10), women 45 and older (7.7) and women 30-44(7.6).

Flawless Grosses $4,698,827 Through May 11

Blue Rider Bridge Loans financed the British thriller Flawless, in which Michael Caine and Demi Moore pull off a brilliant corporate diamond heist in 1960s London. After playing for 12 weeks in Spain, the caper flick had grossed $2,295,114.

Flawless opened in North America at 35 theatres on March 28 and grossed $181,910 in its initial three-day weekend, for a very healthy per-screen average of $5,197. It ranked #37 among the top 50 theatrical releases from March 28-March 30. After seven weeks in release (through May 11) it had grossed $987,315 in North America, still rated #47 among the movies currently in theatres and was showing on 48 screens. Worldwide gross through May 4 was $4,311,025. In its first 30 days playing in Brazil (Apr. 11-May 30, 2008), Flawless grossed $1,416,398.

The Take Bows in L.A. and NYC

The Take, starring John Leguizamo,Tyrese Gibson, Bobby Cannavale and Rosie Perez, began a theatrical run at the Mann Criterion in Los Angeles and at Clearview Cinemas in New York City on April 11. Blue Rider provided post-finishing funds for the $3 million heist and revenge drama, produced by Ithaka Entertainment and Hatchet Films and released by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.

I Could Never Be Your Woman Brings in $24.5 Million

Amy Heckerling’s $30-million romantic comedy I Could Never Be Your Woman, starring Michelle Pfeiffer, Paul Rudd and Tracey Ullman (to which Blue Rider funded a Working Capital Loan) grossed $3.84 million in its first week of DVD rental (Feb. 11-17), ranking #10 in North America. After seven weeks (through Mar. 30, 2008) it had brought in $15.51 million in rentals and ranked #50 among rental DVDs. As of May 11, 2008, it was screening or had screened in 27 countries in Europe, South America, Asia and Africa, with a total theatrical boxoffice gross of $8,991,034.

After its first 37 days on Mexican screens it had grossed $1,369,220, and it brought in $1,194,232 in its three-month Brazilian run. On May 11, it was still playing in Uruguay (doing $54,396 in 23 days).

In July 2007 it opened at #2 in Spain, behind Spider Man 3.

Worldwide gross, including foreign boxoffice and North American DVD was $24.5 million through May 11, 2008.

Steve Miller Concert Coming to PBS

The high-definition, 32-camera concert film, STEVE MILLER BAND: LIVE IN CHICAGO is coming to PBS in Spring and Summer, airing during the broadcaster's fund-raising weeks (which vary from market to market). The concert came out on DVD early in 2007. Blue Rider provided financing for it and for concert films by Godsmack, Smashing Pumpkins and Nickelback to Coming Home Studios. Blue Rider founders Walter Josten and Jeff Geoffray serve as executive producers on all four films.
Miller is supporting the DVD with a 39-city summer tour.

Alien Agent Out on DVD

The $5.5 million sci-fi action drama ALIEN AGENT came out on DVD in North America on April 8. Starring Billy Zane (Dead Calm) and Mark Dacassos (Saturn Award nominee for Brotherhood of the Wolf), it tells of an alien lawman who strives to protect Earth from marauding space fiends. Blue Rider provided acquisition funds to Fries Film Group.

The Flock Tops $4.78 Million in 25 Countries

Blue Rider Bridge Financed the upcoming crime action thriller The Flock, starring Richard Gere, Claire Danes and Canadian singing superstar Avril Lavigne. Gere plays a soon-to-retire, federal agent who, while training his replacement, must track down a paroled sex offender before a young missing girl is murdered.

As of May 11, 2008, The Flock had earned $4,783,697 in 25 foreign markets, with the biggest-grossing being Spain ($2,710,004), Brazil ($749,924) and Thailand ($210,273). In Argentina it did $187,073 in seven weeks. On May 11, it was still playing in Turkey, where it grossed $252,285 in eight weeks. It is scheduled for release in Denmark, Taiwan and U.K./Ireland/Malta in May 2008.

The DVD is due out in North America on May 20, 2008.

Rescue Dawn Scores in Theatres, Foreign and DVD

Werner Herzog's RESCUE DAWN, which has been a critical and audience hit at film festivals around the world, opened in New York and Los Angeles on July 4, 2007. After 13 weeks of North American theatrical release, it had received positive reviews from 90% of 140 critics--grossing $5.5 million in fairly limited release (6-505 screens). New York Times critic Matt Zoller Seitz effused: "Rescue Dawn is a marvel: a satisfying genre picture that challenges the viewer’s expectations."

Through May 11, 2008, the film had added $1,551,755 in 14 territories and had a DVD rental gross of $27.89 million (a whopping 507.9% of boxoffice). Worldwide theatrical gross stood at $7,042,178. As of May 11, it was still playing in the United Arab Emirates (where it did $132,831 in its first 17 days. Through May 11, Rescue Dawn had brought in more than $34.9 million in theatrical and U.S. DVD.

Deal Bows in U.S. on April 25

Deal, starring Burt Reynolds, Bret Harrison, Shannon Elizabeth, Charles Durning, Jennifer Tilley and 10 top pro poker players, made its limited US theatrical debut on April 25. Blue Rider provide P&A funds, and Jeff Geoffray and Walter Josten served as executive producers on this very authentic poker drama. After 15 days in release, it had grossed $61,626 in 51 theatres.

Keith Wins Fifth Consecutive Award

KEITH has won first prize in each film festival in which it has been entered. It took first prize at the 2007 Giffoni Film Festival, by a jury of 360 teenagers aged 15-18 from 35 countries. Director Todd Kessler reports: "They were very enthusiastic during a Q and A session after the screening, and eventually voted Keith as the best film of the festival."

Then, in October 2007, a jury of teenagers awarded KEITH the CineStar, the top prize at the Schlingel Film Festival in Germany. They also awarded KEITH the Youth-to-Youth prize, as the festival film which best promoted a deeper understanding of relationships between teenagers. Young people from 15 European countries attended the festival.

Early in 2008, Keith awarded first prize in the Buff Film Festival in Sweden. And in April it received the Students Choice Award at the 2008 Sprockets Toronto International Film Festival for Children. Several students wrote: "best movie ever."