After making a hit in France (1 million admissions and 4 Cesar Awards, including Best Film), La Graine et le mulet (The Secret of the Grain) has set out to charm international audiences.
Released in Italy mid-January, and bolstered by its Grand Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival, the film by Abdellatif Kechiche has pulled in 330,000 spectators. This is a triumphant score in this territory, ranking it as the second most popular French film in 2008, after Asterix at the Olympic Games (which was released in 275 theaters more than La Graine et le mulet).
La Graine et le mulet (released as Couscous and The Secret of the Grain) hit British screens this summer, with 11 prints released June 20, as well as in Canada (Quebec), with 10 prints released August 1st and in Germany, with 38 prints released August 28. To date, results are similar: an impressive 50,000 admissions registered, largely due to enthusiastic media coverage and positive word of mouth publicity.
Released in other countries a little earlier in the year, the film also made its mark in Australia (35,000 admissions), the Netherlands (25,000 admissions), and Portugal (25,000 admissions).
Statistics from mid-September show that 620,000 moviegoers in 11 countries have so far gone out to see La Graine et le mulet. The film is slated for release in 8 other territories (including Spain and Sweden) in upcoming months.
