Mission: London breaks Bulgarian records

Mission: London by Bulgarian director Dimitar Mitovski has become the highest local grosser ever in its home territory.

The comedy co-produced by Bulgaria’s SIA, Hungary’s Matrix Film, Macedonia’s Dream Factory, Sweden’s Chimney Pot and UK’s Fidelity Film sold 343,130 admissions to gross $1,546,438 (BGN 2,461,833) after ten weekends on release. The film opened on 18 prints on April 16, and expanded to 23 after the first week in the territory which boasts 122 screens. It is the fourth highest opener in the territory ever with 46,291 admissions for the first weekend, after Star Wars: The Clone Wars’ 69,090 tickets, Ice Age 3: Age Of The Dinosaurs’ 65,131 and Avatar’s 48,124.

Based on the immensely popular novel by Alek Popov, who also wrote the script, the film tells a story about Bulgaria’s new ambassador in London whose first task is to ensure that Queen Elisabeth attends the kitschy celebration for Bulgaria’s joining the EU, luring a look-alike instead. It features local stars Julian Vergov and Tomas Arana, along with Guy Ritchie regular Alan Ford and Ralph Brown (The Boat That Rocked).

“Mitovski and [DoP] Bogoevich are very talented artists who managed to deliver this great picture based on the amazing script by Popov,” producer Ivan Doykov tells Screendaily. “The other very crucial element was the excellent marketing campaign which we have long planned and strictly executed. And the audience just reacted to all our efforts and went to the theaters… and than went again and again.” 

Funded by Bulgarian Film Centre, Hungarian Motion Picture Foundation, Macedonian Film Fund and Sweden’s Film I Vast, with a $1,842,000 (1.5m euros) budget, Mission London has sold the biggest number of admissions ever in Bulgaria for the first ten-day period, 142,833 against Avatar’s 130,770. It is also the first release in the territory with a 19% increase in admissions after the second weekend.

UK’s Stealth Media Group handles international sales.