France:

  • Coco Before Chanel opened on April 22 for 67,713 admissions in its first day, about 30,000 less than Zac Efron vehicle 17 Again. The film is playing on 424 screens and has received strong reviews from most of the mainstream press. In the picture, Audrey Tautou stars as the eponymous fashion designer in the tale of Chanel before she became an icon.
  • Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-Eda’s Still Walkingbrought in 4,282 spectators on its first day, also April 22, on 56 screens. The film, released by Pyramide, was sixth in first-day numbers. The film is an intimate portrait of a family that comes together 15 years after the death of the eldest brother. Kore-Eda’s next film, Air Doll, will screen in the Un Certain Regard sidebar at Cannes this year, it was announced on Thursday.
  • Taking third place on its opening day was French romantic comedy Celle Que J’Aime from director Elie Chouraqui. Starring Marc Lavoine, Barbara Schulz and Gerard Darmon, the movie is about a young divorcée trying to juggle life with her son, her ex and her new lover. On its first day it sold 7,593 tickets on 92 screens.

UK:

  • UK low-budget feature Shifty makes its debut on 50 screens through Metrodome Distribution, half of which will be in the capital. Directed by Eran Creevy, the film follows 24 hours in the life of London drug dealer Shifty, played by Riz Ahmed. The film has been supported by the Film London’s Microwave scheme.
  • Lionsgate UK is giving Frequently Asked Questions About Time Travel a wide release in the market. The BBC and HBO Films co-production sees three friends encounter a series of space-time quandaries, whilst trying to enjoy a quiet night at the pub.
  • Werner Herzog’s Encounters At The End Of The Worldgets a limited release through Revolver, while Sony Pictures Releasing International take The Damned United away from home to begin the film’s run in Ireland.

Germany:

  • Remi Bezancon’s tragicomedy The First Day Of The Rest Of Your Life (Le Premier Jour Du Rest De Ta Vie), which won three Cesars earlier this year, opens nationwide on around 60 screens. Leipzig-based Kinowelt has followed a classical arthouse booking strategy with all of the key cities, university towns and medium-sized towns.
  • Piffl Medien’s release of Lars Jessen’s Dorfpunks had its premiere in Berlin’s Kulturbrauerei on April 22 with Jessen, the cast and crew in attendance along with Rocko Schamoni, whose novel of the same name provided the inspiration for the film. The coming of age tale set in the summer of 1984 had its world premiere in the Berlinale’s panorama and is opening on over 40 screens nationwide.
  • Marco Wilms’ documentary Comrade Couture about East Germany’s alternative fashion scene is being released through distributor Polyband, which is focusing the release on the German capital and the Eastern half of the country. Director Wilms and many of the film’s protagonists such as designer Sabine von Oettingen and stylist/hairdresser Frank Schäfer attended a packed screening with live fashion catwalk show at Berlin’s Babylon cinema on April 21.

Spain:

  • Oscar-nominated Mexican film-maker Carlos Cuaron’s Rudo Y Cursi will be released nationwide in the market by Universal Pictures International. The film tells the story of two brothers, played by Gael Garcia Bernal and Diego Luna, who do battle on the professional soccer circuit.
  • Aurum will release animation legend Hayao Miyazaki’s latest film Ponyo On The Cliff By The Sea on 109 screens. The film about a fish with a girl’s face who falls in love with a five year old boy has recently been adding to its international success taking $2.5m in France since its release on April 8.
  • Manga brings Vince Di Meglio’s comedy drama Smother to Spanish cinemas this weekend. The film stars Dax Shepard as a man who feels overwhelmed as he loses his job, is pressured by his wife to have a baby, and has to put up with an overbearing mother (Diane Keaton).
  • Lucia Puenzo’s thriller El Nino Pez about two female social outcasts forced to commit a crime will be released in select cinemas across the country by Nirvana Films. Puenzo’s previous film, XXY, won several awards, including the Cannes critics’ week grand prize.