Russian films made their mark this weekend as three films from the territory collectively accounted for 4.7% of the international revenue from the top 40 films over the three-day period. (See Screen International's full International Box-Office Chart, compiled by Len Klady, here.)
Two new entries - Mongol and 12 - both made the top 30 this weekend while Day Watch, the follow-up to 2004's international vampire hit Night Watch, jumped back into the chart after 90 weeks on release.
Beta Cinema's Mongol was the highest new entry at number 16. The historical drama (a Russian-German-Mongolian-Kazakhstan co-production) took $2.7m from 356 screens for a solid $7,798 screen average in its first weekend.
It tells the story of Genghis Khan's early life as a slave before conquering Russia and other parts of the world.
CaroProkat's thriller 12, the story of 12 jurors who must decide the fate of a young Chechen charged with murder, entered the international chart at number 28. The film, directed by Nikita Mikhalkov, generated $1.7m from 354 screens for a $4,860 screen average.
And Timor Bekmambetov's blood-sucking sequel Day Watch, released by Gemini Films and Fox International fell just shy of the $1m mark this weekend, after opening in Germany and Spain. The horror film barely made the top 40 and has grossed a solid $35m to date.
Korean films continue to make their mark internationally. Two new entries - The Mafia, The Salesman and A Love made the top 15 this weekend while Kidnapping Granny K and Two Faces Of My Girlfriend reaped generous residual takings in their second weekends.
Fox International's The Mafia, The Salesman catapulted into the chart at number nine, taking $4.2m over the three-day period in its home territory for a $4.9m tally to date.
Taewon Entertainment's drama A Love was at number 12, taking $3.2m over the weekend for a $3.8m cumulative total.
The four Korean films this weekend collectively generated more than $10.5m at the international box office, accounting for 9.1% of the international top 40 revenue.
But Toho's Hero remains the strongest international contender for the third weekend in a row. The Japanese hit, based on the popular Fuji TV series, still made the top 10 despite falling 38% at the weekend. It generated $4.4m from 475 screens, maintaining a solid screen average at $9,303. Hero has grossed nearly $40m in Japan after just three weeks on release.
French comedy L'Invite, based on the novel by David Pharao, represented the country's new offering into the international chart this weekend. The film, released by Europa, entered at number 21 with a $1.9m tally from 464 screens. Europa also saw international success this weekend with Arthur And The Invisibles, which re-entered the chart after 41 weeks due to a $1.4m opening in Japan.
ITI Cinema's historical drama Katyn was the only Polish film in the international chart this weekend, due to an impressive a $1.4m opening from 189 screens in its home territory. The historical drama, directed by Andrzej Wajda, recounts the execution of more than 20,000 Polish officers at Katyn during World War II.
Universal Pictures International (UPI) boasted the most top 20 hits for a second weekend in a row - the studio took the top spot with The Bourne Ultimatum's $14.2m weekend figure and the number three spot with I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry. The Adam Sandler comedy was up 26% at the weekend after expanding in four territories and taking a $2.2m from its first weekend in the UK.
Sony Pictures Releasing International's (SPRI) teen comedy sensation Superbad was up 59% - it opened to $1.8m in Australia and entered the top 10 in both Italy and Russia. While Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures International's (WDSMPI) animated adventure Underdog was up a whopping 511% after opening in Australia and Mexico. The family comedy had a weekend take of $2.1m from 11 territories.
The top 40 international films generated $116.3m from 40,658 screens from September 21-23. The collective total was down 1.02%.
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