“The business for independent film is so good right now,” says Bob Berney, president of Picturehouse, which released this summer’s “La Vie en Rose.” “Even the multiplexes are playing these kinds of films now.” Why? Since 2004, the number of movie tickets sold to teenagers has dropped by 82 million, presumably because today’s teens have built entertainment empires in their bedrooms. Meanwhile, “there’s a generation of filmgoers who are coming back to the movies after staying away because they were raising families,” says revered indie exec Bingham Ray. “Now the kids are in college, and the audience is coming back.”
Just maybe not quite fast enough. With all these strong films vying for the adult dollar this season, not one has become a genuine sleeper sensation. Of the top six indie films this summer, only “Sicko” and the romantic comedy “Waitress” have grossed more than $10 million domestically. Still, there are other benefits to releasing an Oscar-bait movie in summer. Film critics, starved for smart fare, may be more effusive than they would be at other times of the year. And a summer release means that the DVD will hit stores at the peak of Academy season.
