WWII movie “Stalingrad”, the first ever Russian film in IMAX 3D, has become the country’s highest-grossing picture ever after breaking record sales not just in its own home base but in China as well.
The said movie, directed by Fedor Bondarchuk and had a production cost of $30 million, has already taken $47.7 million in sales in Russia alone since it premiered last October 11. When it was first shown in China Thursday, it topped $8.3 million through its first weekend making it the most successful non-Chinese or non-American film in the said country.
The film’s set centered on the gruesome six-month battle between the Russians and the Germans which resulted to the latter’s surrender in 1942; throughout this time, a love affair took place.
The movie was the recipient of strong recipients from Russians over the course of its showing; some have even put up online petitions which called for the banning of the film’s showing as it showed a favorable portrayal of the German troops compared to the Soviet soldiers.
But through these controversies, Stalingrad brought Russia’s local film industry to life again. 2012 saw no Russian films ever making it to the highest-grossing, box-office films in the country but the WWII movie could change all that this year. In three weeks since its release, the WWII movie was able to overtake 2012 hit pictures from Hollywood – the likes of The Avengers ($43.6 million) and Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 ($42.6 million). And after it topped another 42.6 million over the weekend in Russia, it is set to beat 2012’s most popular film – Ice Age 4: Continental Drift which had the gross sales of $50 million.
Stalingrad is also Russia’s contender for the Best Foreign Language Film in the prestigious Oscars.