The year that is coming to an end was fruitful for our cinema at the box office. For the first time since 2011, no fewer than six Quebec films managed to break the million-dollar mark at the box office. A look back at Quebec's five biggest box office hits in 2023.
The time of a summer ($2.2 million)
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Director Louise Archambault clearly touched audiences' hearts with this kindness-filled comedy that follows the adventures of a group of homeless people on vacation in Bas-du-Fleuve. With box office grosses of almost $2.2 million, the film written by Marie Vien (The Passion of Augustine) became Quebec's biggest box office success since the comedy Menteur in 2019.
will ($1.7 million)
Photo provided by Takashi Seida
The release of a new Denys Arcand film is always an event. The Testament, his latest satirical comedy, was no exception, drawing praise from some critics and columnists but also the ire of others. But one thing is certain: the public has responded. “Testament” has grossed over $1.7 million at the Quebec box office to date and is still showing in several cinemas across the province.
My mother's men ($1.7 million)
Photo provided by Immina Films
Anik Jean couldn't have asked for anything better for the theatrical release of her first feature film as a director. In addition to good reviews and winning the Michel Côté Audience Award at the recent Québec Cinéma gala, his intimate drama “My Mother's Men” grossed $1.7 million at the box office last summer. The filmmaker is already working on a new film project, an adaptation of author and journalist Michel Jean's novel Qimmik.
Katak, the brave beluga ($1.5 million)
Photo provided by 10e Ave Productions
Released in theaters at the start of spring break last winter, this animated film by Christine Dallaire-Dupont and Nicola Lemay was a huge hit with family audiences. The brave beluga is sold in more than a hundred countries around the world and is also very well exported abroad.
Ru ($1.1 million)
Photo provided by Immina Films
The long-awaited film adaptation of Kim Thuy's successful novel, directed by filmmaker Charles-Olivier Michaud, managed to exceed the million-dollar mark at the box office in less than three weeks on screen. Ru is still being shown on around sixty screens across the province and is expected to continue to attract audiences to cinemas throughout the festive season.
–Note that Monia Chokri's comedy “Simple as Sylvain” is the sixth Quebec film to cross the million-dollar mark at the box office in 2023. According to the Cinéac agency, the feature film achieved total sales of $1,020,630. Also note that Francis Leclerc's “The Diver” reached almost a million, earning $940,541 in earnings.