06/03/2008

Slovenian writer-director Marko Nabersnik's debut feature, Rooster's Breakfast (Petelinji Zajtrk), has become the biggest domestic hit ever. After 20 weeks on release on nine prints, the film has sold 176,807 admissions, earning €700,000.

This result has put it in third place on the all-time Slovenian box office chart – behind Titanic (411,373 admissions) and Troy (187,507) – to overtake the previous highest domestic grosser, Branko Djuric's Cheese and Jam, which sold 155,070 tickets in 2003.

The love story revolves around two characters, a young mechanic who starts a risky affair with the wife of the local gangster, and the mechanic's boss, whose love interest is pop megastar Severina (who appears in a cameo). These hidden passions lead to unexpected dramatic events.

Produced by Franci Zajc's Arsmedia, and co-produced by Croatia’s Jadran Film, Rooster's Breakfast was shot in 36 days in summer/autumn of 2006 and premiered at the 13th Sarajevo Film Festival in August 2007.

On October 14 it swept the Slovenian Film Awards in Portoroz, taking Best Film and the Audience Award, among many others. Its October 17 release was therefore perfect timing.

Over half of the nearly €1.33m budget (one of the highest in Slovenian film) came through the Slovenian Film Fund, which participated with €756,834. Another €385,341 in services came from the studio Viba Film, while the Slovenian national television contributed with €134,411 in kind.

The film’s success is due to an effective script with intimate humour and combined urban and rural elements that attract both target audiences. The Eastern Slovenian dialect spoken in the film corresponds to spectators in the region with three multiplex cinemas.

Distributor Ljubljanski Kinematografi started a strong P&A campaign two months prior to the release and the appeal of Severina and her hit song from the film were crucial marketing tools.

Internationally, Rooster's Breakfast is expected to open in Serbia and Croatia this year, and Arsmedia is negotiating with UK-Czech sales company Taskovski Films for the rest of the world.