The Weinstein Company (TWC) announced today that worldwide record breaking THE INTOUCHABLES, directed by Olivier Nakache and Eric Toledano, has become this year’s highest grossing foreign language film in North America surpassing Academy Award© winning A SEPARATION for the record. This milestone comes even before the film’s July 27th nationwide expansion and follows an expansive list of global and domestic acclaim and box office records.
“We ask all international audiences to join us in rallying America to experience the most fun they will have in a movie theater this year,” said Nakache and Toledano. “Breaking this record shows that our worlds are not so far apart. A true story about friendship touches international and American audiences alike.”
“I am thrilled that audiences love THE INTOUCHABLES as much as we do and hope that all of the success the film is seeing is just the beginning,” said TWC Co-Chairman Harvey Weinstein. “It is our wish that if this already strong word of mouth continues to build that we could reach another milestone by out grossing the current all-time North American foreign language film records. The best part about the film’s success is the fact that a foreign language film is getting its fair turn in the spotlight in this industry. It is movies like this that help us continue to bring smart, entertaining and well-written films that break the mold to theaters everywhere.”
THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO and TWC’s own UNDER THE SAME MOON are two of the current all-time North American foreign language film record holders.
THE INTOUCHABLES has the third highest gross of all time in France and is the highest grossing French film in Germany ever, and has held the #1 spot in many countries around the world. Currently the worldwide gross is $356 million and counting.
The audience response in the U.S. matches the international love of the film. The film’s stars Francois Cluzet and Omar Sy, winner of this year’s César Award for Best Actor, France’s equivalent to the Oscars, have chemistry and charm that make for one of the most feel good films of our time. THE INTOUCHABLES has garnered awards at film festivals all around the country this year including: the ColCoa Film Festival’s Audience Award and Critics Special Prize; the San Francisco International Film Festival’s Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature; the Florida Film Festival’s Audience Award for Best International Feature; the Wisconsin Film Festival’s Audience Award for Best Narrative Film; the Nashville Film Festival’s Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature; and the Maui Film Festival’s Audience Award for Narrative Feature World Cinema.