'Brokeback Mountain' is #1 Movie in America;

'Brokeback Mountain' is #1 Movie in America;

Film Surges Following Golden Globe Wins;

International Boxoffice Also Off to Chart-Top Start as Film Garners 9 BAFTA Award Nominations

NEW YORK, Jan. 19 /PRNewswire/ -- Demonstrating its clear-cut filmgoer appeal worldwide, Focus Features' "Brokeback Mountain" has ascended to the top of the national domestic boxoffice, and is also off to a chart-topping start in its first overseas engagements in the U.K. and France. The breakout business follows the film's 4 Golden Globe Award wins earlier this week (more than any other film) and 9 BAFTA Award nominations (including Best Film) earlier today.

Playing to a steadily expanding audience in a host of U.S. cities and towns, the Ang Lee-directed film vaulted to the top of the national boxoffice charts on Tuesday to rank as the #1 film in America. "Brokeback Mountain" had been #9 over the recent four-day holiday weekend, which was then capped off by the film being honored with 4 Golden Globe Awards (including Best Picture [Drama] and Best Director) during Monday's televised ceremonies.

The "Brokeback Mountain" domestic gross on Tuesday was $742,412. The film had already been maintaining the highest per-theater average of any film in the national boxoffice Top 20 over the holiday weekend, and continues to do so. The Wednesday gross rose again, to $748,028, as the film retained the #1 slot. The total domestic theatrical gross of "Brokeback Mountain," through Wednesday, now stands at $33.6 million. The film is already among Focus Features' Top 5 boxoffice performers of all time, and is on track to become the company's biggest ever.

Focus president of theatrical distribution Jack Foley commented, "The unusual midweek surge to -- and hold on -- the top slot is particularly impressive in that the film is playing in only 683 theaters, which is but a fraction of the runs of the other films in the national boxoffice Top 10. The growth potential is still evolving and more and more exhibitors are requesting the film, so we're going to expand to 1,194 theaters for the coming weekend."

Overseas, "Brokeback Mountain" is #1 in the U.K. in only its second week of release. Playing in only 275 theaters, the film has earned nearly 3.5 million pounds sterling (equivalent to $6.1 million) to date. Debuting yesterday in France with 155 prints, the film is the highest-ranked new release with 37,331 admissions, and is the #1 film overall in Paris.

Focus co-presidents David Linde and James Schamus said, "Focus has worldwide rights to "Brokeback Mountain," and we are gratified that this universal love story is being embraced not only in America but now abroad. The BAFTA Award nominations the film earned earlier today will solidify the great business in the U.K., and, coupled with our Globes and other awards wins, provide the ideal launching pad for a successful international run through the winter and spring."

Focus Features (www.focusfeatures.com) is a motion picture production, financing, and worldwide distribution company committed to bringing moviegoers the most original stories from the world's most innovative filmmakers.

In addition to "Brokeback Mountain," current and upcoming Focus Features releases include Fernando Meirelles' "The Constant Gardener," starring Ralph Fiennes and Rachel Weisz (nominated for 10 BAFTA Awards); Joe Wright's "Pride & Prejudice," starring Keira Knightley (nominated for 6 BAFTA Awards); Sanaa Hamri's "Something New," starring Sanaa Lathan and Simon Baker; Rian Johnson's "Brick," starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt (winner of a Special Jury Prize at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival); Gaby Dellal's "On a Clear Day," starring Peter Mullan and Brenda Blethyn; Peter Cattaneo's family film "Opal Dream"; Phillip Noyce's "Hotstuff," starring Tim Robbins and Derek Luke; Allen Coulter's "Truth, Justice and the American Way," starring Adrien Brody, Ben Affleck, and Diane Lane; and Shane Acker's animated fantasy epic "9," produced by Tim Burton and Timur Bekmambetov and Jim Lemley & Dana Ginsburg.

Focus Features is part of NBC Universal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience. Formed in May 2004 through the combining of NBC and Vivendi Universal Entertainment, NBC Universal owns and operates a valuable portfolio of news and entertainment networks, a premier motion picture company, significant television production operations, a leading television stations group, and world-renowned theme parks. NBC Universal is 80%-owned by General Electric, with 20% controlled by Vivendi Universal.

Source: Focus Features

CONTACT: Harlan Gulko of Focus Features, +1-818-777-7346

Web site: http://www.focusfeatures.com/

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