Luc Dionne’s dramatic feature Aurore now boasts the third-highest opening-weekend box office in Quebec history. Three days after its July 8 release, the feature from producers Denise Robert and Daniel Louis of Montreal prodco Cinémaginaire had brought in $953,708, placing it just behind the opening grosses of Séraphin: Un homme et son péché and top-rated Les Boys III. Alliance Atlantis Vivafilm released the feature at 116 Quebec theaters.

‘I’m ecstatic and relieved because we never know. We knew it was going to be big, but the question was how big,’ says Patrick Roy, senior VP of acquisitions and sales for AAV. ‘We’re obviously really happy with the results, and so far the reaction of the public has been really great. People like the film, so I think it’s going to continue to do well.’

Roy says that, going into the weekend, he would have been happy with box-office receipts ranging from $600,000 to $700,000.

‘Our goal was to make $1 million in the first week, but we [practically] achieved it over three days,’ he says.

The $7-million feature, which shot in Montreal last fall, is the true story of Aurore Gagnon, who died in 1920 at age 11 due to the abuse she suffered at the hands of her stepmother.

Although some people questioned the wisdom of releasing a film with such difficult subject matter over the summer, Roy says the fact that it is a well-known story makes it well suited to a summer release.

Quebec’s highest opening weekend box-office gross on record is $1,235,429, which went to Les Boys III in November 2001. The second highest goes to Séraphin. The historical epic from Charles Binamé pulled in $1,168,958 when released in November 2002.

Next month, AAV will release L’Horloge biologique from Québec-Montréal director Ricardo Trogi. The Go Films production about three young men’s different reactions to fatherhood is due to hit Quebec theaters Aug. 5.