Overlay: Salut les Cubains (1963) financial performance

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Errors	Missing	Unverified	Supported
0	3	0	7

How were these counts calculated?

Missing (3)

Varda was officially invited by the ICAIC (Cuban Institute of Art and Cinema Indomitted-detail ICAIC Invitation/Subsidy: The summary misses the key detail that Varda was invitomitted-detail Production Companies: The summary does not mention the production companies (Cinomitted-detail

#Q ORIGINAL QUESTION

Regarding the film Hello Cubans (1963), how much did the film make at both the box office and after (detail breakdown), and how did that compare to its budget?

#M ANNOTATED LLM RESPONSE

The film Hello Cubans (1963), originally titled Salut les Cubains, is a 30-minute French short documentary by Agnès Varda. Specific, publicly-released dollar or franc figures for the film's budget and box office revenue are not available.

However, a detailed comparison can be made based on the film's nature and the known financial context of its director and genre.

Comparison of Earnings to Budget

The film was almost certainly a non-profit or marginally profitable venture based on typical theatrical box office revenue for short films of the era, which often yielded "poor economic gains". Its value is primarily cultural, critical, and long-term, not commercial.

Financial Metric	Detail Breakdown	Comparison to Budget
Production Budget	Likely very small ("minuscule")	The film's low-budget nature made it inherently less risky than a feature.
Box Office Revenue	Likely minimal/nominal	The revenue from the initial theatrical run was likely insignificant compared to even its small cost.
After-Market/Lifetime Revenue	Long-term, slow, and non-traditional	This revenue stream is its enduring source of value, ensuring it has paid for itself over time, though likely without major profit.

1. Production Budget (Initial Cost)

Agnès Varda's films in the 1950s and 1960s were famously made on very low, or "minuscule," budgets, a characteristic of the French New Wave.

Financial Context: Varda's debut feature, La Pointe Courte (1955), was a "financial failure". Consequently, she focused on making short films for the next seven years, a period when Salut les Cubains was made.
Cost Breakdown (Low-Cost Model):
- Filming Technique: The film is a photo-montage, utilizing approximately 1,500 to 1,800 still photographs taken by Varda in Cuba. This technique significantly reduces the major cost of traditional filmmaking (e.g., extensive live-action shooting, large crews, and continuous motion picture film stock).
- Major Costs: The main expenditures would have been:
  - Varda's travel and living expenses in Cuba.
  - Developing and printing the thousands of still photographs.
  - Post-production costs for the banc-titre (animation stand) process used to bring the stills to life.
  - Fees for the musical score, composed by Michel Legrand.
  - Fees for the two narrators (Varda and actor Michel Piccoli).

2. Box Office and After-Market Earnings

As a 30-minute documentary short, the film's theatrical release and subsequent distribution would not follow the financial model of a feature film.

Box Office (Initial Theatrical Revenue)

Theatrical Performance: Short films in general "have often been disregarded... due to the lack of pull for audiences and the consequently poor economic gains for cinemas". It is highly unlikely to have generated a significant box office return.
Distribution Model: It would have likely been screened at film festivals (where it won awards) and potentially as a supporting short before a feature film, or in limited repertory/art-house engagements, all of which yield minimal box office revenue.

After-Market Earnings (Detailed Breakdown)

The film's actual revenue and value come from its longevity and critical acclaim:

Film Festival Prizes: The film won the Bronze Medal at the Venice International Documentary Film Exhibition and the Silver Dove at the Leipzig Festival in 1964. While prize money may have been minimal, the awards boosted its prestige and distribution potential.
Educational and Archival Licensing: As a highly regarded work on the Cuban Revolution and a key piece in Agnès Varda's filmography, it commands fees for licensing to film archives, universities, and educational institutions for decades.
Home Video and Streaming: The film has been included in major art house home video collections (e.g., The Criterion Channel), which represents its most significant modern "after-market" revenue. This is passive income derived from licensing rights to the print, not box office.

In summary, because Salut les Cubains was a low-cost, art-house short documentary, its financial success is not measured in traditional box office figures. It likely broke even or made a modest profit over its lifetime through licensing, solidifying its status as a critical and artistic success that proved financially viable due to its minimal cost, even without generating blockbuster revenue.

#F CORRECTION FEED (CLICK TO SEARCH)

[1] The film is correctly identified as a 30-minute French short documentary from 1963.

[2] Extensive searches confirm that no specific budget or box office figures are publicly available for this short film.

[3] Varda's first feature, La Pointe Courte, was indeed a financial failure, prompting her shift to shorts.

[4] The film is a photo-montage. Varda took ~4,000 photos and used between 1,500 and 1,800 in the final edit.

[5] Varda was officially invited by the ICAIC (Cuban Institute of Art and Cinema Industry), which likely subsidized her travel and living expenses, further reducing the direct budget impact.

[6] Michel Legrand is credited with the music.

[7] Michel Piccoli and Agnès Varda are the narrators.

[8] The film won the Bronze Medal at Venice (1964) and Silver Dove at Leipzig (1964).

#O MISSED POINTS & OVERSIGHTS

Medium

ICAIC Invitation/Subsidy

The summary misses the key detail that Varda was invited by the ICAIC, which implies that her travel and access were likely subsidized, a significant factor in the 'low budget' nature of the film.

Low

Production Companies

The summary does not mention the production companies (Ciné-Tamaris and Société Nouvelle Pathé Cinéma), which are relevant to the financial structure.

#C RELATED QUERIES

#01 Did the ICAIC fund other French filmmakers in the 1960s?

#02 What was the budget of La Pointe Courte compared to Salut les Cubains?

#03 List of awards won by Salut les Cubains

#S SOURCES

pageplace.de royalholloway.ac.uk

#R ORIGINAL AI RESPONSE

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The film *Hello Cubans* (1963), originally titled ***Salut les Cubains***, is a 30-minute French short documentary by Agnès Varda. Specific, publicly-released dollar or franc figures for the film's budget and box office revenue are **not available**. However, a detailed comparison can be made based on the film's nature and the known financial context of its director and genre. ### Comparison of Earnings to Budget The film was almost certainly a **non-profit or marginally profitable venture** based on typical theatrical box office revenue for short films of the era, which often yielded "poor economic gains". Its value is primarily cultural, critical, and long-term, not commercial. | Financial Metric | Detail Breakdown | Comparison to Budget | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | **Production Budget** | **Likely very small ("minuscule")** | The film's low-budget nature made it inherently less risky than a feature. | | **Box Office Revenue** | **Likely minimal/nominal** | The revenue from the initial theatrical run was likely insignificant compared to even its small cost. | | **After-Market/Lifetime Revenue** | **Long-term, slow, and non-traditional** | This revenue stream is its enduring source of value, ensuring it has paid for itself over time, though likely without major profit. | *** ### 1. Production Budget (Initial Cost) Agnès Varda's films in the 1950s and 1960s were famously made on **very low, or "minuscule," budgets**, a characteristic of the French New Wave. * **Financial Context:** Varda's debut feature, *La Pointe Courte* (1955), was a "financial failure". Consequently, she focused on making short films for the next seven years, a period when **Salut les Cubains** was made. * **Cost Breakdown (Low-Cost Model):** * **Filming Technique:** The film is a **photo-montage**, utilizing approximately 1,500 to 1,800 still photographs taken by Varda in Cuba. This technique significantly reduces the major cost of traditional filmmaking (e.g., extensive live-action shooting, large crews, and continuous motion picture film stock). * **Major Costs:** The main expenditures would have been: * Varda's travel and living expenses in Cuba. * Developing and printing the thousands of still photographs. * Post-production costs for the *banc-titre* (animation stand) process used to bring the stills to life. * Fees for the musical score, composed by Michel Legrand. * Fees for the two narrators (Varda and actor Michel Piccoli). ### 2. Box Office and After-Market Earnings As a 30-minute documentary short, the film's theatrical release and subsequent distribution would not follow the financial model of a feature film. #### Box Office (Initial Theatrical Revenue) * **Theatrical Performance:** Short films in general "have often been disregarded... due to the lack of pull for audiences and the consequently **poor economic gains for cinemas**". It is highly unlikely to have generated a significant box office return. * **Distribution Model:** It would have likely been screened at film festivals (where it won awards) and potentially as a supporting short before a feature film, or in limited repertory/art-house engagements, all of which yield minimal box office revenue. #### After-Market Earnings (Detailed Breakdown) The film's actual revenue and value come from its longevity and critical acclaim: * **Film Festival Prizes:** The film won the Bronze Medal at the Venice International Documentary Film Exhibition and the Silver Dove at the Leipzig Festival in 1964. While prize money may have been minimal, the awards boosted its prestige and distribution potential. * **Educational and Archival Licensing:** As a highly regarded work on the Cuban Revolution and a key piece in Agnès Varda's filmography, it commands fees for licensing to film archives, universities, and educational institutions for decades. * **Home Video and Streaming:** The film has been included in major art house home video collections (e.g., The Criterion Channel), which represents its most significant modern "after-market" revenue. This is passive income derived from licensing rights to the print, not box office. In summary, because **Salut les Cubains** was a low-cost, art-house short documentary, its financial success is not measured in traditional box office figures. It likely broke even or made a modest profit over its lifetime through licensing, solidifying its status as a critical and artistic success that proved financially viable due to its minimal cost, even without generating blockbuster revenue.

#A DIRECT ANSWER (VERIFIED ANALYSIS)

▼

Specific budget and box office figures for Salut les Cubains (1963) are not publicly available. As a 30-minute short documentary composed of still photographs, it was a low-budget production, likely subsidized by Varda's invitation from the Cuban film institute (ICAIC). It was not a commercial theatrical release in the traditional sense but found success through film festivals (winning awards at Venice and Leipzig) and long-term educational/archival licensing.

OVERLAY REPORT