Cemetery of Splendor Budget
Updated
Synopsis
In a hospital, ten soldiers are being treated for a mysterious sleeping sickness. In a story in which dreams can be experienced by others, and in which goddesses can sit casually with mortals, a nurse learns the reason why the patients will never be cured, and forms a telepathic bond with one of them.
What is the budget of Cemetery of Splendor?
"Cemetery of Splendor," a drama released in 2015, was directed by Apichatpong Weerasethakul and stars Jenjira Pongpas, Banlop Lomnoi. The production budget was $980,000, placing it in the micro-budget range for drama productions of its era.
Key Budget Allocation Categories
While specific budget breakdowns are not publicly available, typical cost drivers for a drama production like this include:
- Above-the-Line Talent: Drama films live or die on the strength of their performances.
- Location Filming & Period Production Design: Authentic locations , whether contemporary or historical , require scouting, permits, travel, lodging, and often significant dressing to match the story's time period.
- Post-Production, Color Grading & Score: The editorial process for dramas is typically longer than genre films, with careful attention to pacing and tone.
What were the major cost factors in Cemetery of Splendor?
Several factors contributed to the overall production costs of "Cemetery of Splendor."
- Above-the-Line Talent: Above-the-Line Talent is one of the primary cost drivers in drama productions of this scale.
- Location Filming: Location Filming & Period Production Design is one of the primary cost drivers in drama productions of this scale.
- Post-Production: Post-Production, Color Grading & Score is one of the primary cost drivers in drama productions of this scale.
How Does Cemetery of Splendor's Budget Compare to Similar Films?
At $980,000, Cemetery of Splendor sits in the micro-budget range. Here is how it compares to productions with a similar budget:
- What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962): Budget $980,000
- Gone in 60 Seconds (1974): Budget $1,000,000, Worldwide Gross $40,000,000
- A Woman Under the Influence (1974): Budget $1,000,000, Worldwide Gross $12,200,000
- Rear Window (1954): Budget $1,000,000, Worldwide Gross $37,042,336
- How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies (2024): Budget $1,000,000, Worldwide Gross $73,800,000
The median budget for wide-release drama films in the 2010s ranges from $30 to 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles.
Cemetery of Splendor Box Office Performance
"Cemetery of Splendor" earned $89,487 worldwide at the box office. Against a production budget of $980,000, the film faced challenges in theatrical release. Home video, streaming, and ancillary revenue may have contributed to its overall performance.
A film typically needs to earn approximately twice its production budget to cover marketing and distribution costs. For "Cemetery of Splendor," that break-even threshold was roughly $1,960,000. With worldwide earnings of $89,487, the film did not reach break-even in theatrical release.
- Production Budget: $980,000
- Worldwide Gross: $89,487
- Net Return: −$890,513
- ROI: approximately -90.9%
At -90.9%, "Cemetery of Splendor" did not recoup its production budget through theatrical release alone.
Awards and Recognition
- Asia Pacific Screen Award for Best Feature Film
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did it cost to make Cemetery of Splendor (2015)?
The production budget was $980,000, covering principal photography, cast and crew salaries, locations, sets, post-production, and music. Marketing and distribution (P&A) costs are estimated at an additional $490,000 - $784,000, bringing the total studio investment to approximately $1,470,000 - $1,764,000.
How much did Cemetery of Splendor (2015) earn at the box office?
Cemetery of Splendor grossed $89,487 worldwide.
Was Cemetery of Splendor (2015) profitable?
The film did not break even theatrically, earning $89,487 against an estimated $2,450,000 needed. Ancillary revenue may have improved the picture.
What were the biggest costs in producing Cemetery of Splendor?
The primary cost drivers were above-the-line talent (Jenjira Pongpas, Banlop Lomnoi, Jarinpattra Rueangram); talent compensation, authentic period production design, and meticulous post-production; international production across United Kingdom, United States of America, France, Thailand, Germany, Malaysia, South Korea, Mexico, Norway.
How does Cemetery of Splendor's budget compare to similar drama films?
At $980,000, Cemetery of Splendor is classified as a ultra-low-budget production. The median budget for wide-release drama films in the 2010s ranges from $30 - 80M for mid-budget to $150M+ for tentpoles. Comparable budgets: What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962, $980,000); Gone in 60 Seconds (1974, $1,000,000); A Woman Under the Influence (1974, $1,000,000).
Did Cemetery of Splendor (2015) go over budget?
There are no widely reported accounts of significant budget overruns for this production. However, studios rarely disclose precise budget overrun figures publicly. The reported production budget reflects the final estimated cost.
What was the return on investment (ROI) for Cemetery of Splendor?
The theatrical ROI was -90.9%, calculated as ($89,487 − $980,000) ÷ $980,000 × 100. This measures gross revenue against production budget only - it does not account for P&A or exhibitor shares.
Who directed Cemetery of Splendor and who were the key crew members?
Directed by Apichatpong Weerasethakul, written by Apichatpong Weerasethakul, shot by Diego García, edited by Lee Chatametikool.
Where was Cemetery of Splendor filmed?
Cemetery of Splendor was filmed in United Kingdom, United States of America, France, Thailand, Germany, Malaysia, South Korea, Mexico, Norway. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Filmmakers
Cemetery of Splendor
Official Trailer
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