Weather, political events, and sports championships directly impact box office. If your region is hosting the World Cup final on the same weekend as a major release, the movie will underperform. Factor this into your predictions.
Inside, the projectionist—an elderly man with eyes like polished film reels—threaded a projector and told her, without looking up, "Every showing changes who you are. Sit still." Mina sat. The movie on screen showed her sitting in the same seat, watching a man in an empty theater. She felt the room tilt. Outside, the rain forgot how to fall.
