Montreal: A major corporate promotion on behalf of a Quebec children’s movie is bearing fruit.

After six weeks in theatres, Matusalem, a feature directed by Roger Cantin and distributed by Allegro Films Distribution, was fast approaching $1 million in box-office earnings.

The strong performance is partly to do with an unprecedented wide screen release, but a promotion by McDonald’s Restaurants of Canada has also been a key factor.

The fast food chain supported the mid-December release with $450,000 in tv commercials, in-store displays including three million napkins, and half-price discounts for adults attending with children.

Earlier, McDonald’s had been associated with the North American theatrical release of Jurassic Park and Batman. LRB