The comedy about a couple's crisis after the kids leave home drew 50,441 admissions on 39 screens in the May 1-4 period, according to ACNielsen EDI Argentina.

While that repped less than a third of the 164,519 tickets that Marvel's superhero pic sold on 75 screens, the turnout was solid in a Hollywood-dominated market.

Directed by Daniel Burman of Berlin-laurelled "El abrazo partido" (Empty Embrace), "Nest" took the top spot in its April 25-28 opening weekend with 62,078 admissions on the same number of screens.

In its second week, it kept its lead over "Death at a Funeral" and "21," which slid to third and fourth on 35,746 and 26,054 admissions, respectively. "Shutter" rose to fifth from sixth on the sale of 15,104 tickets, according to ACNielsen, which did not provide currency figures.

"Nest" has an "emotional quality that is key for attracting audiences," says Diego Dubcovsky, who produced the film under his and Burman's BD Cine banner. "There is a melancholic humor that keeps a half-smile on viewers throughout the film."

Burman has built a loyal public with "Empty Embrace" and other productions. His father-and-son drama "Derecho de familia" (Family Law) was the fifth-hottest local film at the box office in 2006, with 200,000 admissions.

"Nest" stars Cecilia Roth ("Sofabed"), Oscar Martinez ("La Fiesta"), Arturo Goetz and Ines Efron ("XXY").

The B.O. results are "promising for the future, a sign that people will go to see Argentine cinema," Dubcovsky said.

Argentina is known for its auteur films of the past decade, but there's a movement in the country to turn festival praise into stronger sales.

BD Cine and its partners in the Cine.ar, a new production venture, are developing the country's first films with coin raised on the stock exchange. Earlier this year, Cine.ar raised nearly $2.2 million for producing "Motivos para no enamorarse," a romantic comedy currently in production about the impossible relationship between an older man and a young woman, and another romantic comedy, "Musica de espera" -- about the romance between a musician and a pregnant woman.

Cine.ar's other partners are film promoter Filmsuez, distributor Distribution Co., equipment supplier Alta Definicion Argentina and post house Cinecolor Argentina.