About the Author

author photo

Agnes Varnum is a freelance writer, film programmer and communications manager for the Austin Film Society. She is the primary contributor to doc it out and Tribeca Film Institute's Resources.

See All Posts by This Author

iW: Expectations Exceed Business For Docs in 2007

January 6th, 2008 • Related Posts • Tags

A quick glance at the box office numbers for documentaries released this year shows Michael Moore’s “Sicko” as the top doc, but at $24.5 million, the take is significantly lower than recent hits “Fahrenheit 9/11″ and “March of the Penguins” at $120 million and $77 million. You have to scroll pretty far down Box Office Mojo’s top 100 list of docs to find the next 2007 entry, “No End in Sight,” Charles Ferguson’s critical debut about U.S. policy around the Iraq war, at $1.4 million in the #55 slot. Read the entire article>>

There Are 3 Responses So Far. »

  1. Comment by Mitchell Kezin on 7 January 2008:

    Thanks for this article Agnus. sobering thoughts indeed. Sadly, so many of the
    films haven’t even reached us here north of the border. The usual suspects
    made it of course (Sicko, to name one) but films like “King of Kong” played
    FOUR days in an arthouse cinema. As is A.J.Schnack’s stunning “About A Son”
    (presently screening at the Pacific Cinematheque). Hardly enough time for
    any possible word of mouth to have any impact.

  2. Comment by Agnes Varnum on 7 January 2008:

    Well, to be fair, it works in the opposite direction. Sharkwater has received little attention here, but it a huge hit “internationally” – border still matter, at least for now.

  3. Comment by Mitchell Kezin on 8 January 2008:

    Good point. And Sharkwater is an excellent example.