‘Citizenfour’ Edward Snowden Doc Has Year’s Best Non-Fiction Debut; ‘Birdman’ Still Flying

Citizenfour,Laura Poitras absorbing documentary about NSA leaker Edward Snowden,opened with the years most impressive non-fiction debut while Birdman continued to fly highabove competitors in the Specialty box office in its expanding second weekend in theaters. Latter-day slacker dramedy Laggies, starring Keira Knightley, opened decently and Roadside added 375 theaters for Sundance controversy-courterDear White People with solid results.

Citizenfour could very well beRADiUSnext box-office and awards juggernaut. The film, with backing from Participant and HBO Documentary, gives a real-time insider view on the NSAs labyrinthine surveillance and spying effortsas revealed by agency contractor Snowden to Poitras and colleague Glenn Greenwald. It grossed a robust $125,127 in five theaters over the weekend, averaging just over $25K.

On a straight average comparison, Theres No Place Like Utopia actually had a higher $30,710 PTA when it opened in a single location this past summer, though it quickly floundered and only cumed above $45K. Citizenfour third in a trilogy of Poitras films on national security that also includes Oscar nominee My Country, My Country and The Oathwill likely have a long life in theaters.

The years highest-grossing specialty doc to date, America: Imagine The World Without Her, opened in June in three theaters, averaging $12,869 from a $38,608 gross. It went on to cume over $14.4 million.

That will be a tough totalto top, but Citizenfour could be on a b.o. trajectory similar to last years Oscar-winner 20 Feet From Stardom(also from RADiUS) though the two docsare about wildly different topics. 20 Feet opened in three theaters in June 2013 grossing $54,596 for an $18,199 average. It went on to cume nearly $4.45 million.

You have to go back to Waiting For Superman in 2010 to find a bigger [documentary] opening, said RADiUS co-president Tom Quinnof the education doc by Davis Guggenheim. That film bowed in four theaters, grossing just over $139K for a $34,758 average.

[We had] sell-out crowds, multiple standing ovations and exceptional numbers, said Quinn. It was a truncated release, opening just two weeks after its world premiere at the New York Film Festival. You always hope for the best and that people come out. Its terrific.

The title upped the ante on a handful of non-fiction stars this year, including IFC Films Finding Vivian Maier ,which opened with a $21,200 PTA in four theaters ($63,600 gross) andcumed more than $1.5 million. Sundance entry Fed Up, which RADiUS opened in May, averaged $7K in 18 theaters ($126K gross) andcumed more than $1.54 million. Sony Classics art docTims Vermeer opened in four locations, grossing nearly $50K for a $12,444 average. It went on to top $1.67 million. A different sort of non-fiction film, Purdie Distributions religion-minded Meet The Mormons opened earlier this month in a comparatively wide317 theaters, averaging $7,917 ($2.5 million gross). It has cumed upward of $5M so far.

Because of what [Citizenfour] is, there will hardly be anyone that wont have an opinion, Quinn said. Its extraordinary vrit on an issue that is so timely and relevant. Ive never worked on a film like this ever.

RADiUS will expand Citizenfour in each of its opening markets, and add Seattle, Chicago and Boston, though Quinn noted that may change come Monday.

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‘Citizenfour’ Edward Snowden Doc Has Year’s Best Non-Fiction Debut; ‘Birdman’ Still Flying