Valentino: The Last Emperor, Matt Tyrnauer's doc about the world-renowned fashion designer, has topped the $1 million mark in box office grosses, making it the third 2009 documentary to achieve that status, following Waltz with Bashir and Earth. As Peter Knecht writes in indieWIRE, Valentino found its audience through a combination of word-of-mouth and a hands-on approach on Tyrnauer and distributor Truly Indie's part to reaching a cross-section of core audiences. Two and a half months after its March 18th release, Valentino is showing no signs of tapering off, with a nationwide expansion to dozens of markets planned for the coming weeks.
This success story recalls that of Rivers and Tides, Thomas Riedelsheimer's 2002 film about artist Andy Goldsworthy that opened at San Francisco's Roxie Cinema and played in theaters for over a year, earning over $2 million. And in 2007, Into Great Silence, Philip Groning's three-hour observational film about Carthusian monks at work and in prayer, played in theaters for over six months, earning longtime player Zeitgeist Films a solid $790,452. The right combination of strategy, patience, endurance, zeal and luck just might yield the kind of gratifying results that these films experienced.
Here's a rundown of the top ten grossing docs of the year, according to BoxOfficeMojo.com:
1) Earth: $31,112,280
2) Waltz with Bashir: $ 2,283,849
3) Valentino: The Last Emperor: $ 1,193,635
4) Every Little Step: $ 915,028
5) The Cross: The Arthur Blessit Story: $ 741,557
6) Tyson: $ 684,799
7) Enlighten Up!: $ 175,782
8) Outrage: $ 161,510
9) Brothers at War: $ 152,798
10) Examined Life: $ 114,481