The Encampments has turned out looks like the highest per-screen average opening for a documentary with an anticipated $80k+ and sold-out screenings at an exclusive run at the Angelika Film Center in New York. It’s a major step for indie distributor Watermelon Pictures , a new label, which had moved up the doc’s release given the timeliness of its subject matter. It follows students at Columbia University who in 2024 launched a movement protesting the war in Gaza.
The film features detained activist Mahmoud Khalil, a graduate student active in the demonstrations who also served as a spokesperson for the group with the University. He was arrested by ICE agents on March 8 and has been held in a detention center in Louisiana, where he faces deportation amid a legal fight over where his case should be heard. Related Stories Limited Releases Rule In Eclectic Indie Weekend From Focus, Bleecker Street, Mubi, More - Specialty Preview 'Magazine Dreams' Fails To Flex, 'October 8' A Standout With 'Secret Mall Apartment' - Specialty Box Office “This film matters, and people are ready for it.
It confirms our decision to fast-track the release — we knew the urgency was there, and we knew the demand was real,” said Justin DiPietro, EVP of Watermelon Pictures’ parent, MPI Media Group. Watch on Deadline The top documentary performance over the last decade was 2018’s Free Solo , which took in $300.8k on four screens, or about $74k per theater.
“This landmark opening is also a t.
