'Indian Point' Premieres in Tough Landscape for Documentaries

The film, which offers a nuanced look at the debate over a nuclear power plant, will hope to stand out among a crowded field of documentaries.
By Buster Coen ,

This weekend, independent studio First Run Features will distribute "Indian Point" into select theaters. The documentary, which offers a detailed and nuanced look into the debate over the titular nuclear power plant, will be released in three cities on Friday: New York, Los Angeles, and Hudson, N.Y. The film should gain some traction, especially in Hudson, where the debate over Indian Point is particularly relevant due to the plant's location on the Hudson River.

However, the film's prospects for a nationwide release look dubious. That's largely because of the fact that documentaries have never lit the box office on fire, and exhibitors are therefore more reluctant to show them. Only 22 documentaries have made it to the $10 million mark at the box office, and only four have crossed $50 million. And that's not due to a lack of documentaries; over 75 were released into theaters just last year.

"Documentary films are perhaps the least commercial of all genres in the world of mainstream film," says ComScore (SCOR) - Get Report  analyst Paul Dergarabedian. "Having virtually zero youth appeal, most traditional documentaries struggle to find wide acceptance by audiences who are looking for 'popcorn' style escapist entertainment at the movie theater."

Indeed, documentaries are typically serious-minded films that expose, rather than distract from, the problems of the world. It can therefore be difficult to convince theater owners to take on a documentary film, especially an independent one.

"Exhibitors tend to take a wait-and-see approach with independent documentaries," says Marc Mauceri, vice president of acquisitions from First Run Features. "They want to see strong reviews and big box office."

When documentaries are playing in only a few theaters (as most start out doing), exhibitors will often look at the amount the film grossed in each location. This helps to determine where a film is likely to do well. Documentaries tend to do well in urban areas, and nearly all start their releases in both New York and Los Angeles. "Indian Point" is likely to play most strongly in theaters across New York, given the high degree of relevancy that the documentary has for that population.

Of course, as is the case with many smaller movies, documentaries end up making most of their money from playtime outside of the theater. While remaining optimistic about the theatrical life of "Indian Point," Mauceri admits that "most independent documentaries are probably going to earn the bulk of their revenue from home entertainment."

Ivy Meeropol, the film's director, had to navigate that expectation when seeking funding for the film. "We had to display some real confidence that the film was going to get picked up by a distributor, and that we were going to get it on cable TV," she says. Profitable deals are often struck with streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon Prime as well.

"Documentaries often gain wide acceptance on the small screen," Dergarabedian says. "The on-demand accessibility of the content and wide array of subject matter make them a truly compelling option."

That being said, Meeropol still hopes that audiences will seek "Indian Point" out in theaters. "I believe the timing is really right," she says. "The film asks: what do we do about climate change, in a universe of limited choices?"

Timeliness will certainly be an asset for "Indian Point" in attracting audiences that have pretty much unlimited entertainment options in the modern era. Whether or not the film will be able to translate its relevancy into big box office returns remains to be seen, but those who do see the movie will walk away with a deeper understanding of the debate over nuclear power. And if audiences dig that during a summer filled with escapist entertainment, it may just mean that theatrical documentaries have some life in them yet.

Loading ...