Market Charts > 2013 > Genres > Documentary
Box Office Performance for Documentary Movies in 2013
Rank | Movie | Release Date |
Theatrical Distributor | MPAA Rating | 2013 Gross | Tickets Sold |
1 |
Justin Bieber’s Believe |
Dec 25, 2013 |
Open Road |
PG |
$5,962,982 |
733,454 |
2 |
Hubble 3D |
Mar 19, 2010 |
Warner Bros. |
G |
$5,361,957 |
659,527 |
3 |
20 Feet From Stardom |
Jun 14, 2013 |
RADiUS-TWC |
PG-13 |
$4,821,266 |
593,021 |
4 |
To the Arctic 3D |
Apr 20, 2012 |
Warner Bros. |
G |
$2,930,286 |
360,428 |
5 |
Space Station |
Apr 19, 2002 |
IMAX Films |
Not Rated |
$2,436,846 |
299,735 |
6 |
The Gatekeepers |
Feb 1, 2013 |
Sony Pictures Cla… |
PG-13 |
$2,408,553 |
296,254 |
7 |
Blackfish |
Jul 19, 2013 |
Magnolia Pictures |
PG-13 |
$2,073,582 |
255,053 |
8 |
Flying Monsters 3D |
Oct 6, 2011 |
National Geograph… |
Not Rated |
$1,574,271 |
193,637 |
9 |
Stories We Tell |
Oct 12, 2012 |
Mongrel Media |
PG-13 |
$1,358,516 |
167,099 |
10 |
Born to be Wild 3D |
Apr 8, 2011 |
Warner Bros. |
G |
$1,334,377 |
164,130 |
11 |
Inequality for All |
Sep 27, 2013 |
RADiUS-TWC |
PG |
$1,192,778 |
146,713 |
12 |
Under the Sea 3D |
Feb 13, 2009 |
Warner Bros. |
G |
$1,142,800 |
140,565 |
13 |
Searching for Sugar Man |
Jul 27, 2012 |
Sony Pictures Cla… |
PG-13 |
$906,423 |
111,491 |
14 |
Generation Iron |
Sep 20, 2013 |
Docurama |
PG-13 |
$849,521 |
104,492 |
15 |
Girl Rising |
Mar 7, 2013 |
Gathr Films |
PG-13 |
$849,484 |
104,487 |
16 |
Meerkats |
Oct 2, 2011 |
National Geograph… |
Not Rated |
$845,613 |
104,011 |
17 |
Burn |
Jul 20, 2012 |
Callbox, LLC |
Not Rated |
$693,125 |
85,255 |
18 |
56 Up |
Jan 4, 2013 |
First Run Features |
Not Rated |
$679,190 |
83,541 |
19 |
Muscle Shoals |
Sep 27, 2013 |
Magnolia Pictures |
PG |
$671,810 |
82,633 |
20 |
Deep Sea 3D |
Mar 3, 2006 |
Warner Bros. |
G |
$611,380 |
75,200 |
21 |
Salinger |
Sep 6, 2013 |
Weinstein Co. |
PG-13 |
$583,633 |
71,787 |
22 |
Scatter My Ashes at Bergdorf's |
May 3, 2013 |
Entertainment One |
PG-13 |
$516,719 |
63,557 |
23 |
The Act of Killing |
Jul 19, 2013 |
Drafthouse Films |
Not Rated |
$461,777 |
56,799 |
24 |
Sound City |
Jan 29, 2013 |
Variance Films |
Not Rated |
$422,853 |
52,011 |
25 |
Dirty Wars |
Jun 7, 2013 |
IFC Films |
Not Rated |
$371,245 |
45,663 |
26 |
Hava Nagila: The Movie |
Mar 1, 2013 |
International Fil… |
Not Rated |
$368,724 |
45,353 |
27 |
Watermark |
Sep 27, 2013 |
Mongrel Media |
PG |
$353,184 |
43,442 |
28 |
Koch |
Feb 1, 2013 |
Zeitgeist |
Not Rated |
$342,941 |
42,182 |
29 |
Happy People: A Year in the… |
Dec 9, 2011 |
Mongrel Media |
Not Rated |
$329,464 |
40,524 |
30 |
West of Memphis |
Dec 25, 2012 |
Sony Pictures Cla… |
R |
$270,705 |
33,297 |
31 |
Room 237 |
Mar 29, 2013 |
IFC Films |
Not Rated |
$263,411 |
32,399 |
32 |
Linsanity |
Oct 4, 2013 |
|
PG |
$258,427 |
31,786 |
33 |
A Place at the Table |
Mar 1, 2013 |
Magnolia Pictures |
PG |
$231,378 |
28,459 |
34 |
The Summit |
Oct 4, 2013 |
IFC Films |
R |
$219,346 |
26,979 |
35 |
No Place on Earth |
Apr 5, 2013 |
Magnolia Pictures |
PG-13 |
$200,238 |
24,629 |
36 |
The Armstrong Lie |
Nov 8, 2013 |
Sony Pictures Cla… |
R |
$194,857 |
23,967 |
37 |
The Anonymous People |
Aug 16, 2013 |
Alive Mind |
Not Rated |
$187,459 |
23,057 |
38 |
We Steal Secrets: The Story… |
May 24, 2013 |
Focus Features |
R |
$166,243 |
20,448 |
39 |
Somm |
Jun 21, 2013 |
Samuel Goldwyn Films |
Not Rated |
$153,620 |
18,895 |
40 |
Deceptive Practice: The Mys… |
Apr 17, 2013 |
Kino Lorber |
Not Rated |
$152,449 |
18,751 |
41 |
Narco Cultura |
Nov 22, 2013 |
Cinedigm |
R |
$145,088 |
17,846 |
42 |
Free the Mind |
May 3, 2013 |
International Fil… |
Not Rated |
$142,008 |
17,467 |
43 |
Good Ol' Freda |
Sep 6, 2013 |
Magnolia Pictures |
PG |
$138,811 |
17,073 |
44 |
American Promise |
Oct 18, 2013 |
Rada Film Group |
Not Rated |
$136,385 |
16,775 |
45 |
Is the Man Who Is Tall Happy? |
Nov 22, 2013 |
IFC Films |
Not Rated |
$132,409 |
16,286 |
46 |
Free Angela & All Political… |
Apr 5, 2013 |
CODEBLACK Films/L… |
Not Rated |
$129,102 |
15,879 |
47 |
A Band Called Death |
Jun 28, 2013 |
Drafthouse Films |
Not Rated |
$127,257 |
15,652 |
48 |
Cutie and the Boxer |
Aug 16, 2013 |
Radius |
R |
$125,382 |
15,422 |
49 |
Spark: A Burning Man Story |
Aug 16, 2013 |
Paladin |
Not Rated |
$120,459 |
14,816 |
50 |
Storm Surfers 3D |
Apr 26, 2013 |
XLrator Media |
Not Rated |
$117,090 |
14,402 |
51 |
The Punk Singer |
Nov 29, 2013 |
IFC Films |
Not Rated |
$115,814 |
14,245 |
52 |
Ain't in It for My Health: … |
Mar 31, 2013 |
Kino Lorber |
Not Rated |
$111,794 |
13,750 |
53 |
Big Star: Nothing Can Hurt Me |
Jul 3, 2013 |
Magnolia Pictures |
PG-13 |
$105,998 |
13,037 |
54 |
One Track Heart: The Story … |
May 8, 2013 |
Zeitgeist |
Not Rated |
$100,401 |
12,349 |
55 |
Spinning Plates |
Oct 25, 2013 |
Film Arcade |
Not Rated |
$99,127 |
12,192 |
56 |
Bettie Page Reveals All |
Nov 22, 2013 |
Music Box Films |
R |
$81,776 |
10,058 |
57 |
Harvest of Empire |
Sep 28, 2012 |
Onyx Films |
Not Rated |
$79,627 |
9,794 |
58 |
Money for Nothing: Inside t… |
Sep 6, 2013 |
Liberty Street Films |
Not Rated |
$77,619 |
9,547 |
59 |
Leviathan |
Mar 1, 2013 |
Cinema Guild |
Not Rated |
$76,202 |
9,372 |
60 |
More Than Honey |
Jun 12, 2013 |
Kino Lorber |
Not Rated |
$71,977 |
8,853 |
61 |
The Waiting Room |
Sep 21, 2012 |
International Fil… |
Not Rated |
$67,815 |
8,341 |
62 |
After Tiller |
Sep 20, 2013 |
Oscilloscope Pict… |
PG-13 |
$67,414 |
8,292 |
63 |
Pandora's Promise |
Jun 12, 2013 |
Abramorama Films |
Not Rated |
$66,680 |
8,201 |
64 |
Beware of Mr. Baker |
Nov 30, 2012 |
SnagFilms |
Not Rated |
$63,105 |
7,761 |
65 |
Traviata et nous |
May 15, 2013 |
Distrib Films |
Not Rated |
$62,652 |
7,706 |
66 |
Don't Stop Believin': Every… |
Mar 8, 2013 |
Cinedigm |
R |
$61,018 |
7,505 |
67 |
The Trials of Muhammad Ali |
Aug 23, 2013 |
Kino Lorber |
Not Rated |
$57,641 |
7,089 |
68 |
Terms and Conditions May Apply |
Jul 12, 2013 |
Variance Films |
Not Rated |
$55,824 |
6,866 |
69 |
The Square |
Oct 25, 2013 |
Noujaim Films |
Not Rated |
$52,954 |
6,513 |
70 |
The Central Park Five |
Nov 23, 2012 |
IFC Films |
Not Rated |
$51,906 |
6,384 |
71 |
Venus and Serena |
May 10, 2013 |
Magnolia Pictures |
PG-13 |
$51,271 |
6,306 |
72 |
God Loves Uganda |
Oct 11, 2013 |
Variance Films |
Not Rated |
$51,229 |
6,301 |
73 |
Let the Fire Burn |
Oct 2, 2013 |
Zeitgeist |
Not Rated |
$49,128 |
6,042 |
74 |
The Pervert's Guide to Ideo… |
Nov 1, 2013 |
Zeitgeist |
Not Rated |
$49,072 |
6,035 |
75 |
Flores Raras |
Nov 8, 2013 |
Wolfe Releasing |
Not Rated |
$45,502 |
5,596 |
76 |
American Made Movie |
Aug 30, 2013 |
Variance Films |
G |
$45,175 |
5,556 |
77 |
Greedy Lying Bastards |
Mar 8, 2013 |
Lambert Releasing |
PG-13 |
$45,000 |
5,535 |
78 |
Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has… |
Sep 21, 2012 |
Samuel Goldwyn Films |
PG-13 |
$41,683 |
5,127 |
79 |
The Human Scale |
Sep 20, 2013 |
Mongrel Media |
Not Rated |
$41,098 |
5,055 |
80 |
Bill W. |
May 18, 2012 |
Page 124 Productions |
Not Rated |
$41,072 |
5,051 |
81 |
GMO OMG |
Sep 13, 2013 |
Submarine Deluxe |
Not Rated |
$39,901 |
4,907 |
82 |
Escape Fire: The Fight to R… |
Oct 5, 2012 |
Roadside Attractions |
PG-13 |
$39,428 |
4,849 |
83 |
How to Make Money Selling D… |
Jun 26, 2013 |
TriBeca Films |
Not Rated |
$39,192 |
4,820 |
84 |
Herb & Dorothy 50X50 |
Sep 13, 2013 |
Fine Line |
Not Rated |
$38,933 |
4,788 |
85 |
The Short Game |
Sep 20, 2013 |
Phase 4 Films Sam… |
PG |
$38,856 |
4,779 |
86 |
Mumia: Long Distance Revolu… |
Feb 1, 2013 |
First Run Features |
Not Rated |
$37,731 |
4,640 |
87 |
Rising From Ashes |
Jul 26, 2013 |
First Run Features |
Not Rated |
$37,673 |
4,633 |
88 |
Far Out Isn't Far Enough: T… |
Jun 14, 2013 |
First Run Features |
Not Rated |
$35,431 |
4,358 |
89 |
Les Salauds |
Oct 11, 2013 |
Mongrel Media |
Not Rated |
$35,018 |
4,307 |
90 |
5 Broken Cameras |
May 30, 2012 |
Kino Lorber |
Not Rated |
$34,376 |
4,228 |
91 |
Bert Stern: Original Mad Man |
Apr 5, 2013 |
First Run Features |
Not Rated |
$34,005 |
4,182 |
92 |
Running from Crazy |
Nov 1, 2013 |
Vitagraph Films |
Not Rated |
$33,300 |
4,095 |
93 |
Dislecksia: The Movie |
Oct 4, 2013 |
Area 23a |
Not Rated |
$33,066 |
4,067 |
94 |
Samsara |
Aug 24, 2012 |
Oscilloscope Pict… |
PG-13 |
$32,797 |
4,034 |
95 |
Somewhere Between |
Aug 24, 2012 |
Long Shot Factory |
Not Rated |
$30,515 |
3,753 |
96 |
Long Shot: The Kevin Laue S… |
Oct 25, 2013 |
Cinipix |
PG-13 |
$29,863 |
3,673 |
97 |
A Fierce Green Fire |
Mar 1, 2013 |
First Run Features |
Not Rated |
$29,817 |
3,667 |
98 |
The House I Live In |
Oct 5, 2012 |
Abramorama Films |
Not Rated |
$28,970 |
3,563 |
99 |
Broadway Idiot |
Oct 11, 2013 |
FilmBuff |
Not Rated |
$27,595 |
3,394 |
100 |
At Berkeley |
Nov 8, 2013 |
Zipporah |
Not Rated |
$26,482 |
3,257 |
101 |
Gregory Crewdson: Brief Enc… |
Nov 2, 2012 |
Zeitgeist |
Not Rated |
$26,162 |
3,217 |
102 |
Greenwich Village: Music Th… |
Jan 18, 2013 |
Kino Lorber |
Not Rated |
$23,701 |
2,915 |
103 |
Evocateur: The Morton Downe… |
Jun 7, 2013 |
Magnolia Pictures |
R |
$21,652 |
2,663 |
104 |
Brooklyn Castle |
Oct 19, 2012 |
Producers Distrib… |
PG |
$20,743 |
2,551 |
105 |
The Ghosts in Our Machine |
Nov 8, 2013 |
Ghosts Media, Inc. |
Not Rated |
$20,709 |
2,547 |
106 |
Our Nixon |
Aug 30, 2013 |
Cinedigm |
Not Rated |
$20,486 |
2,519 |
107 |
Meine Familie, die Nazis un… |
Nov 16, 2012 |
Film Movement |
Not Rated |
$19,160 |
2,356 |
108 |
Smash & Grab: The Story of … |
Jul 31, 2013 |
Doppelganger Rele… |
Not Rated |
$18,938 |
2,329 |
109 |
Nostalghia |
May 31, 2013 |
Kino Lorber |
Not Rated |
$18,846 |
2,318 |
110 |
Jamel Shabazz: Street Photo… |
Aug 2, 2013 |
Artists Public Do… |
Not Rated |
$17,378 |
2,137 |
111 |
Love, Marilyn |
Apr 5, 2013 |
Mongrel Media |
Not Rated |
$16,164 |
1,988 |
112 |
Out of the Clear Blue Sky |
Sep 6, 2013 |
Area 23a |
Not Rated |
$16,050 |
1,974 |
113 |
Hating Breitbart |
Oct 19, 2012 |
Freestyle Releasing |
R |
$15,296 |
1,881 |
114 |
Design is One |
Oct 11, 2013 |
First Run Features |
Not Rated |
$14,078 |
1,731 |
115 |
These Birds Walk |
Nov 1, 2013 |
Oscilloscope Pict… |
Not Rated |
$14,000 |
1,722 |
116 |
The Invisible War |
Jun 22, 2012 |
Cinedigm |
Not Rated |
$13,476 |
1,657 |
117 |
Detropia |
Sep 7, 2012 |
Loki Films |
Not Rated |
$12,805 |
1,575 |
118 |
Liv & Ingmar |
Dec 13, 2013 |
Janus Films |
Not Rated |
$10,347 |
1,272 |
119 |
Shepard & Dark |
Sep 25, 2013 |
Music Box Films |
Not Rated |
$10,278 |
1,264 |
120 |
Informant |
Sep 13, 2013 |
Music Box Films |
Not Rated |
$10,068 |
1,238 |
121 |
Red Obsession |
Sep 6, 2013 |
Area23a/FilmBuff |
Not Rated |
$9,939 |
1,222 |
122 |
Orchestra of Exiles |
Oct 26, 2012 |
First Run Features |
Not Rated |
$9,867 |
1,213 |
123 |
Birth of the Living Dead |
Oct 18, 2013 |
First Run Features |
Not Rated |
$9,802 |
1,205 |
124 |
Caucus |
Oct 25, 2013 |
Bonfire Films of … |
Not Rated |
$9,796 |
1,204 |
125 |
Galapagos |
Oct 29, 1999 |
IMAX Films |
Not Rated |
$9,057 |
1,114 |
126 |
Tchoupitoulas |
Dec 7, 2012 |
Oscilloscope Pict… |
Not Rated |
$8,944 |
1,100 |
127 |
Call Me Kuchu |
Jun 14, 2013 |
Cinedigm |
Not Rated |
$8,941 |
1,099 |
128 |
Wagner & Me |
Dec 7, 2012 |
First Run Features |
Not Rated |
$8,558 |
1,052 |
129 |
Downloaded |
Jun 21, 2013 |
Abramorama Films |
Not Rated |
$8,377 |
1,030 |
130 |
Only the Young |
Dec 7, 2012 |
Oscilloscope Pict… |
Not Rated |
$8,174 |
1,005 |
131 |
La maison de la radio |
Sep 4, 2013 |
Kino Lorber |
Not Rated |
$8,060 |
991 |
132 |
Maidentrip |
Dec 20, 2013 |
First Run Features |
Not Rated |
$7,258 |
892 |
133 |
Assaulted: Civil Rights Und… |
Jun 20, 2013 |
High Top Releasing |
PG-13 |
$7,054 |
867 |
134 |
In Search of Blind Joe Deat… |
Aug 16, 2013 |
First Run Features |
Not Rated |
$6,132 |
754 |
135 |
In No Great Hurry: 13 Lesso… |
Jan 3, 2014 |
Self Distributed |
Not Rated |
$6,100 |
750 |
136 |
Bidder 70 |
May 17, 2013 |
First Run Features |
Not Rated |
$5,074 |
624 |
137 |
Nuclear Nation |
Dec 11, 2013 |
First Run Features |
Not Rated |
$4,960 |
610 |
138 |
Herman's House |
Apr 19, 2013 |
First Run Features |
Not Rated |
$4,956 |
609 |
139 |
The Flat |
Oct 19, 2012 |
IFC Films |
Not Rated |
$4,820 |
592 |
140 |
Ferlinghetti: A Rebirth of … |
Feb 8, 2012 |
First Run Features |
Not Rated |
$4,816 |
592 |
141 |
People of a Feather |
Nov 8, 2013 |
First Run Features |
Not Rated |
$4,483 |
551 |
142 |
When the Iron Bird Flies |
Oct 19, 2012 |
Alive Mind |
Not Rated |
$4,423 |
544 |
143 |
Radio Unnameable |
Sep 19, 2012 |
Kino Lorber |
Not Rated |
$4,414 |
542 |
144 |
The Revisionaries |
Oct 5, 2012 |
Kino Lorber |
Not Rated |
$4,155 |
511 |
145 |
Magnificent Desolation |
Sep 23, 2005 |
IMAX Films |
Not Rated |
$3,929 |
483 |
146 |
Tricked |
Dec 13, 2013 |
Kino Lorber |
Not Rated |
$3,533 |
434 |
147 |
Drew: The Man Behind the Po… |
Aug 16, 2013 |
Kino Lorber |
Not Rated |
$3,078 |
378 |
148 |
A Girl and a Gun |
Jul 4, 2013 |
First Run Features |
Not Rated |
$3,018 |
371 |
149 |
Which Way is the Front Line… |
Jun 21, 2013 |
Mongrel Media |
Not Rated |
$2,945 |
362 |
150 |
What Richard Did |
May 10, 2013 |
TriBeca Films |
Not Rated |
$2,749 |
338 |
151 |
Men at Lunch |
Sep 20, 2013 |
First Run Features |
Not Rated |
$2,483 |
305 |
152 |
Blood Brother |
Dec 13, 2013 |
Mongrel Media |
Not Rated |
$2,254 |
277 |
153 |
You Don't Need Feet to Dance |
Mar 22, 2013 |
First Run Features |
Not Rated |
$1,719 |
211 |
154 |
Ouwehoeren |
Aug 8, 2012 |
Kino Lorber |
Not Rated |
$1,453 |
178 |
155 |
Sushi: The Global Catch |
Aug 3, 2012 |
Alive Mind |
Not Rated |
$1,174 |
144 |
156 |
Jerusalem |
Sep 13, 2013 |
National Geograph… |
Not Rated |
$962 |
118 |
157 |
Putin's Kiss |
Feb 17, 2012 |
Kino Lorber |
Not Rated |
$938 |
115 |
158 |
Triumph of the Wall |
May 31, 2013 |
First Run Features |
Not Rated |
$476 |
58 |
159 |
The End of Time |
Dec 14, 2012 |
Mongrel Media |
Not Rated |
$221 |
27 |
160 |
Free Radicals: A History of… |
Aug 3, 2012 |
Kino Lorber |
Not Rated |
$115 |
14 |
Total Gross of All Movies | $49,277,491 | |
Total Tickets Sold | 6,061,122 |
Note: This chart ranks movies by the amount they earned during 2013.
It includes movies released in previous years that earned money during 2013.
For example, a movie released over Thanksgiving in 2010 will most likely earn money in 2010 and 2011.
Click on the individual movie to see its total gross over all the years in which it played.
Inflation-adjusted figures are based ticket sale estimates, and may not be precise due to rounding errors.
Our Theatrical Market pages are based on the Domestic Theatrical Market performance only. The Domestic Market is defined as the North American movie territory (consisting of the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico and Guam).
The yearly amounts on our Theatrical Market pages are based on box office years. Each box office year starts on the first Monday of the year, so the previous year ends on the Sunday before the first Monday. For example, the "2017 box office year" started on January 2, 2017 so the "2016 box office year" ended on Sunday, January 1, 2017.