Market Charts > 2005 > Genres > Documentary

Domestic Box Office Performance for Documentary Movies in 2005

← 2004 Summary for all Years 2006 →
RankMovieRelease
Date		 Theatrical
Distributor		MPAA
Rating		2005 GrossTickets Sold
1 La Marche de L’empereur Jun 24, 2005 Warner Independent G $77,437,223 12,080,690
2 Sharks 3D Jan 28, 2005 3D Entertainment Not Rated $8,500,000 1,326,053
3 Space Station Apr 19, 2002 IMAX Films Not Rated $8,154,655 1,272,177
4 Mad Hot Ballroom May 13, 2005 Paramount Vantage PG $8,045,515 1,255,151
5 Adrenaline Rush: The Scienc… Oct 18, 2002 Giant Screen Films Not Rated $8,024,745 1,251,910
6 Aliens of the Deep Jan 28, 2005 Walt Disney G $7,538,256 1,176,015
7 Wild Safari 3D Apr 8, 2005 nWave Pictures Not Rated $6,657,557 1,038,620
8 The Aristocrats Jul 29, 2005 ThinkFilm Not Rated $6,361,370 992,413
9 Magnificent Desolation Sep 23, 2005 IMAX Films Not Rated $5,687,646 887,308
10 Enron: The Smartest Guys in… Apr 22, 2005 Magnolia Pictures Not Rated $4,064,421 634,075
11 Born Into Brothels: Calcutt… Dec 8, 2004 ThinkFilm R $3,375,072 526,532
12 Rize Jun 24, 2005 Lionsgate PG-13 $3,278,611 511,484
13 Grizzly Man Aug 12, 2005 Lionsgate R $3,178,403 495,851
14 The Wild Parrots of Telegra… Feb 11, 2005 Shadow G $3,041,591 474,507
15 Bugs! (IMAX) Mar 14, 2003 SK Films Not Rated $2,757,946 430,257
16 Pulse: A Stomp Odyssey Oct 11, 2002 Giant Screen Films Not Rated $2,099,989 327,611
17 NASCAR: The IMAX Experience Mar 12, 2004 Warner Bros. PG $1,991,838 310,739
18 Murderball Jul 8, 2005 ThinkFilm PG-13 $1,523,883 237,735
19 Paper Clips Nov 24, 2004 Slowhand Cinema G $1,079,433 168,398
20 Galapagos Oct 29, 1999 IMAX Films Not Rated $945,269 147,468
21 What the #$'! Do We Know Feb 6, 2004 Captured Light Not Rated $849,898 132,589
22 First Descent Dec 2, 2005 Universal PG-13 $739,690 115,396
23 Inside Deep Throat Feb 11, 2005 Universal NC-17 $653,621 101,969
24 Dust to Glory Apr 1, 2005 IFC Films PG $639,990 99,842
25 Gunner Palace Mar 4, 2005 Palm Pictures PG $607,502 94,774
26 Ghosts of the Abyss Apr 11, 2003 Walt Disney G $487,507 76,054
27 Ballets Russes Oct 28, 2005 Zeitgeist Not Rated $451,123 70,378
28 In the Realms of the Unreal Dec 24, 2004 WellSpring Not Rated $343,243 53,548
29 Short Cut to Nirvana: Kumbh… Oct 22, 2004 Mela Films Not Rated $312,141 48,696
30 Watermarks Jan 21, 2005 Kino International Not Rated $245,845 38,353
31 Mondovino Mar 23, 2005 ThinkFilm PG-13 $209,618 32,702
32 New York Doll Oct 28, 2005 First Independent… PG-13 $176,547 27,542
33 The Untold story of Emmett … Aug 19, 2005 ThinkFilm Not Rated $171,916 26,820
34 Protocols of Zion Oct 21, 2005 ThinkFilm Not Rated $161,317 25,166
35 Touch the Sound Sep 9, 2005 Shadow Not Rated $136,047 21,224
36 Deep Blue Jun 3, 2005 Miramax G $132,261 20,634
37 Music from the Inside Out Apr 22, 2005 Emerging Pictures Not Rated $124,693 19,453
38 My Date With Drew Aug 5, 2005 DEJ Productions PG $121,534 18,960
39 Tarnation Oct 6, 2004 WellSpring Not Rated $113,902 17,769
40 Encounter in the Third Dime… Feb 26, 1999 nWave Pictures Not Rated $113,740 17,744
41 Darwin's Nightmare Aug 5, 2005 International Fil… Not Rated $97,614 15,228
42 Gay Sex in the 70's Nov 4, 2005 Lovett Not Rated $85,625 13,358
43 The Future of Food Sep 14, 2005 Cinema Libre Not Rated $81,280 12,680
44 The Nomi Song Feb 4, 2005 Palm Pictures Not Rated $74,216 11,578
45 Searching for Wrong-Eyed Jesus Jul 13, 2005 Shadow Not Rated $70,308 10,968
46 Shake Hands with the Devil:… May 13, 2005 California Newsreel Not Rated $67,100 10,468
47 Lightning in a Bottle Oct 22, 2004 Sony Pictures Cla… PG-13 $65,207 10,173
48 Rock School Jun 3, 2005 Picturehouse R $64,310 10,033
49 Be Here to Love Me: A Film … Dec 2, 2005 Palm Pictures Not Rated $62,109 9,689
50 The Boys of Baraka Dec 2, 2005 ThinkFilm R $47,542 7,417
51 William Eggleston in the Re… Sep 2, 2005 Palm Pictures Not Rated $44,435 6,932
52 A State of Mind Aug 12, 2005 Kino International Not Rated $41,468 6,469
53 Das Goebbels-Experiment Aug 12, 2005 First Run Features Not Rated $41,137 6,418
54 Tell Them Who You Are May 13, 2005 ThinkFilm R $39,075 6,096
55 After Innocence Oct 21, 2005 New Yorker Not Rated $36,004 5,617
56 The Year of Yao Apr 15, 2005 Fine Line PG $34,699 5,413
57 Reel Paradise Aug 19, 2005 WellSpring R $29,720 4,637
58 Naked Fame Feb 18, 2005 Regent Releasing Not Rated $29,128 4,544
59 Guerrilla: The Taking of Pa… Nov 26, 2004 Magnolia Pictures Not Rated $28,506 4,447
60 Lipstick & Dynamite Mar 25, 2005 Koch Lorber Films Not Rated $26,073 4,068
61 39 Pounds of Love Nov 23, 2005 Balcony Releasing Not Rated $25,467 3,973
62 Emmanuel's Gift Oct 21, 2005 First Look G $23,578 3,678
63 Three of Hearts Oct 21, 2005 ThinkFilm R $21,429 3,343
64 Voices in Wartime Apr 15, 2005 Cinema Libre Not Rated $20,702 3,230
65 The Last Dispatch Jul 29, 2005 Fabrication Films Not Rated $20,684 3,227
66 Zizek! Nov 18, 2005 Zeitgeist Not Rated $20,117 3,138
67 A League of Ordinary Gentlemen May 27, 2005 Magnolia Pictures R $18,326 2,859
68 The 3 Rooms of Melancholia Jul 27, 2005 First Run/Icarus Not Rated $16,080 2,509
69 The Last Mogul: Life and Ti… Jun 24, 2005 ThinkFilm PG-13 $15,655 2,442
70 Genesis May 27, 2005 ThinkFilm G $15,586 2,432
71 One Bright Shining Moment Sep 16, 2005 First Run Features Not Rated $15,504 2,419
72 Bright Leaves Aug 27, 2004 First Run Features Not Rated $15,414 2,405
73 Wall Aug 26, 2005 Lifesize Entertai… Not Rated $13,913 2,171
74 Broadway: The Golden Age, b… Jun 11, 2004 First Independent… Not Rated $12,087 1,886
75 Up For Grabs May 6, 2005 Laemmle/Zeller Film Not Rated $10,907 1,702
76 Sunset Story Feb 25, 2005 Vitagraph Films Not Rated $8,802 1,373
77 Twist of Faith Jul 1, 2005 Artistic License Not Rated $8,129 1,268
78 Writer of O May 6, 2005 Zeitgeist Not Rated $8,127 1,268
79 Occupation: Dreamland Sep 23, 2005 Rumur Not Rated $8,018 1,251
80 A Decent Factory Jun 29, 2005 First Run/Icarus Not Rated $6,395 998
81 Aristide and the Endless Re… Nov 24, 2005 First Run Features Not Rated $6,226 971
82 The Grace Lee Project Dec 16, 2005 Women Make Movies Not Rated $5,965 931
83 WMD: Weapons of Mass Deception Dec 3, 2004 Cinema Libre Not Rated $5,458 851
84 Peace, Propaganda and the P… Jan 28, 2005 Arab Film Distrib… Not Rated $4,930 769
85 McLibel Jun 10, 2005 Cinema Libre Not Rated $4,337 677
86 Howard Zinn Jun 18, 2004 First Run Features Not Rated $4,020 627
87 Sacred Stage Oct 7, 2005 First Run Features Not Rated $3,927 613
88 Swenkas Nov 9, 2005 Seventh Art Relea… Not Rated $3,875 605
89 Innocence and Experience: T… Jan 21, 2005 Kino International Not Rated $3,845 600
90 The Aggressives Oct 7, 2005 Seventh Art Relea… Not Rated $3,769 588
91 This Divided State Jul 22, 2005 Minority Films Not Rated $3,724 581
92 Congo: White King, Red Rubb… Oct 21, 2005 ArtMattan Films Not Rated $3,238 505
93 Stolen Childhoods May 20, 2005 Balcony Releasing Not Rated $2,996 467
94 The Optimists Oct 21, 2005 Castle Hill Produ… Not Rated $2,377 371
95 With God on Our Side Jan 19, 2005 Lumiere Productions Not Rated $1,806 282
96 Carlos Castaneda: Enigma of… Mar 5, 2004 Indican Pictures Not Rated $1,790 279
97 Making Grace Jul 22, 2005 First Run Features Not Rated $1,496 233
98 Return to the Land of Wonders Jul 13, 2005 Arab Film Distrib… Not Rated $1,338 209
99 The Letter: An American Tow… Feb 9, 2005 Arab Film Distrib… Not Rated $1,058 165
100 Monumental: David Broners F… Jul 22, 2005 First Run Features Not Rated $842 131
101 Proteus Jul 30, 2004 Strand Releasing R $642 100
Total Gross of All Movies$171,973,693
Total Tickets Sold26,828,967

Note: This chart ranks movies by the amount they earned during 2005. It includes movies released in previous years that earned money during 2005. 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.