Turkish Cat Documentary ‘Kedi’ Claws Its Way to the Top of Box Office Category

February 16, 2017 5:00 am

Cat lovers rejoice.

Currently sporting a 100 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, Turkish documentary, Kedi, from director Ceyda Torun, surprised critics (except cat-owning ones, that is) with its opening weekend performance at the box office.

The doc ran exclusively at New York’s Metrograph, scoring that weekend’s top per-theater average with an astounding $40,500 opening, according to Deadline. It marked the Metrograph’s highest opening gross to date. (Kedi is a Critics’ Pick at The New York Times.)

To put that into perspective, the movie technically beat out blockbusters like The Lego Batman Movie, Fifty Shades Darker, and John Wick: Chapter 2 on a per-theater basis, country wide—no small feat for a documentary film about Istanbul’s famous stray cat population.

Per Deadline, the company noted on Feb. 12 that:

“Over the course of the weekend, Kedi sold out an incredible 21 of its showtimes….Despite the fact that the Metrograph devoted both of its screens to the film, it still wasn’t enough to accommodate the phenomenal demand. We believe Kedi will continue to build momentum as it moves to Los Angeles next Friday.”

Watch the trailer for Kedi below. In New York on business? Catch a show at the Metrograph here.

—RealClearLife Staff

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