Talk about the power of good timing and word of mouth advertising. The hottest documentary to hit the big screen in a while, 2016: Obama’s America, has raked in over $20 million since its meager opening mid-July at a small theater in Houston. This past weekend, it was shown on 1,747 screen across the nation.
The movie, based on conservative author-turned-filmmaker Dinesh D’Souza’s bestselling book, explores what the future might look like with a second Obama term. In it, the Indian born scholar travels to four different continents to uncover Barack Obama’s past and learn what events and people have shaped the president’s view of the world and his vision for our country.
One of the most compelling aspects of the movie is the voiceover from Obama himself, taken both from his self-narrated audio book Dreams From My Father, as well as some of the numerous speeches he’s given over the years. The tagline is “Love Him, Hate Him, You Don’t Know Him,” and through the president’s own words and D’Souza’s travels, we begin to see a picture of Obama’s anti-colonial influences.
Some people have dubbed the documentary an “87-minute attack ad,” but it seems that it’s not just conservatives coming out in droves to watch it. Mark Joseph, whose company MJM Entertainment is marketing the movie, said via email:
The producers did some testing early on that yielded some surprising and counterintuitive results: it played very well among non-whites and independents ... There was speculation that that could be because Dinesh is himself a native of India and the high marks from independents were because he rejects birtherism and gives no quarter to the suggestion that the President isn't a Christian.
The surprise success of 2016 is a testament to the power of word of mouth advertising, and the desire of the American public to know more about the most secretive president in our history. The film had a negligible budget and an even smaller marketing stipend. It gained traction through some talk radio hosts, and good, old-fashioned, friends-telling-friends messaging.
Watch the trailer:
Have you seen 2016: Obama’s America yet? What do you think about this sleeper success?
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Comments 51
sorry, typo - Nervously "await" the old curmudgeon's opinion.
AND to - "rightside" (uh huh) i say "hmmmmmmm" ( ""a Liberal, gay couple, one of whom is black - talk about the not-target audience! "" )
its funny isn't it ? Just how many Liberal, gay couple, one of whom is black, Friends we all Have.
except my Liberal, Gay, Not Black Friend... would Laugh His A** off at your comment. And he said He Did... i instant messaged Him with your comment... Hey, what can i say... We Needed a Chuckle. THANKS ! ,... Got any others ?
It's funny when people can count the number of gay, non white friends they have.
I would love to see this, being that I am a liberal and love seeing truth to things. But guess what? He kept us from seeing a depression. He made more jobs for the people that I love and care about. He's decided an education for our children is more important than an argument on gay marriage. He's made it possible for my unemployed SO who is fighting for his disability can have medical attention he desperately needs until Medicaid will cover him. He is KEEPING Medicaid for people who need it. He is cutting out the people who are using the system, slowly but surely. The Republicans will take away everything all of us working class people work so hard for everyday for our whole lives to have after we retire. And god forbid we ever have anything happen to us.
except my Liberal, Gay, Not Black Friend... would Laugh His A** off at your comment. And he said He Did... i instant messaged Him with your comment... Hey, what can i say... We Needed a Chuckle. THANKS ! ,... Got any others ? Imightbewalking Eagle
Well, happy to give you the giggles, but from the lack of maturity in your comments, it's probably not that hard to make you, or your friends, laugh.
Yes, Wendy, that did in fact happen to to the CNN camerowoman and it was disgusting. Love how you left out that the offending racist was immediately thrown out of the convention. Choose to see the movie if you want or don't, but don't espouse an opinion on something you haven't seen. If you do you just show your embrace of ignorance.
I am so offended by the commenter talking about black and gay people as if they can't be conservative. My boyfriend and my sister think you guys are prejudice idiots by the way. Try going to conservativeblackchick.com or gayconservative.com. It is offensive to act as though a group as large as the gay and black community could be represented by one voice. Not every one likes Obama in those groups there are a lot that have more respect for the constitution than a liar. Either he wasn't born here or he committed a crime passing himself off as a exchange student.
Wendy I am disgusted by how the camera woman was treated but I am equally disgusted by what liberals did to Mia Love by calling her a house n%$#@^. So Republicans throw a racist out and Democrats remain silent over Mia Love and you want us to believe there isn't racism on the other side. I am in a inter racial relationship and the one thing I have learned is there are racist black, white, mexican, asian and every nationality you can think of. Putting one label on such a large group is not a smart thing to do.