Watermelon Pictures, the independent distributor of Encampments, says the film has set a new record for the “highest opening weekend per theatre average for a documentary”, Al Jazeera reports.

In a post on X, the distributor thanked supporters for “rallying your communities to get to the movies and see this film” and said, “Let’s keep this momentum going!”

Deadline, a US news outlet, reported that the film’s exclusive opening weekend at the Angelika Film Center in New York had sold out screenings, anticipated to bring in more than $80,000.

The documentary tells the story of the student protest movement which began at Columbia University in New York in 2024. It features Columbia student Mahmoud Khalil, who is currently in detention fighting the Trump administration’s attempt to deport him.