The anti-abortion drama October Baby opened in 390 theaters nationwide this weekend, earning the second-highest per-screen average behind The Hunger Games.
Samuel Goldwyn released the movie, starring Rachel Hendrix, John Schneider and Jasmine Guy, primarily in favorable political environments, earning $1.7M.
The demonstrably pro-life film follows the story of a young woman who learns her mom initially wanted to abort her, but instead gave her up for adoption.
The movie’s overall gross is technically $1.9 million now, because the film was released in Alabama, Tennessee and Mississippi last year in an effort to support a statewide anti-abortion ballot initiative in the latter that later failed.
In an effort to finance a wider release, filmmakers were able to raise $3 million from investors. To promote the film, its backers screened it for church groups and ran advertisements on networks such as Fox News.
While its niche may be relatively small, it is that dedicated, laser-targeted audience that helped make fellow faith-based fare Fireproof, starring Kirk Cameron, one of the most successful independent films of 2008, grossing $33.5 million.