Doc box office: animal magnetism of 'Born in China' draws more viewers

Risk a runner-up in its debut weekend 

Disney's roly-poly pandas are rolling over their box office competition.

The documentary Born in China from Disneynature easily won the crown for top nonfiction film over the past weekend, collecting another $1,219,025, according to audience measurement firm comScore.

In just three weeks the film starring pandas, golden monkeys and snow leopards has earned nearly $11 mil., making it one of the most successful documentaries of recent years.  John Krasinski narrates the film, which takes a mostly lighthearted look at family dynamics among the featured animals.

Snow leopards from the film "Born in China." Photo courtesy Disneynature

The new documentary Risk, about controversial Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, came in second at the box office in its opening weekend. It earned $76,327, a small fraction of the total for Born in China. However, Laura Poitras' film only played on 34 screens; Born in China played on 1,414.

Risk's box office fortunes got a boost from personal appearances by the director, who participated in Q&A's after three screenings in Los Angeles over the weekend. On Saturday night, for instance, Poitras took part in a discussion with fellow filmmaker Ava DuVernay.

"Risk" director Laura Poitras (left) interviewed by filmmaker Ava DuVernay after a screening at the ArcLight Hollywood on Saturday, May 6, 2017. Photo by Matt Carey

The box office top five for the weekend of May 5-7:

1. Born in China
2. Risk
3. Citizen Jane: Battle for the City
4. Jeremiah Tower: The Last Magnificent
5. Chasing Trane: The John Coltrane Documentary