Originally released in February 2004 in one theater
in Yelm, Washington, What the BLEEP Do We Know!? went on to
become the fifth highest grossing documentary in the United States, with
ticket sales of $12 Million.
Shunned by all movie distributors, the
producers set about distributing and marketing the movie themselves in a
“proof of concept” strategy to show theater owners there was indeed a
market for spiritually oriented films that catered to audiences’
intelligence, not their lowest common denominator.
Although rejected by every major film festival
(Sundance, Berlin, Toronto, Cannes, etc...), What the BLEEP did
get entered in five smaller festivals, and won in every one. This, along
with the grass roots, word-of-mouth campaign, kept the film in theaters
for weeks and months on end. After five months of surprising box office
numbers, the film attracted the attention of Samuel Goldwyn Films, and
the producers entered into a distribution deal. The word-of-mouth buzz
continued and the film showed real staying power (it played in one
theater in Phoenix for 40+ consecutive weeks).
Currently the film is now theatrically
distributed in over 35 countries worldwide.
A host of further developments followed. A
series of conferences was held featuring the speakers from the film,
along with other notable leaders in the consciousness arena. BLEEP study groups
spontaneously arose around the country, then the world, with people who
did not want to let the ideas put forth in the film die, and who wanted
to investigate and discuss them with like minded explorers. Bleep Study
Groups continue to be formed around the world.
Two books followed, a soundtrack CD and finally
the ultimate What the BLEEP DVD – Down the Rabbit Hole, with two
extended versions of the film, along with hours of additional
interviews.
Called by the media “the little film that
could,” and “the critic proof movie,” What the BLEEP Do We Know!?
is considered the first break-out film in the genre of Spiritual
Cinema, and continues to find a new audience to this day.