John Wilson's 'The History of Concrete' Sets IFC Center Record

WHO:

IndieWire - Filmmaker John Wilson directed "The History of Concrete."

IndieWire - Executive Producer Josh Safdie is associated with the film.

WHAT:

IndieWire - "The History of Concrete" has pre-sold more than $60,000 worth of tickets before its official opening, making it the biggest opening weekend for a documentary in the history of the IFC Center.

IndieWire - The opening follows Magnolia’s record-breaking summer release of John Early’s “Maddie’s Secret,” which recently ended its theatrical run and is IFC Center’s seventh biggest opener of all time.

IndieWire - Other hit documentaries at the IFC Center include "Steal This Story, Please," which opened with $31,485 in April, and "Weiner," which earned $38,550 during its opening weekend in 2016.

IndieWire - "The History of Concrete" is currently the 5th biggest opening weekend for any film ever at the IFC Center.

IndieWire - "The History of Concrete" has received a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and an 81/100 on Metacritic.

IndieWire - The film has been described as "one of this year’s Sundance Film Festival standouts" by The Daily Beast.

IndieWire - The film is noted to be "the funniest documentaries you ever seen" according to Next Best Picture.

IndieWire - "The History of Concrete" has pre-sold more than $60,000 worth of tickets before its official opening.

IndieWire - The film has scored the biggest opening weekend for a documentary in the history of the IFC Center.

IndieWire - The previous record-holder was Werner Herzog’s "Cave of Forgotten Dreams," which earned $50,380 in 2011.

IndieWire - "The History of Concrete" is currently the 5th biggest opening weekend for any film ever at IFC Center.

WHERE:

IndieWire - The film premiered at the IFC Center.

IndieWire - The film will expand to 20 markets including Los Angeles.

WHEN:

IndieWire - "The History of Concrete" will expand to 20 markets including Los Angeles on September 25.

IndieWire - "The History of Concrete" officially opens on September 18.

IndieWire - The film will expand to additional markets on September 25.

IndieWire - "How To with John Wilson" wrapped up its three-season run in 2023.

WHY:

IndieWire - Wilson's promotional stunts, including posing inside a cement truck and installing a 125-pound concrete poster, contributed to the film's success.

HOW:

Gothamist - John Wilson posed inside a cement truck and wore a hard hat for promotional photographs at the premiere.

IndieWire - Wilson applied lessons from a Hallmark movie writing workshop to pitch the documentary.

(UPDATED September 18, 2026 23:59 UTC)

"The History of Concrete" has already pre-sold over $60,000 worth of tickets, marking it as the biggest opening weekend for a documentary in the history of the IFC Center. This comes on the heels of Magnolia's record-breaking summer release of John Early's "Maddie’s Secret," which recently concluded its run and is now the seventh biggest opener for the IFC Center. Looking ahead, "The History of Concrete" will expand to 20 markets, including Los Angeles, on September 25.

(UPDATED September 18, 2026 17:02 UTC)

"The History of Concrete" has made history by pre-selling over $60,000 worth of tickets before its official opening, marking the biggest opening weekend for a documentary at the IFC Center. This film now ranks as the fifth biggest opening weekend for any film at the venue, surpassing previous hits like "Steal This Story, Please," which opened with just over $31,000, and "Weiner," which earned about $38,500 in its debut. Looking ahead, "The History of Concrete" will expand to 20 markets, including Los Angeles, on September 25, thanks in part to creative promotional stunts that have helped drive its success.

(UPDATED September 18, 2026 13:04 UTC)

"The History of Concrete" has achieved a remarkable 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and an impressive 81 out of 100 on Metacritic, making it one of the standout films from this year's Sundance Film Festival, as noted by The Daily Beast. Critics have hailed it as "the funniest documentaries you ever seen," according to Next Best Picture. At the premiere, John Wilson posed inside a cement truck wearing a hard hat for promotional photographs, adding a unique touch to the film's launch.

(UPDATED September 18, 2026 02:10 UTC)

Filmmaker John Wilson directed "The History of Concrete," which has already pre-sold over $60,000 in tickets before its official opening and achieved the biggest opening weekend for a documentary in the history of the IFC Center. The film, which will officially open on September 18 and expand to 20 markets including Los Angeles on September 25, is currently the fifth biggest opening weekend for any film ever at the IFC Center, surpassing the previous record held by Werner Herzog’s "Cave of Forgotten Dreams." Wilson's creative promotional stunts, such as posing inside a cement truck and installing a hefty concrete poster, played a significant role in driving the film's success.