It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley , Amy Berg ’s Oscar-contending documentary about the late musician and singer, has become something of a box office phenomenon even before it opens theatrically abroad.

The film distributed by Magnolia Pictures in the U.S. has earned nearly $1.5 million so far, virtual all of it at domestic theaters.

“I think this film kind of defied what the industry thought it would do,” Berg tells Deadline. “But for us, we felt there was an audience there and we had this really interesting and very connective way to reach the audience.”

The film has found a strong base of support with people born after Buckley’s untimely death in 1997 at the age of 30.

“The Gen Z audience… they left their house multiple times to go see this movie,” Berg says. “I think it was just

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