After it was announced that a group of famous actors and directors were stepping in to acquire the Village Westwood Theatres in Los Angeles, it was commended as an example of the industry banding together to save the historic theatre. Since the COVID crisis, independent theatres have been hampered by having only an inconsistent flow of new movies to show and changes in audience behavior. Many independent theatres have been forced to reexamine the viability of their business.
Despite this challenging environment, there are numerous examples of efforts by individuals to give historic theatres new energy. In 2022, filmmaker Kevin Smith bought his childhood movie theater in Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey, and reopened it as Smodcastle Cinemas. In 2007, Quentin Tarantino purchased the New Beverly Cinema in Los Angeles and has patiently invested in its physical renewal and contributed his vision to its programming.
Non-profits have formed in some locations to take ownership of local theatres, subsidized by donations from their communities to help during slower periods.
Several film festivals have purchased local venues to use as anchors to their events, with examples being Milwaukee’s Downer Theatre for the Milwaukee Film Festival and Seattle’s Egyptian and Uptown Theatres for the Seattle International Film Festival.
Finally, there have been numerous examples of individuals stepping in to purchase and operate hometown theatre so that it can continue in its mission to provide entertainment, education, and fellowship for the community it serves.