The big winner at last Sunday’s Oscars was ANORA, winning five Oscars including Best Director, Best Actress and Best Picture. In his acceptance speech for the Best Director Oscar, filmmaker Sean Baker made a strong pitch to support moviegoing and the theatrical experience.
“We are all here tonight because we love movies. Where did we fall in love with movies? At the movie theater,” said Baker. He explained that he sees independent cinema as being “under threat.” He called on filmmakers to “keep making films for the big screen,” distributors to prioritize theatrical releases, and parents to bring their kids to the theatres at an early age to “mold the next generation of movie lovers.” Baker, who has been a longtime advocate for indie cinemas, was praised for taking the opportunity to highlight the plight of exhibitions on the biggest stage in Hollywood.
Independent movie theatres have sputtered since the pandemic, as documented through numerous stories in regional publications in New Jersey and Maryland. The shutdowns in 2020 and 2021 prompted a series of changes that have negatively impacted exhibition, including the launch of major streaming platforms from most Hollywood studios, and the shortening of the exclusive theatrical window to as little as 17 days.
And unlike the largest exhibition circuits that have the resources to invest in laser projectors, recliner seating, and elaborate dine-in and full-bar concessions options, indie cinemas have had to get creative to lure moviegoers to their theatres.
Some have leaned into alternative programming to offer something unique. Independent theatres have more flexibility than larger chains in choosing the films they play. This has allowed theatres such as the AFI Silver Theatre in Maryland to schedule repertory movie series that have produced “strong returns” in the post-pandemic era according to its Executive Director Todd Hitchcock.
Others have used private rentals to earn extra revenue. One example of this is the Westwood Cinema in New Jersey, whose spokesman Roger Tashjian has claimed “If it weren’t for that, we’d be out of business.”
In other cases, indie cinemas have chosen to convert their operating model from a private business to a non-profit organization, which offers certain tax benefits and allows the theatre to accept donations of support from the community. Over 250 cinemas across the U.S. now operate as non-profits.
It is now commonly understood that the old approach of opening the doors and showing the latest Hollywood releases is “not enough” for cinemas to survive in the modern era.
