Filmmaker Julia Marchese (@juliacmarchese) is about to tour European cinemas with Out of Print, her documentary on the importance of 35mm and revival cinema as explored via the patrons of the New Beverly Cinema in Los Angeles, where Marchese worked from 2006 to 2014 (read her take on the reasons for her departure here). Out of Print will screen in UK venues in the autumn; meanwhile Julia is also planning a series of mini-documentaries on selected UK independent cinemas, telling stories about individual venues and how they’ve established their base. To read more about Julia’s UK tour and help make it happen, click here, and read on for her take on why local indie cinemas are such a crucial part of our artistic and social communities, and why maintaining access to repertory cinema should be a priority for us all.
1. Support your community
All you have to do is buy a ticket from your local cinema and -voila! – you just became an important part in keeping that theatre alive and kicking.Every independent cinema has its own community. There is a reason that cinema shave groups of hardcore regulars – because these (rad) people have found the environment they like, and want to support that environment. Every cinema has a different feeling about it. Explore until you find the one you like. And when you do find that cinema that you love, bring your friends.
2. Make your opinion count
Sick of all the sequels and remakes? You have the power to change and shape the future of cinema! Every person who buys a ticket for an indie or repertory title paves the road for that cinema to play more of that kind of film in the future. You have a direct say. When people stop going to see remakes, they’ll stop being made. When people start to support indie cinema, more indie cinema will be made.
3. Make a friend
If you went to your local multiplex and started chatting to the concessions girl or the bloke sitting next to you about film, it might seem a little… awkward… right? The wonderful thing about independent cinemas is that the crowd is made up of hardcore film buffs like you, and would love to talk to you about film, any time, any day. Hey, if they’re one of the people watching a midnight screening of The Holy Mountain with you, they must be cool! Give it ago.
4. Try something different
Everyone has their film gaps – and you know what’s cool about that? Someday, one of those movies you missed will play at an repertory cinema near you. That means that you will have the enviable opportunity to see that movie on a big screen, with an audience, for the first time – which is so incredible and the way all movies should be seen for the first time, in my opinion. It’s SO much better than seeing it alone, at home. Trust me.
5. Open your mind to cinema
You will never be able to watch every movie ever made. That’s how many there are, and more are being added to that number every day. My point is,there is so much cinema to explore out there, and so many cinemas. The UK has an astounding amount of incredible repertory & independent cinemas, and each one is programmed with the utmost care by people who believe in every film that has been chosen.
Explore film!
Worst case scenario, you see a film you don’t like. Best case, you see a film that engages your mind and causes you to delve even further. But don’t worry, no matter what cinema you attend, you’ll be exploring along film lovers just like you, who are always happy to lend assistance.