The COVID-19 relief plan adopted in December is expected to distribute $ 15 billion to arts venues, which include independent theaters. Around the greater LA area, some small theaters have closed all of their operations during the length of the shutdown that began in March, including the Vista, the Downtown Independent and the New Beverly Cinema, owned by Quentin Tarantino. Here’s how four more are struggling to stay afloat as the National Association of Theater Owners estimates that 70 percent of small theaters are at risk of closing without federal help.
CINÉLOUNG ARENA
To help supplement revenue from their Oscar-qualified drive-in cinema – launched in December in the Egyptian Theater parking lot and accommodating 20 cars – the Arena Cinelounge sells gourmet popcorn online, shipped nationwide . “We have 12 gourmet Cinelounge popcorn mixes. I have to rely on the popcorn income stream to generate income, ”said CEO and founder Christian Meoli. However, Meoli explains that the income from the popcorn – so far has “been over $ 100,000 for us,” he says – is “less than 90 percent of what we do. [normally] generate as a whole, as a business. Getting the drive-in to work isn’t easy either. “We are spending up to five times what we would normally spend with our inner business to make it happen,” says Meoli, who is asking for help under the COVID-19 relief bill. “Funding is vital to save part of our culture, part of our society. Who wants to lose the theaters? It also manages a virtual projection room for new versions to arenascreen.com.
GARDENA CINEMA
This Gardena theater has been run by the Kim family since 1976. For additional income from their drive-thru show series, which debuted last year in their large parking lot, they sell concession items and movie posters. and feature interviews Zoom in on special film screenings, like the one with jurassic park cinematographer Dean Cundey. They also rented the theater for music videos and television and film productions. Although the Gardena cinema (jardinacinema.com) received a small economic disaster loan last year, they are also asking for help through the COVID-19 relief bill. According to principal Judy Kim, “I can use all the help I can get. Hope this gets me through the pandemic until things get back to ‘normal’ whatever it is. Regarding the movie tastes of audiences at Gardena Drive-In, Kim says, “Audiences love movies from the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. There seems to be a longing for the blissful freedom of decades past.” “
LIGHT CINEMA
The Beverly Hills Theater shows both independent and foreign films (at lumierecinema.la) and sell items from its concession stand for limited hours. “We tried to do drive-ins; it didn’t work for us, ”says co-owner Peter Ambrosio, who also started a GoFundMe campaign to help the theater survive, raising just over $ 12,000 of its goal of $ 90,000 so far. Ambrosio hopes the stimulus bill “will give us the boost we need to weather the storm.” Among the owners’ frustrations is the lack of government direction during the closure. Said Ambrosio: “[Government officials] don’t offer guidelines for small businesses on how to deal with landlords, deal with taxes. If you’re going to shut down all of these businesses, why not create a bond, or an arbitration system to manage the rents, to manage the taxes, just so the small businesses can plan? “
THE FRIDA CINEMA
Orange County’s only non-profit arthouse cinema features films in pop-up drive-ins in various OC locations and streamed through its website (thefridacinema.org). Among their diverse selection of films, the most popular genre is horror. “Drive-ins and streaming movies have allowed us to continue our mission, but their collective box office is far from reflecting the returns of a two-screen cinema seven days a week,” explains the director of Frida Cinema. director and founder Logan Crow. “Every dollar really has a huge impact. The theater also supplements income by selling merchandise, live-streaming special events, and hosting online fundraising marathons. Crow adds, “Grants and initiatives like the COVID-19 Relief Bill allow us to fill these gaps. If we’re going to survive this, support, and God willing, get to a point in the future where we can see some growth again, we’re going to need very substantial support.
A version of this story first appeared in the February 10 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. Click here to subscribe.
