Arthouse films in Cork

two wheels good

After the pleasure of the Film Festival, Cork is once again a desert for anyone who'd like to see an arthouse film. The Kino is closed and the multiplexes only offer the meagre fare of blockbusters and the kid wizard.

In a desperate attempt to see some films I'm interested in I've taken to email the Gate Ginema to suggest films and ask that they spare one screen - even one night per week.

I'm not talking about obscure Fellini and Kurosowa here, but well-reviewed European films, such as:
Another Year - Mike Leigh, Staff Benda Bilili, Winter's Bone (okay, that's from USA), The White Ribbon, Chico & Rita.

So, to all you film buffs out there:

Please email the Gate and encourage them to show something besides the blockbusters -just one night a week would be a good start.

I'm sure they've noted the full houses they received during the festival and with some more encouragement from prospective punters they just might oblige.

Lemag

There's the 'Cork Cine Club' in the Half Moon.

Monty Burnz

Anyone know what the status of the Kino building/organisation is? Is there basically an empty cinema sitting there waiting for someone to buy it?

Lemag

Monty Burnz wrote: »

Anyone know what the status of the Kino Elysian building/organisation is? Is there basically an empty cinema building sitting there waiting for someone to buy it?

Monty Burnz

Lemag wrote: »

I see what you did there. :cool:

Lemag

Monty Burnz wrote: »

I see what you did there. :cool:

Yep. Tré :cool:

OP. IIRC they used to have a screen pretty much dedicated to foreign/arthouse cinema for the latter part of the Kino's existence. If so, they've already tried and tested it, I guess. There's always going to be a market for it immediately after the film festival but whether or not the demand is there for it throughout the year is something they'd have to consider.

evilivor

two wheels good wrote: »

After the pleasure of the Film Festival, Cork is once again a desert for anyone who'd like to see an arthouse film. The Kino is closed and the multiplexes only offer the meagre fare of blockbusters and the kid wizard.

In a desperate attempt to see some films I'm interested in I've taken to email the Gate Ginema to suggest films and ask that they spare one screen - even one night per week.

I'm not talking about obscure Fellini and Kurosowa here, but well-reviewed European films, such as:
Another Year - Mike Leigh, Staff Benda Bilili, Winter's Bone (okay, that's from USA), The White Ribbon, Chico & Rita
.

The White Ribbon screened at the Cine Club at the Half Moon in May if this year but if course you already knew that if you are a fan of arthouse cinema in Cork.

two wheels good

I meant to mention the Cine club in the Half Moon. It's a welcome addition on the scene but as a "cinema experience" I thought it a bit disappointing. More importantly the films are not contemporary. The White Ribbon was shown approx a year after its first release.

But could we not have both: Cork Cine Club and the Gate showing arthouse films *just* a couple of days per week? The Kino did it seven nights per week!

I was hoping to see a bunch of responses saying "Good idea, I've emailed the Gate". There's nothing to lose and any I think any local business would be pleased to have some customer feedback.

Blitzkrieger

It's a great idea and I hope it works out for you. The Gate do tend to show more non-mainsteam films than the others, so if you can prove it'll be profitable for them, they'll probably show them. Sadly I've always found that they always seem to be shown at inconvienient times or are not to my taste.



....I have poor taste.....

Lemag

Email sent.

..if anyone out there has a projector and screen or a big screen tv I've got a fairly extensive DVD collection (50/50 arthouse & foreign and mainstream)...

evilivor

two wheels good wrote: »

I meant to mention the Cine club in the Half Moon. It's a welcome addition on the scene but as a "cinema experience" I thought it a bit disappointing. More importantly the films are not contemporary. The White Ribbon was shown approx a year after its first release.

But could we not have both: Cork Cine Club and the Gate showing arthouse films *just* a couple of days per week? The Kino did it seven nights per week!

I was hoping to see a bunch of responses saying "Good idea, I've emailed the Gate". There's nothing to lose and any I think any local business would be pleased to have some customer feedback.

Commercial art house cinema is not viable in Cork city. Kino, even with subsidies, could not survive.*

The Cine Club is that, a cinema club. It is not a commercial venture it gets films at non-commercial rates, after they have had a theatrical run, generally after they have gone to DVD, around the time they are released for pay-per-view.*

Cinemas do not normally source their own films, they get the product from various distributers, who supply them with prints and all the marketing materials. Sourcing films for one off screenings is an incredibly expensive business - film reels are very expensive to transport as they are both terribly weighty and yet fragile. The more one screens a film the more one can divide the costs by the revenue gained. Then there are extra costs of marketing, Pr etc. as well as getting someone to program the films over the year and also, as they are commercial screenings, a percentage if the box office has to go to the distributer.*

The Gate is, as an independently owned cinema group is at a huge disadvantage when it comes to accessing arthouse titles as the Ward Anderson cinemas have the clout and used to own, and may well still do, one of the leading arthouse distributers, Abbey. That's why one sees more alternative films in the Omniplex in Mahon than in the other city cinemas.

My advice, support the Cine Club as it's as close to real arthouse cinema the city is going get.

two wheels good

evilivor wrote: »

Cinemas do not normally source their own films, they get the product from various distributers, who supply them with prints and all the marketing materials. Sourcing films for one off screenings is an incredibly expensive business - film reels are very expensive to transport as they are both terribly weighty and yet fragile. The more one screens a film the more one can divide the costs by the revenue gained. Then there are extra costs of marketing, Pr etc. as well as getting someone to program the films over the year and also, as they are commercial screenings, a percentage if the box office has to go to the distributer.*

I know that distributors have a disproportionate influence over what films are shown in cinemas. But do Cork cinemas still "carry the can" - film and reels? I assumed they'd be equiped with digital projectors. That was one of the pitfalls for the Kino I heard from an employee - no digital projector hence increased courier costs and less choice.

I can't suggest a suitable commercial model to the cinema. They'll know better than me. I just want to let them know that there is an untapped market in the city. The more people that tell them the more likely I'll get to see the next Michael Hanneke on the big screen

evilivor wrote: »

That's why one sees more alternative films in the Omniplex in Mahon than in the other city cinemas.

I hadn't noticed that. I'll keep a closer eye on the listings. I've seen one film there in twelve months; "Up in the Air", hardly arthouse, I know.

I picked on the Gate because:
- They know how well attended the festival events were and so might be more amenable to try a regualar arthouse slot.
- I associate the 'burbs with families, Shrek and popcorn. Not arthouse
- My previous emails to the Gate received a positive reply. That was encouraging.

evilivor

Digital projection is fine for new releases but the majority if the canon of artfilm is on good, old fashioned celluloid.

two wheels good wrote: »

I know that distributors have a disproportionate influence over what films are shown in cinemas. But do Cork cinemas still "carry the can" - film and reels? I assumed they'd be equiped with digital projectors. That was one of the pitfalls for the Kino I heard from an employee - no digital projector hence increased courier costs and less choice.

I can't suggest a suitable commercial model to the cinema. They'll know better than me. I just want to let them know that there is an untapped market in the city. The more people that tell them the more likely I'll get to see the next Michael Hanneke on the big screen


I hadn't noticed that. I'll keep a closer eye on the listings. I've seen one film there in twelve months; "Up in the Air", hardly arthouse, I know.

I picked on the Gate because:
- They know how well attended the festival events were and so might be more amenable to try a regualar arthouse slot.
- I associate the 'burbs with families, Shrek and popcorn. Not arthouse
- My previous emails to the Gate received a positive reply. That was encouraging.

two wheels good

I'll be happy to forego the existing canon (and the bishop 'n the parish priests!) if I can have the new releases.

corkgal1981

Camden Palace also do a film might every Thusday

KCAccidental

evilivor wrote: »

Commercial art house cinema is not viable in Cork city. Kino, even with subsidies, could not survive.*

The Cine Club is that, a cinema club. It is not a commercial venture it gets films at non-commercial rates, after they have had a theatrical run, generally after they have gone to DVD, around the time they are released for pay-per-view.*

Cinemas do not normally source their own films, they get the product from various distributers, who supply them with prints and all the marketing materials. Sourcing films for one off screenings is an incredibly expensive business - film reels are very expensive to transport as they are both terribly weighty and yet fragile. The more one screens a film the more one can divide the costs by the revenue gained. Then there are extra costs of marketing, Pr etc. as well as getting someone to program the films over the year and also, as they are commercial screenings, a percentage if the box office has to go to the distributer.*

The Gate is, as an independently owned cinema group is at a huge disadvantage when it comes to accessing arthouse titles as the Ward Anderson cinemas have the clout and used to own, and may well still do, one of the leading arthouse distributers, Abbey. That's why one sees more alternative films in the Omniplex in Mahon than in the other city cinemas.

My advice, support the Cine Club as it's as close to real arthouse cinema the city is going get.

the problem wasn't that the Kino was unable to get the crowds in on its own merit, it was more to do with the omniplex in Mahon getting the first pick on the films from say Abbey. they could also outbid the Kino on any other film they wanted.

what lead to the Kino's closure was the fact that they could not get the potentially big arthouse/indie picks that would give them full houses in the final year of their existence.

for example.. over the years i saw some great films before they became hits at the Kino. stuff like donnie darko, eternal sunshine, memento, amelie and the wrestler. sadly, they were unable to get this calibre of film in later years leading to dwindling crowds, while the omniplex showed great indie flicks like half nelson and four lions to near empty screens at half 2 in the afternoon on weekdays.

until omniplex stop attempting to create a monopoly in the cork area, fans of indie/arthouse films are going to suffer.

edit to add another point: if someone could open up the Kino again as an arthouse/repatory cinema, that would be amazing!

Blitzkrieger

corkgal1981 wrote: »

Camden Palace also do a film might every Thusday

A quick google gives me no clue if you meant Tuesday or Thursday....

Cheers for the info though - never knew that place existed.

corkgal1981

Ya, its Thursday. Cine Club started showing films on Thursday too instead of Sundays just to be awkward!