Founded in 1909, the Roxie Theater in San Francisco prides itself on being one of the oldest theaters in the United States. The pandemic forced him to reinvent himself but he found a way to stay in business, like all of the city’s historic cinemas, thanks to public support. For Lex Sloan, its director, independent cinemas have a card to play in the post-pandemic. Their asset: public confidence.
How did you get through the year?
We have been very busy. In 2020, we were the first cinema to close, on Friday March 13. Even before the official order, but we were worried about the health of the public. Two weeks later, we reopened, in partnership with independent distributors and local directors, in the form of a “virtual cinema” [les spectateurs regardent le film en streaming sur le site du distributeur qui partage les bénéfices avec la salle].
It was only a drop in the ocean, compared to our normal recipes, but it was a way to keep people engaged, to show that we were still there. At the end of the summer, we were contacted by the Sundance Festival to serve as a “satellite screen” for their event. We also showed films at drive-in which opened after the pandemic at Fort Mason. Now we are pivoting towards reopening.
Can you quantify the drop in income?
Virtual cinema only represents 10% of normal turnover. The drive-in doesn’t bring in anything, but that’s not why we do it: it’s to keep people wanting to come back. We had to lay off twelve people: the cashiers, the drink vendors. The first government loan was very helpful in paying salaries. Since then, we have submitted more than ten applications for assistance, without success. We are currently on a waiting list for the sixth round of the closed room operator assistance program. The site opened on April 8. He was overwhelmed within hours. If we survived, it’s thanks to friends, donations, fundraising on GoFundMe. At Balboa, another historic cinema, they get by selling popcorn in the parking lot while showing a movie.
The multiplex theaters have reopened in San Francisco, even if the spectators do not jostle there. You do not plan to reopen before the end of May, but you are proposing a vote on the designation of the first film to be screened. Is it to make the public wait?
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