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Date: 2/16/2022
AMHERST – The Amherst Cinema has been an entertainment treasure of the community, but during the pandemic it has had to adjust like all other aspects of life.
George Myers, general manager and programmer of the cinema, said while it’s been a rough couple of years for theaters, they have tried their best to adapt with the connection the theater has with the community.
“The principle is still the same, we are delivering really wonderful and moving and touching, entertaining, thought-provoking cinema to our screens,” Myers said.
The theater initially adapted with virtual cinema, where people could watch the films available on behalf of the theater from home. Myers said they had over 100 of these virtual events over the first year of the pandemic that included films, filmmaker Q&A’s, panel discussions, community discussions, and film seminars.
Eventually they opened back up to 50 percent capacity in their four theaters, but they still offer select virtual cinema screenings for those not comfortable going in person. Myers also mentioned that the cinema did see a decline in memberships and attendance due to the pandemic but have seen small steps toward what was once regular.
“We’ve always been aware that being here requires people supporting what we do because we make decisions based on the importance and quality of films,” Myers said of their support.
Being an independent nonprofit, ticket sales generate 70 percent of what the cinema needs to operate according to Myers, while the rest come from grants, donations, and member support. Amherst Cinema also does not have any relationships to major foundations, making them a truly independently run theater.
“There’s nobody backing us in that the decisions that are made about the organization are made within the organization. That is only possible with the support of people within this community that the cinema serves,” Myers said.
While they have faced adversity over the past two years, the cinema has already started the year off with a bounce-back opportunity. With the Sundance Film Festival forced into a virtual event again this year due the spread of COVID-19, seven independent theaters across the country were selected for their satellite program, a way for the films in the festival to be show in areas while they cannot hold their normal festivities. People who attended Amherst Cinema or one of the other cinemas chosen for these showings were the only people able to see the Sundance selection in person.
“Sundance was very deliberate. There was only seven theaters chosen across the nation and we were one of them,” Myers said. “I think that they really saw that we have some values that align with theirs and sort of the center of our mission and who we are and what we do and that we execute at a high level.”
With the Sundance Festival opting to go virtual just two weeks before the originally scheduled event, it was a quick turnaround to find satellite locations. Eight feature films and a few foreign shorts were screened at Amherst Cinema and was available to be seen by interested parties of the festival.
Myers says he expressed to Sundance on behalf of the Amherst Cinema that they identify with their commitment to international and independent cinema that exists outside the traditional studio structure. He added that Sundance was very helpful and organized and he hopes it’s the beginning of a relationship and not just a one-time thing if satellite screens are available again in the future.
“Amherst Cinema is independent, but this was an instance where we really were operating as a satellite of their organization, of their festival. So, we really had to deliver the programming the way in which they would do it,” Myers said.
Amherst Cinema plans to bring some of these selected films back later this year just as it has done with previous years’ Sundance films. For the year ahead, hopes are to be able to open the theater up more gradually through the year as well as having events to celebrate the different aspects of film. Myers says assuming no major setbacks, 2022 is being looked at in a way most similar to pre-COVID-19 times.
“Right now we are starting to plan it in a way most like it did prior to before COVID. We are putting together a special events schedule which feels really great,” Myers said.
One event currently listed is their “Late Night Series” that will begin in March. The series showcases different genres, horror and cult films on Friday nights. Also coming back this month is the Amherst Cinema Bellwether Series that is focused on giving primarily young filmmakers a platform to show work of theirs to audiences. The films are primarily creative non-fiction documentary film with the filmmakers in person to have discussions with the audience following the film.
On March 9, in collaboration with Amherst College the cinema will be showing “Breathing Free,” and will host some of the filmmakers and people in the film live in theater for panel discussions. This summer Amherst Cinema hopes to collaborate with the soon to be opened Drake on their Sound and Vision music documentary series and have the live music venue host live music tie ins to showings.
“I think we’re always going to be facing certain amounts of limitations and restrictions, but how we can best operate within those safely, we are really looking forward to being able to show programs, doing series and features on directors, and having guests here in person and panel discussions,” Myers said. “That is actually a pretty encouraging sign for me, that our programming is gaining its footing again.”