The COVID-19 pandemic has put movie theaters at risk of going dark for good. From small independent screens to nationwide exhibitors, movie theaters employ over 150,000 people and have formed a cornerstone of the American experience for generations.
The little two-screen cinema my arts organization owns and operates has been in business for over seventy years. It’s the only movie theater in our town and the only first-run theater within 40 miles now that the AMC five-screen in the neighboring town announced in June it will be permanently closing.
I’ve been doing everything I can to keep my staff paid and our presence in the community alive. So many grants. Take-away popcorn sales every weekend. Private rentals for small groups. But the industry keeps pushing off movie release dates and the government hasn’t yet taken the kind of action that will protect businesses like ours. And without that action, our theater and many like it could close forever, depriving audiences of the magic of movies for years to come.
Help me urge Congress to keep movie theaters alive until they can fully reopen. Visit saveyourcinema.com to tell your legislators that you demand action to save local movie theaters now. This campaign has generated over 250,000 letters to Congress, but we still need your help to keep the momentum going.
