DETROIT – Cinema Detroit will be closing its brick-and-mortar location after showing independent films for 10 years.
Since opening in 2013, Cinema Detroit has been a hub for film lovers in the area.
The small independent theater located in Detroit’s midtown area told the Detroit News on Wednesday that the establishment will be shutting down its movie projectors at the end of the month.
Cinema Detroit is a nonprofit 2-screen theater with a community-based mission to promote media literacy, arts education and give Detroiters access to independent film exposure.
The co-founder of the film venue told the Detroit News that there are several reasons why they are closing their doors. From rising rent costs to business post-pandemic, the closure is a result of those hardships from over the years.
While closing its doors in Midtown, the co-founder also told the Detroit News that the company would be shifting to a pop-up model and searching for a new permanent location. “We’re not stopping completely,” stated Cinema Detroit co-founder Paula Guthat. “I love film too much.”
The theater shared on social media that they will be selling their film posters for a donation of $10 a poster or 3 posters for $25. You can see what posters they have left here.
The midtown theater isn’t the only independent film venue that has closed its doors recently. The Film Lab in Hamtramck and Main Art Theatre in Royal Oak both closed during the pandemic.
Cinema Detroit was one of the only spots in Metro Detroit that showed Rocky Horror Picture Show annually during the month of October and have been a dedicated venue for the Freep Film Festival.
Cinema Detroit is also hosting movie pop-up events in their Summer Series, which you can find info about on their Facebook page here.
“Cinema Detroit was an amazing space for independent, strange, and classic films.
One of the things Cinema Detroit tried to do is screen films on film if they could. I’ve enjoyed seeing at Cinema Detroit were Punk Singer about Kathleen Hanna of the band Bikini Kill, Le Tigre, and Julie Ruin and God Help The Girl written and directed by Stuart Murdoch of the band Belle and Sebastian.
Cinema Detroit was champions of cinema! They supported local filmmakers by holding screenings of their work, and they were part of local film festivals.
I hope they find a new home and can continue to share their love of cinema with the Metro Detroit area!”
Lara Hrycaj, former adjunct faculty for film at Wayne State University
Click here to see the remaining films that are showing at the Detroit venue this month. 📽