Optimistic projection for cinema

With the shadow of the pandemic no longer falling quite so heavily across local businesses, the Village Theatre is looking forward to what we hope will be an uninterrupted programme this year.

However, as many organisations across the country have found, the economic effects of covid-related closures and restrictions have taken time to fully manifest. The Village Theatre finds itself in a more stable position as we embark on this new year, but like so many other businesses, is not out of the woods yet. Without the overwhelming generosity from our new major sponsor NBS, and important key supporters The Rātā Foundation, Pupu Hydro Scheme, Mohua MenzShed, The GB Weekly and others, it is doubtful that Golden Bay would still have its own cinema.

But most important of all for its continued existence is the support from our community, which the theatre staff and committee remain extremely grateful for. The best way that local movie lovers can help is to become a Village Theatre Society member. To reward current members and attract new moviegoers, the members ticket price has been reduced to $13. An annual subscription now costs $50, which includes two complimentary tickets and invitations to exclusive events. This means that members will enjoy a full $4 discount on every film they see, as well as two free ones.

Instructions for becoming a member can be found here: https://www. villagetheatre.org.nz/join-us. You can also sign up at the cinema lobby, but be prepared for a potential wait during busy ticket-buying times.

Theatre manager Fiona Mountfort and committee members Elaine Robinson and Fiona Hawkes held a special information day at the cinema last Saturday, where people could sign up and enjoy some movie trailers and refreshments.

“The ‘membership drive’ went really well,” reports Elaine. “We had a fair few folk come in ‘off the street’ to join up, so we all felt it was worth the time and effort, and enjoyed interacting with the community.”

Elaine added that the team received many positive and supportive comments, and plans to hold another information day next month. The committee urges Golden Bay filmgoers to help keep the Village Theatre’s doors open by signing up for membership, while enjoying some of the special benefits that it brings.

An upcoming event open to everyone is the new revamped Allshorts short film festival on Saturday 27 May. A judging panel is currently hard at work finalising outstanding short film and animation submissions, sourced from hundreds of international and New Zealand entrants. The resulting shortlist now represents literally the best in the world. Allshorts 2023 is sure to be a night of outstanding entertainment.

The theatre itself has seen some longawaited refurbishments take place inside, while new signage incorporating the new major sponsor NBS should appear in the next few months. The Village Theatre Society’s AGM is provisionally planned for 30 May, which will help decide the future course for our cinema.

This past summer season was a very encouraging one, as the return of holidaymakers to the Bay in full force bolstered attendance numbers. Attractions such as the long-awaited Avatar sequel The Way of Water saw several full houses. As we head into the darker months, remember that experiencing a current film release in the cosy shared viewing environment of the Village Theatre is a perfect way to alleviate the colder evenings.