The past few years were busy ones— and one of the major focuses of my attention was ONLY IN THEATERS, the feature documentary I directed and produced. The log line is simple, “One man’s mission to save his families movie theaters.” The Laemmle Theaters, an arthouse cinema chain in Los Angeles has been a family business for almost 90 years. The focus of the doc was Greg Laemmle, the CEO of Laemmle theaters, and the grandson of the founders.
We were able to watch as the family faced an epic decision. And this was before the pandemic rained down. Ours was an American story about multi-generational business. The background was the business itself, an arthouse theater chain with an incredible Hollywood story, and decades of commitment to filmmakers, filmmaking and the audiences that loved them.
Greg and I spent quite a bit of time together during our two years of filming him and his family. Then, more time, after the film was completed— with our many-city-tour, and over a hundred dates in theaters around the country and internationally, over yet another year. The film’s life cycle “in theaters” then came to its natural end, as we moved into our ancillary distribution and one remarkable thing was left behind.
Greg and I still liked one another.
With that in mind, I came to him with a new idea. How about a pod cast focused on the films that we love, the ones that play at his theaters and in arthouses around the country? Sensitive to the challenges that independent filmmakers face with their smaller ad budgets, I proposed an arthouse podcast that promoted the films that were opening in theaters around the country. Films that this family had been promoting for the past half century, or more.
ONLY IN THEATERS ends with a singular question, “Will the audiences come back?” We have seen that they have, but we have also seen that arthouse theaters, ones that focus on smaller films, continue to face challenges. The inspiration for this podcast came directly from the making of this movie. A passion for movies in theaters, and a desire to want to remind people that that’s where all the cool kids are. The smartest, most interesting ideas are happening in Arthouse, even as main stream Hollywood continues to struggle with its identity.
My passion for theaters— that is, movie theaters and live theaters, is very real. It’s where the magic happens, in my opinion and where these wonderful art forms comes to life. At the end of ONLY IN THEATERS, the core message is about seeing movies in theaters. So, with that, and since I am eager to do my part— we are going to be using this blog to discuss our new podcast, INSIDE THE ARTHOUSE. Spreading the word!
Our aim is to highlight new films opening in theaters — independent, foreign and documentary films that are playing in arthouses around the country (like Laemmle but not exclusively there). In an effort to coax, cajole and remind people that these theaters, all of them, are treasures and need to be embraced— not just because its the right thing to do, but because it’s where all the action is really happening— right now, in your neighborhood art house theater, just across town.
Hope you will consider joining us to hear more about it! I think you will discover what I have discovered, how astoundingly exciting and vibrant it is, and where new ideas are flourishing!
Come find out on Inside the Arthouse.