It looks like the closure of Caloundra’s only cinema complex may have a sequel, ensuring it won’t be “lights out” on big-screen movies in the beachside town.
Sunshine Coast Film Festival founder and director Murray Power has promised cinema fans they should soon be able to watch world-class films once again in Caloundra – even if that means in unconventional surroundings.
“I think there will be screenings in Caloundra at some stage,” he said.
“If the cinemas don’t reopen – if someone doesn’t take them on or someone turns them into a gym or whatever they want to do – I will try and start screening foreign language and indie films in an appropriate location through the festival. I think we have the audience support to at least give it a go.”
Big Screen Cinemas Caloundra’s Facebook page notified patrons on September 9 that a temporary closure of the venue announced in July would now be permanent. No reason for the closure was given.
Fans have expressed their sadness at the end of an era for Caloundra, which has had a cinema since the 1930s.
Movies have been shown in the town since 1931 and have been a big part of growing up in Caloundra and visitor experiences for 90 years.
It is believed The Strand building housing the five-cinema complex may have been sold, with new owners expected to take over in November.
It is not known at this stage whether the cinemas will reopen under the new owners or a new leasing agreement.
Mr Power said he already had been scouting locations suitable to screen movies to a reasonably large audience.
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He had hoped the Big Screen Cinemas Caloundra cinema complex would feature prominently in a truly regional Sunshine Coast Film Festival, spanning Caloundra to Noosa and west to Nambour, in its first year.
But with only three weeks to go to opening night, finding a Caloundra venue to join Nambour, Noosa and Kawana for the upcoming screenings was unlikely.
Caloundra was more likely to be included in the Italian Film Festival in November.
But, “there’s a whole lot of ducks that have got to get in formation for that to happen”.
“I’ve looked at a variety of venues,” Mr Power said.
“The RSL has definitely got a room there – that is a possibility.
“The Country Women’s Association Hall (opposite the IGA) is a goer. It is actually quite perfect. It has a big stage and you can put a nice big screen up there.
“I’ve been to The Events Centre and that’s a possibility. They’ve got a 220-seat theatre there, sitting vacant.
“We only need it to hire for three hours maximum for a film to get everybody in and everybody out.
“But they have a six-hour minimum hire policy with fees for ushers and the like that we don’t need.”
Commercial leasing on such a casual basis was difficult to find otherwise, he said.
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With the advent of home-theatre systems, digital projection equipment costs had become more affordable, yet still catered for “the masses”. So, once a suitable venue was found, the chance to set up his own casual but regular film screenings was a definite possibility.
“A normal projector for a cinema would cost anywhere between $50-70,000 and then you have to buy amplifiers and all that,” he said.
“But you can get a digital cinema projector – a really good one that will screen movies – anywhere between $15-27,000.
“We could purchase it outright and start screening straight away.
“This is the tricky part: you’ve got to make sure that you’ve got the kind of projector that can accept what are called DCPs (Digital Cinema Package: the modern version of the 35mm film reel) from the distributors which are coded and heavily encrypted to stop pirating.
“You’ve got to make sure you’ve got the right equipment.”
But with the Sunshine Coast Film Festival from October 5-20 taking up all his focus at the moment, Mr Power said he had to concentrate on the venues he already had in hand.
“I have to concentrate on the screenings that we have got,” he said.
“The really good news is, the opening film night in Nambour (Jaimen Hudson: From Sky To Sea) has already sold 150 tickets.
“And the German film in Noosa (Grandparenting 101) is half-sold out.
“The festival is just about to announce a screening at Kawana – a standout from the recent Scandanavian Film Festival called The County, from Iceland.
“It has also just announced a screening of an Australian film with a strong international cast, Chasing Wonders, with an in-person Q&A with producer Anna Vincent who is coming up from Adelaide (restrictions permitting). Chasing Wonders drew standing ovations from patrons to the Adelaide Film Festival.
“But for Caloundra, at the moment, there will be no screenings for the Sunshine Coast Film Festival.
“It’s very disappointing, especially as the festival started here.
“Without Caloundra, there wouldn’t be a Sunshine Coast Film Festival and the former owners of the cinemas deserve credit for that.
“Over the years, they were very supportive of festival activity and it’s not their fault Covid came along, big releases were put on hold and streaming was able to sweep in and take such a strong foothold.
“The landscape for multiplexes has really changed. It could be back to the future: just one or two screens that pack a punch, rather than 5/6/7 screens that are all showing second-rate product.
“Punters have voted with their feet on that one.”
Head to the Sunshine Coast Film Festival website for tickets.
