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The open-air cinema on the Penzberger Berghalde is to be revived. © Ralf Ruder
The chances are increasing that there will be an open-air cinema on the Penzberger Berghalde again this summer. After a call from cinema operators Claudia and Markus Wenzl, a group of cinema lovers came together who wanted to form an open-air club. The working title: “Fresh Air Films”. We are now looking for more helpers.
Penzberg – Claudia and Markus Wenzl, operators of the Penzberg film theater KinoP, have organized the open-air event on the Penzberger Berghalde twice so far. That was in 2021 and 2022. They had invested in an inflatable screen specifically for this purpose. However, due to the precarious economic situation of the Penzberg cinema, the operators had to lay off their employees last summer. The open-air cinema also had to be cancelled. Because it is not possible to hold the outdoor days with two people, Claudia and Markus Wenzl came up with the idea of looking for volunteers.
A group of seven cinema enthusiasts has come together
The call was apparently successful. A group of seven cinema enthusiasts has found themselves who want to found an association to ensure the continued existence of the open-air cinema on the Penzberger Berghalde. The official founding has not yet taken place, but there is already a working title for the new association: “Fresh Air Films”. This was announced by Alexandra Hessler, who had already helped with the cinema association in Kochel. “It is simply very important to us that this beautiful tradition of summer cinema in the fresh air continues,” says Hessler. According to the club’s founders, the festival could take place on two weekends from Thursday to Sunday from Thursday, July 18th, organized by the new club in cooperation with KinoP.
Want to found the association: (from left) Jürgen Legler, who took the selfie in the Bürgerbahnhof, Alexandra Hessler, Antje Thamm, Katrin Stichhan, Heinz Rink, Susanne Jordan and Edith Rink. © Jürgen Legler
The initial spark was apparently a meeting in March to which Claudia and Markus Wenzl were invited to their cinema, as the club’s founders report. The cinema operators told around 60 people there that the open-air event was a lot of fun, but economically it was absolute madness. They were faced with the decision of whether to sell the system or ask for help. As reported, Claudia and Markus Wenzl took out a loan specifically for the open-air equipment and invested between 50,000 and 60,000 euros. They said this three years ago before the start of the first open-air festival, which lasted three weeks.
The city has been very supportive of the open-air cinema in the past, but many Penzbergers missed it last year. This is how the idea came about that an association could ensure its continued existence through voluntary work, report the association’s founders.
Working title for the new association: “Fresh Air Films”
A week and a half ago the idea became serious. Seven founding members met at the Bürgerbahnhof to draft statutes and take care of the organization. The next step, they now announced, would be the official founding of the association, in which the “Fresh Air Films” association would be registered with the registry court and it would have to be granted non-profit status by the tax office in order to be able to accept additional members and accept donations.
Alexandra Hessel brings with her experience from the Kochler Cinema Association. Susanne Jordan has already founded an association and is familiar with the bureaucratic hurdles, according to the “Fresh Air Films” founders. Katrin Stichhan contributes her knowledge as a project manager. She is pleased that “something cultural is being offered here in Penzberg where people can get something going together,” the statement says. Heinz Rink and Antje Thamm want to be responsible for cash management and auditing and Edith Rink, who is well connected in Penzberg, is responsible for donations and sponsorship. Jürgen Legler is already designing a website.
Those interested can add their name to the list
The club’s founders announced that there is currently no direct way to become a member in the founding phase. However, there is a list of interested parties in KinoP in which anyone who would like to be kept up to date can register. Not everyone who becomes a member of the club has to volunteer, sell movie tickets or popcorn. On the other hand, according to the founders, not everyone who volunteers has to become club members. Above all, they write, “it should be wonderful summer evenings again”.
2024-04-02 10:02:17
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