The fact that major Hollywood productions such as “Fall Guy” or “Mad Max: Furiosa” are doing poorly is of no concern to them. The smaller cinemas, some of which are run by associations, some even on a voluntary basis, have a different film program – but then again similar worries: not least “the rising energy costs,” says Ingrid Kraus from the Saarbrücken cinema Achteinhalb. In addition, the association-run art cinema in the Nauwieser district also has projectors that are getting on in years and will soon need to be replaced. “So there are high costs ahead, which can hopefully be financed through investment grants.” The audience at Achteinhalb has become younger, says Kraus, “which makes us very happy”; it is also noticeable that interest in original versions, whether with or without subtitles, has noticeably increased – an observation shared by Camera Zwo in Saarbrücken.
Wolfgang Kraus from the St. Ingbert cinema workshop says that he would like to see more younger audiences, but at the same time he is pleased “with the confirmation from older viewers that they have rediscovered the cinema after moving away from the television to the cinema and experiencing that it is ‘something completely different’ to see a film in the cinema.”
A view of the entrance to the Achteinhalb cinema in the Nauwieser district of Saarbrücken.
Photo: Tobias Keßler
The volunteer cinema rescuers
The volunteers from the Lichtspiele Wadern and the Lichtspiele Losheim, whose commitment has saved nostalgic cinemas from closing, mostly show arthouse films, high-quality films for the general public and, once a month, films for children with free admission as part of the “Kreis-Kinder-Kino” (District Children’s Cinema). Blockbuster failures are not their problem. “As we are non-commercial and work on a voluntary basis, we are not so economically at risk,” says Hanns Peter Ebert from the Wadern Film Friends. Because of the “ever-increasing purchase prices for snacks,” the sales prices have been “moderately increased.” The Lichtspiele often hosts cultural events outside of the cinema, “which are lucrative for the club’s coffers, but involve a lot of personnel costs.” And in his view, this is the most pressing problem facing the Wadern cinema: “the declining volunteer commitment in regular weekly operations.”
“In the end, it always works out”
Astrid Härtel from the Losheim cinema sees things similarly: “Staffing all the services with volunteers is a problem,” especially in September, when there is a full program with lots of special events. “But we have a lot of committed people in the club, and in the end we always manage to do the screening, drinks and box office services.” The closure of the Merzig cinema has “expanded the catchment area somewhat.” There are currently no plans to increase prices due to rising energy costs, “because we also have a cultural mission in the community and want to make it possible for all citizens to go to the cinema.”
