“Crowdfunding Campaign Launched to Save Local Arthouse Cinema in Weinviertel”

The cultural association film.kunst.kino expands the range of films in the Weinviertel through various focal points and has established itself as a permanent fixture in the Weinviertel’s cultural offerings since 2011. Austrian, European and international arthouse films are shown in the regular film program at the Kronen Kino Mistelbach, i.e. demanding, offbeat, touching, unusual and valuable films away from the American mainstream.

To keep it that way, the crowdfunding campaign was launched by the cultural association film.kunst.kino together with René Pregler, the operator of the City Cine Stadtkino.

The association film.kunst.kino invited cinema enthusiasts to the Mistelbach cinema on Oberhoferstrasse for the free screening of Steven Spielberg’s latest film “The Fablemans”.

Before the visitors were allowed to get involved in the two-hour cinema experience, the crowdfunding campaign that had already been announced in advance was ceremonially opened with an emotional trailer. In it, citizens from Mistelbach to the mayor and regular visitors from young to old remember very personal experiences that they associate with the Mistelbach cinema. Club chairman Herbert Marko also addressed the audience with a video message, which filled the cinema to the last seat.

“Cinema technology is also more than 30 years old. If something breaks here, then it’s over because this device is no longer serviced. So we run the risk that the screen will remain black from one moment to the next,” explained association member and filmmaker Manfred Asperger to the visitors about the background to the fundraising campaign. The hoped-for revenue should flow 100 percent into the renovation of the infrastructure and the beautification of the cinema.

“The principle of crowdfunding is an all or nothing principle. In our case, we have exactly 30 days from today to reach our goal of 15,000 euros. If we only reach 14,900 euros, unfortunately nothing will go to the cinema, and everyone who donates will get their money refunded,” says Asperger.

Donations for the “Save our cinema” campaign can be made via the website www.filmkunstkino.at are given. Depending on the amount of the donation, there are interesting reward packages up to and including an exclusive film screening.