How do you sum up the first 20 years of Cinema Paradiso in St. Pölten?
Alessandro’s program: Your dreams are worth living! Few have given the idea of a scheduled cinema a chance on what was then a fairly empty town hall square. But it worked and exceeded all expectations to date. And even in the summer, at a time when arthouse cinemas in other capitals are closing and urban centers are emptying, we bring a holiday atmosphere to the city with our open-air cinema on Rathausplatz and the many outdoor cafes of the city. colorful local scene. Today the town hall square is a lively center of St. Pölten.
What made you the best cinema in Europe?
Syllables: It was 2006 when we received this award from film legends Costa Gavras and Jeanne Moreau in Paris. The EU organization “Europa Cinemas” awards this award and voted our program as the best out of 479 cinemas from 264 cities and 29 countries. Our children’s and youth program was particularly popular. With our “More than cinema” concept and a broad target working group, we show how cinema works in the 21st century. As a cultural center of the region, where all generations meet, exchange ideas and feel at home. Movies, premieres, music, literature, conferences, DJs, gastronomic delights: people will find it all here. By the way: holding hands with Jeanne Moreau at the awards ceremony happens once in a lifetime!
What brings people to Cinema Paradiso in the days of Netflix and others?
Clemens Kopetzky: Streaming isn’t as big of a deal to us as you might think. At home on the sofa in front of the TV is something completely different from going out and making a conscious decision to visit the culture, to go away, to spend time with friends. The cinema is unique: people come to the same place at the same time to watch exactly this movie in a dark room. Together they immerse themselves in a foreign world, forgetting everyday life. They laugh together, they cry together. Cinema weaves an invisible bond between people. That’s cool. But of course, now more than ever, you have to worry about the audience. It is a gift when people decide to spend a few hours of their free time in our Cinema Paradiso. And if you prefer the sofa, you can watch great cinematic movies on our VOD Club website, and unlike American streamers, part of this VOD ticket goes to your favorite cinema. More than 60 cinemas participate throughout Austria. An initiative that was invented by Cinema Paradiso and comes from St. Pölten!
How did cinema overcome the pandemic?
Christopher Wagner: It was a crazy time. Force closures and ever-changing restrictions have kept us in suspense. But what was beautiful and motivating: at each opening, people returned with enthusiasm. Many thanked us personally for making culture possible again. At this point, a big thank you to our fantastic employees. You have been with us for better or for worse and have kept the ship on course.
How do you intend to guarantee the project in the long term?
Syllables: A varied and high quality program in a familiar and simple atmosphere for all generations and social classes: we want to offer it in the future. If so many people continue to use our offer, we will automatically be able to convince our loyal business partners and sponsors that the culture is worth investing in. It is about much more than numbers. But it should still be mentioned: a study on cinema for Lower Austria concludes that well over 15 euros are spent outside the cinema with each cinema ticket. And we have over 75,000 visitors a year.
What do you need to invest in contemporary cinema?
Wagner: A 35mm projector has been in operation in our cinema for many decades. Problems could still be solved with a screwdriver. Today you have to make huge investments at short intervals to stay up to date with digital technology. There are also ventilation systems, cinema seats and event technology. Maintaining quality in all areas is essential.
Will there be cinema again in the cathedral or will the outdoors still be a story for St. Pölten’s town hall square?
Syllables: There have always been both. Four days of Film am Dom as an exuberant film festival with free admission. And in the summer, the open-air cinema on Rathausplatz with a 60-day program and a mix of current films and live events. It is a fourth cinema hall under the stars, fundamental for the Cinema Paradiso and the relaunch of the city center and which works only through the infrastructures of the film location. This is how people come to St. Pölten even in the height of summer. We hope Film am Dom will be back after the square has been redesigned and both are back again. In 2024 St. Pölten is the cultural capital. It would be a great opportunity.
How will St. Pölten continue to develop in terms of cinema?
Wagner: St. Pölten benefits enormously from the fast train connection with Vienna. In light of the vibrant construction activity, we hope that St. Pölten will grow in a healthy and ecological way and remain a city worth living in. We consider the connection between the city and the surrounding area to be extremely important. The city center needs people from a wider catchment area.
You have also been in Baden for nine years with the Cinema Paradiso. How’s it going there?
Syllables: Cinema Paradiso Baden is a real godsend. For the city, the region and for us! A special success story. The old Beethovengasse cinema was threatened with decay. The house was a cinema for nearly 100 years before it closed. It was also a blow to the center. Many people wanted to keep their cinema. Baden politics became active together with the state governor. So we were asked if we wanted to create a Cinema Paradiso in Baden with our successful mix of cinema and live events. We immediately fell in love with the house, which breathes cinema history, with a large chandelier in the foyer and a theatrical atmosphere in the cinemas. Generations of Baden residents have learned to go to the movies here! At the end of 2013 the house shone in a new splendor thanks to our investments. And the people of Baden stormed their Cinema Paradiso from day one. Since then, we have heard over and over again: “Thank you, we finally don’t have to go to Vienna anymore!” So our “More than cinema” concept is doing just as well in Baden as it is in St. Pölten. We can’t wait for the 10th anniversary celebration in 2023!
What are your future projects for Cinema Paradiso?
Scoop: Over the past 20 years, many things have happened that we never expected. Twelve years ago we opened Hall 3 and Club 3, nine years ago our Cinema Paradiso Baden, which was equally well received. We let ourselves be surprised!
What do you wish for the next 20 years of Cinema Paradiso?
Syllables: We are convinced that cinema will not only remain relevant, but will also acquire importance as a place of shared meaning, as an accessible cultural pleasure. Our wishes are therefore simple and what we all want: peace, a true end to the pandemic, an end to price increases. Even if these wishes do not come true: the cinema is the place where everything is negotiated, where people dream and travel the world and where to take a break from worries.
