Share

In this week’s member profile, AHC Program Manager Colton Campbell catches up with one of our favorite AHC member cinemas in the Pacific Northwest: Pickford Film Center, which has been in operation since 1998. After a recent expansion project, the Pickford hopes to continue being a staple for their community in the region.

“At its best, cinema is something we experience together: it sparks conversations, fuels curiosity, and brings people closer.”

Subscribe now

CC: How long has Pickford been in operation and what is the screen and seat total?
Pickford Film Center was founded in 1998 by a small group of local film lovers dedicated to bringing foreign, independent, and arthouse cinema to Bellingham. After outgrowing the original single-screen location, we opened our current Bay Street location in 2011. A two-screen space with a lobby designed to be a community gathering place, not just a movie theater foyer.

Last year, we realized a long-held dream by opening Pickford on Grand. Only a block away, we added three additional screens, including two 61-seat theaters and a 19-seat jewel box theater. We’re now a five-screen operation — still proudly nonprofit, still fiercely independent.

CC: Coming up on a year since the expansion — how has this changed Pickford internally and for the community? What are some things that may have just not been possible before?
Our recent expansion has created new opportunities for both the organization and the community. With five screens, we can present a broader range of programming: family films, first-run releases, arthouse, foreign, and curated repertory series — all screening side by side. These additional screens allow us to support independent films we believe in, even when they compete with larger titles. Ultimately, it means more series, special events, and community partnerships.

We brought Twin Peaks to the big screen. Hosted a murder mystery screening around Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery. Pickford on Grand has become its own gathering place — a space where community members come together around movies.

Behind the scenes, we’ve been careful to grow sustainably. We’ve expanded our team of projectionists and brought in more amazing volunteers. The new space is open for rentals too—so local organizations can host private screenings, and indie filmmakers can show their work right here to a hometown crowd.

CC: What are some things your organization may have learned through the capital campaign process, and what might be some advice for other independent cinemas looking at similar projects?
There are angels in the community, those who step up when you least expect it, sometimes with extraordinary generosity. Recognize their contributions and express sincere gratitude.

Make sure your board is with you every step of the way. You cannot do something like this alone, and alignment at the board level isn’t optional. It’s the foundation everything else rests on.

The hardest part for us was navigating the tension between our programming needs and the capital campaign. We had to make tough fundraising decisions that pitted program vs. the capital campaign. It’s not comfortable, but being honest about those trade-offs is part of doing it right.

CC: What else is upcoming for Pickford — whether that be other capital projects, fun screening events, or something else?
Later in the summer, we’re planning a three-night outdoor cinema in partnership with the Bellingham Symphony Orchestra. Come fall, we’ll be opening our 19th annual Doctober festival—a month-long celebration of documentaries that’s a real Pickford tradition. This year, we’re thrilled to have Adam Sekuler joining us as our new Doctober programmer, bringing some fresh ideas to a festival we all love.

CC: What is your hope for Bellingham residents when visiting Pickford — for the first time or the 1,000th?
Whether it’s your very first visit or your thousandth, we hope you find something that feels like it was made just for you. Maybe it’s a movie you’ve been eager to see or something you can’t see anywhere else in Bellingham. Maybe you’ll surprise yourself with a hidden gem and change how you see things. Or maybe it’s a classic you thought you knew, but seeing it here on the big screen gives it a whole new viewing experience.

But it’s not just what’s on the screen—we want you to feel genuinely welcomed every time you walk in. Our projectionists and volunteers are familiar faces (many of them have been part of this community for years), and that warmth is a big part of what makes Pickford feel different from any other movie theater.

We hope people find a sense of community here. At its best, cinema is something we experience together: it sparks conversations, fuels curiosity, and brings people closer.

You can find out more about the Pickford Film Center on their website, pickfordfilmcenter.org. And don’t forget to check out their Letterboxd list on our HQ page!

Art House Convergence (AHC) is a 501(c)3 arts service organization that connects, amplifies and advocates for mission-driven, community-focused independent cinemas and exhibitors within the film industry, and arts and cultural sector. We provide professional development, and capacity and network building for the independent exhibition workforce; and advocate for independent cinemas in the greater, and ever-changing, exhibition and film landscape.

Copyright, Art House Convergence 2026

Subscribe now

You probably heard that last weekend’s box office was the highest grossing domestic weekend of all time at $429 million between Spiderman: Brand New Day and The Odyssey. We’re thrilled about the news - and some of our members are reporting that the rising tide is indeed lifting all ships - moviegoers are showing up for independents too. (See recent data from Rentrak below.) We hope one real takeaway for our sector is that the ‘theatrical is dying’ narrative will cool down.

• AHC members have seen an 8.8% uptick in year over year grosses, and an impressive 38% over 2019

• AHC members collectively represent the 13th largest grossing group of cinemas year-to-date in the United States

So we’re excited to see this trend continue as we head into awards season and with other new indie releases as well. In other news, our friends at Cinema United announced the introduction of Supporting Cinema Renewal, Enhancement, and Enriching Neighborhoods (SCREEN) Act, legislation to encourage private investment in movie theaters and help revitalize the Main Streets and commercial districts they support. The SCREEN Act would establish a 30% federal tax credit for qualified movie theater revitalization projects. Eligible improvements include new seating, projection and sound systems, HVAC upgrades, and accessibility improvements. (And we’re told non-profit cinemas and independents can benefit as well, so stay tuned for more on that.)

This week, we’re excited to introduce you to The Athena Cinema in Athens, OH, a university town located in the Southeast part of the state. AHC Program Manager Colton Campbell spoke with Alex Kamody, who’s been the Director of the cinema for 18 years. (Ohio University also happens to be Colton’s alma mater.)

Share

CC: How long has the Athena Cinema been around in its current iteration?

The Athena Cinema has welcomed audiences through its doors since June 3, 1915, when admission cost 10 cents and the opening feature was Mary Pickford’s Cinderella. On our 100th anniversary, we partnered with the Mary Pickford Foundation to screen that same film exactly a century later (thank you to Dennis and Amy at Milestone for connecting us)! There was something magical about gathering in the same theater, with the same movie, serving the same community 100 years later.

CC: Can you talk about your relationship with Ohio University and its students?

Ohio University purchased the Athena in 2002, and today we operate as part of the College of Fine Arts while remaining a three-screen, first-run theatrical cinema serving southeastern Ohio in Uptown Athens (yes, we call it “uptown”). That combination is fairly unique.

Most of our staff are Federal Work-Study students. Experiential learning isn’t just something we talk about—it powers the theater. Students gain hands-on experience in projection, programming, marketing, graphic design, event production, and more while helping us continually evolve.

CC: Same vein, what about the community outside of the school? How does this change during the school year and in the summer?

Athens County is one of the most economically challenged counties in Ohio, so accessibility is central to everything we do. We intentionally keep ticket prices affordable and build programming that reflects both our university community and our Appalachian roots. One way we celebrate that heritage is through our free From the Hills & Hollers: Appalachian Stories film series.

Summer brings two challenges: half our audience leaves town, and so do many of our student employees. Thankfully, our local community shows up in remarkable ways. Some of our best-attended events happen during university breaks, reminding us that the Athena belongs just as much to Athens as it does to Ohio University.

CC: How was the AIFVF this year and what do you hope for the community and filmmakers to get out of this each year?

The Athens International Film + Video Festival has been a cornerstone of our community for more than fifty years. My mentor, Dr. Ruth Bradley, directed the festival for three decades, so it’s especially meaningful to continue that relationship. One of the festival’s defining characteristics is that student screeners earn course credit while helping curate the festival.

CC: What does Art House Theater Day (July 30th), can you talk about what that looks like at the Athena?

We were super excited to host our version of AHTD at the Athena! We presented a double feature of Putney Swope and Sorry to Bother You. In addition to the wonderful assets produced by AHC with Boots Riley, we also created our own custom trailer. We served themed cocktails and showed the AHC interview with Boots during the intermission for folks who wanted to hang out in the theater.

CC: Anything else upcoming or that you’d like to share with the AHC community?

We love building recurring series with community partners. Whether we’re collaborating with scientists, historians, local nonprofits, or faculty, our goal is always the same: invite new audiences into the theater and let our community help shape what happens here.

We partner with a variety of OU and community partners to offer many other annual series such as our Sustainability Film Series, Hispanic Film Series made possible through PRAGDA, Science on Screen, Heroes in Color, Cocktails & Classics, and this year we hosted a new edition of our annual Pride series OUTlaws: Gays Behaving Badly. We were also approached by NAMI of Athens to do a new series this year for Mental Health Awareness in May called Frame of Mind.

In addition to all these series, we do a new retro most years. In 2025, we had huge turnout for “Let’s Do Lynch”, our David Lynch retro we resurrected after running a similar series a decade earlier. We held a competition for local artists to design the poster. We made tote bags and posters of the winning design. In 2026, we followed the same format with “Enter the KINGdom”, a retro of Stephen King adaptations. It’s been especially exciting to see younger audiences embrace these repertory screenings. Every Moms Weekend we screen Mamma Mia! and the theater fills with moms drinking mimosas and singing along.

One other fun annual tradition is our Haiku contest. Every Black Friday, we open the contest and movie and theater-themed haikus pour in. The contest ends on New Year’s Eve, the winner is selected and the haiku is placed on the marquee on New Year’s Day. The winner gets free popcorn for the year. It’s a fun and free way for our community to be creative and stay connected (even when we’ve had to temporarily close for COVID and a structural repair).

CC: How are you connecting the past and present at The Athena?

We are working with a volunteer archivist to learn more about our history and preserve the stories and legacy of the theater. Recently I revisited the article announcing the Grand Opening. One line really stands out to me and I think of it often: “In other words, while looking at the best motion pictures possible, breathing pure air, being protected with safety-first fire appliances and sitting in a really comfortable opera chair, you are enjoying life.” The Athens Messenger, June 2, 1915.

That sentence still captures exactly what we’re trying to offer 111 years later. The technology has changed, but the goal hasn’t: bring people together for a great movie in a place that feels welcoming.

After navigating COVID, a lengthy structural closure, and the loss of our local multiplex, we’ve been fortunate to see audiences return in exciting ways. It’s an encouraging reminder that people still crave meaningful shared moviegoing experiences.

Despite having just three screens, we present hundreds of films and events each year, balancing first-run releases with repertory, the festival, educational programming, and community partnerships. None of it would be possible without an extraordinary staff and an incredibly supportive community. After 18 years at the Athena, I’m still amazed by the enthusiasm people bring through our doors and I’m even more excited about what comes next.

You can check out our Letterboxd list for this spotlight here.

Learn more about The Athena Cinema on their site, athenacinema.com.

Share

Art House Convergence (AHC) is a 501(c)3 arts service organization that connects, amplifies and advocates for mission-driven, community-focused independent cinemas and exhibitors within the film industry, and arts and cultural sector. We provide professional development, and capacity and network building for the independent exhibition workforce; and advocate for independent cinemas in the greater, and ever-changing, exhibition and film landscape.

Copyright, Art House Convergence 2026

Subscribe now

Share

AHC Program Manager Colton Campbell spoke with cinéSPEAK’s Sarah Mueller (Founder/Executive Director) and Kristal Sotomayor (Director of Marketing, Audience Engagement & Community Partnerships) about their unique operational structure, community partnerships, their film Journal and the best things about bringing indie cinema to Philly. This is an organization that’s doing very cool things, while redefining what a traditional ‘theatrical experience’ means.

Mueller is also the recipient of AHC’s scholarship to Art House Cinema Training, presented by our partners at CICAE taking place in Berlin in August (we’ll report back from this year’s 23rd edition of the program in September.)

Subscribe now

CC: How long has cinéSPEAK been in operation and how is it working with multiple venues for screenings throughout the year?

cinéSPEAK was started nearly 13 years ago and operated entirely through volunteer labor until summer 2020, when we were finally able to begin offering modest stipends to our producing team. In July 2022, we hired our first full-time staff member: our founder and Executive Director, Sarah Mueller. Today, we are still a small and scrappy team with one full-time team employee, three part-time salaried staff members, and several hourly front-of-house and technical crew, who help bring our programs to life.

Philadelphia is facing a significant shortage of accessible screening spaces. While the city has a vibrant film community, there are very few places with proper equipment for high-quality film presentations. The main independent brick and mortar cinema spaces are cost prohibitive for most programmers and film organizations to do regular screenings. In response, cinéSPEAK has been working for over a decade to acquire our own equipment and build our own screening infrastructure. This means that we rely heavily on outdoor screenings, an approach that has enabled us to reach thousands of people, but one that is inherently seasonal and vulnerable to weather-related disruptions.

This year, we took an important step toward sustainability by launching a series of monthly screening residencies with trusted community partners, including a local brewery and an artist-run gallery space and black box theater. Having consistent access to these spaces has allowed us to plan further ahead, deepen relationships with our audiences and partners, and continue refining our approach to presenting film in nontraditional venues. These collaborations have strengthened our belief in community-centric work and growing film exhibition in non-traditional spaces. It has been rewarding to transition to more established year-round programming and we look forward to partnering with more organizations for years to come.

CC: What does a typical week at cinéSPEAK look like? (Programming, events, etc.)

A typical week at cinéSPEAK includes hosting one to two screenings at unique local venues. We make each screening feel like a larger event by engaging small businesses, grassroots organizations, and arts and culture workers. Our programming team curates our programming at least three to six months in advance. This presents many challenges for us as we receive countless emails about incredible films to screen. In the long-term, we plan to own our brick-and-mortar cinema so that we may accommodate more screening requests and support more filmmakers.

During the summer, we produce our annual Under The Stars Film Festival which brings audiences together for magical evenings of outdoor cinema at one of Philadelphia’s most beloved green spaces—West Philly’s historic Clark Park. It is a month-long weekly series of family friendly programming and screenings. It includes music, vendors, advocacy tabling, film screenings and more.

In addition to our cinema, we have an online film journal that provides paid writing opportunities for local film critics. We publish about 1 article every other week in our online journal. For many local artists and filmmakers, the journal provides their first opportunity to have an article dedicated entirely to their work, helping elevate their visibility and document their creative contributions. The film journal also maintains a Philly Cultural Critics Fellowship, which is a paid learning opportunity geared toward Philadelphia-based cultural critics of color, especially those who are new and emerging in the industry.

Share

CC: Outside of the screening spaces and showing films, what other types of things does your organization provide for the community?

Aside from our screenings, cinéSPEAK provides mentorship and direct financial support via micro grants to individual artists, emerging filmmakers, curators and exhibition collectives. Through our programs, we often provide paid opportunities for non-film artists including DJs, musicians, photographers, chefs, and more. Additionally, our online film journal features the work of local writers covering Philly-based filmmakers and cinema events. We began the journal in response to the shut down and defunding of arts and culture criticism and journalism. It provides paid opportunities that writers of color would not have otherwise had access to.

A growing sector of our work is our work-for-hire services where we are hired to produce and program film screenings for community members, local arts and culture organizations and institutions. Our hired services can include curating films, providing technical support with our audio-visual equipment, and full service film screening event production from conceptualization to implementation. We have found that this burgeoning sector has been needed by many organizations and institutions and is part of our plans for long-term sustainability.

CC: What about Philadelphia makes it ripe for art house cinema and the filmgoing community?

Philadelphia is known for its fiercely independent, homegrown arts and culture scene. Here, Odunde Festival dancers transform city streets into stages, graffiti writers become celebrated muralists, and drum troupes perform alongside local legends like Philly Elmo. Theater companies host live readings of cult classic films in the corners of beloved queer punk bars, while galleries flourish in converted rowhomes, storefronts, and former industrial warehouses. Creativity spills beyond traditional venues and into every corner of the city.

Philly is a place where artists build culture from the ground up and often with limited resources but boundless imagination. It’s also a city where independent cinemas and cultural organizations produce large-scale film festivals that bring thousands of people together to watch movies for free in public parks. The more innovative and groundbreaking art being made and presented in Philly is typically not found within the confines of the white walls of our largest arts institutions. Rather, it is underground and emergent.

In the thirteen years since cinéSPEAK was founded—at a time when there were very few independent cinema organizations in Philadelphia—the city’s moving image landscape has transformed dramatically. While we still face a shortage of dedicated screening venues (something we remain committed to changing), what Philadelphia lacks in traditional cinema infrastructure is more than compensated for by an extraordinarily vibrant ecosystem of film clubs, filmmaker collectives, micro-cinemas, and emerging moving-image exhibition initiatives.

The creativity, ingenuity, and collaborative spirit of these organizations have helped cultivate a film culture that is both deeply rooted in community and remarkably diverse in its programming. It is exciting to witness the independent film scene continue to grow and evolve with such energy and momentum. Being part of this ecosystem—and watching new artists, organizers, and exhibitors continually reshape what cinema can look like in our city—remains a constant source of inspiration.

CC: What do you wish for someone new or unfamiliar to the organization to find when they attend a screening or event?

cinéSPEAK’s work is deeply rooted in our core values: storytelling, care and dignity, connection, locality, and mobilization. We aim to infuse these values in all aspects of our work to center artists, journalists, and our community with advocacy at the forefront. We spend a lot of time thinking and dialoguing about our work process to ensure our commitments to these values.

We know there are many places any audience member can spend their time and money and we never take it for granted. We want to make sure individuals have a memorable experience. We achieve this through our intentional work practice that centers how they are cared for from the moment they arrive through to the thoughtful facilitated post-screening conversations. We prioritize a holistic approach to our work that cares for the audience before, during and after our events.

Subscribe now

CC: What’s upcoming for cinéSPEAK?

Recently, we have been working to open a brick and mortar cinema in West Philadelphia as part of a cultural campus alongside several like minded local artists, small businesses, and arts organizations. The campus would include a gallery exhibition space, performing arts spaces, and indie cinema, community garden, and a cheese shop.

This fall, we are launching a youth film series for children ages three to ten and their caregivers. We are producing it in partnership with several local libraries in our immediate neighborhoods and advocacy organizations who are doing vital work in our region. These events will be free Saturday matinees and feature a fantastic slate of indie films from around the world, curated reading lists, pre-screening performances, and post-screening activities like arts and crafts and interactive games to unpack the themes in the films.

Follow cinéSPEAK to stay up to date on events and developments, and check out their Letterboxd Top 4 here.

Art House Convergence (AHC) is a 501(c)3 arts service organization that connects, amplifies and advocates for mission-driven, community-focused independent cinemas and exhibitors within the film industry, and arts and cultural sector. We provide professional development, and capacity and network building for the independent exhibition workforce; and advocate for independent cinemas in the greater, and ever-changing, exhibition and film landscape.

Copyright, Art House Convergence 2026

Subscribe now

Share

Having recently spent a week with 750+ art house cinema and film festival workers at the excellent Independent Film Exhibition Conference (IND/EX), presented by Art House Convergence (AHC)1 and Film Festival Alliance (FFA), I find myself struck by two intertwined realities. The first is the independent exhibition industry’s deep commitment to theaters and festivals as third spaces for cultural exploration, community building, and artistic development. From mobile movie theaters to film camps; from video rentals and lending libraries to discount ticket prices for EBT/Snap cardholders; from film education for all ages to renowned festivals, it’s no wonder that audiences feel a meaningful connection to their local art house as not just a movie theater, but as a vital cultural hub for their community. It follows, then, that a recent national survey of art house patrons report feeling “a deep emotional connection to their theaters…nearly three-quarters say they are ‘very’ or ‘extremely’ important to their overall quality of life [and] understand that their theaters have profound effects on themselves and their cities, towns, neighborhoods or areas; core to this experience is art and learning, fun and community connections.”2

The second is the consistent way these organizations center independent art house film at their core. Unlike other countries—notably France and other European nations—the U.S. has never had a comprehensive definition of “art house film;” rather, the term has been notoriously malleable across decades. In the 1950s, “art house films” were a shorthand for anything with subtitles; in the 1970s, art house theaters would just as easily program the latest French New Wave film alongside a Blaxploitation title, the new Cassavetes, and pornography. In the 1980s, art house films were as likely to come from the New York underground and the L.A. Rebellion as they were the drive-in.3 It was the 1990s boom in U.S. independent filmmaking that helped to shape what we mean when we say “art house films” today as, first and foremost, anti-mainstream—a kernel that, arguably, has always been at the heart of art house theatrical curation, but which became synonymous with the IndieWood, ‘90s Sundance culture of U.S. independent film. But the critical and financial success of U.S. independent art house films did not go unnoticed by mainstream chain theaters, and soon films that had solely been the province of art house theaters were regularly appearing on multiplex screens.

As I’ve written about previously, the breakdown of the boundaries between art house films and mainstream theaters was and is bidirectional, as art house theaters have—for many years—incorporated some films into their programming that decades ago would have only screened at mainstream theaters.4 But it would be naïve to assume this is a simple cash grab or an easy path to ticket sales when, in fact, the variables that combine to bring mainstream titles like Barbie (2023, Greta Gerwig), Disclosure Day (Steven Spielberg, 2026), and more to art houses are myriad. So, let’s get into it.

Firstly, many distributors that specialize in what could be considered traditional art house films are spending less money on film marketing. This puts an increased burden on art theaters to not just market their programs, but to first build basic awareness that these films even exist in our cultural landscape. With some minor exceptions, art houses are not staffed for this type of work, and they certainly aren’t budgeted for it.

Secondly, when art houses do put in the time and effort to market art house films—which happens weekly—they are hampered by the fact that the number and type of marketing assets provided by distributors is shrinking precipitously. AHC is currently conducting a research project that, in part, surveys exhibitors around marketing issues related to art house films; early results show a detrimental decline in many distributor provided-marketing resources.5 For example, art house exhibitors report being provided with a single still image to help sell a film; that film posters don’t arrive until a week before scheduled screenings; and that restrictive access to screeners disallows programmers and marketing staff from understanding what audiences they should be focusing on building for each title.6 While decreases in marketing assets fail to provide theaters with the materials necessary to build quantitatively meaningful audiences, the good news is that there are a core of distributors still committed to partnering with theaters on marketing, and part of the research AHC is conducting includes suggestions for scaling what is working across the distributor-exhibitor landscape and offering other potential solutions to these problems.

Thirdly, audiences report being more connected to their local art houses than mainstream chain theaters, with 88% art house patrons reporting they see their local art house as the cultural hub of their community, and 66% noting they choose to attend their local art house because of its sense of community.7 What sets art houses apart as valuable cultural assets is their programs’ responsiveness to their audience. If there are mainstream releases their patrons would like to see, and they don’t judge those films as antithetical to their mission, why wouldn’t they program them alongside their non-mainstream titles?

Fourth, it’s no secret the screening experience at most mainstream chain theaters is well below par. Lived experience and reporting has qualified that watching a film at a mainstream chain theater is simply a bad time—and has been for a while.8 In an effort to retain patrons and increase revenue, mainstream theaters have invested heavily in luxury seats, expansive menus with in-seat service, gaming centers, 20-30 minute pre-show content stuffed with advertising, and other ancillary experiential components while disinvesting in a theaters’ primary function: excellence in projection and the theatrical experience. I know from personal experience that patrons of my art house wait until we are screening a film to see it rather than go to the local chain. And who can blame them? The local chain theater is old and unclean; has terrible projection; is a 12 screen multiplex that regularly has only one working bathroom; boasts an HVAC system that cannot run when the outside temperature reaches past 85 degrees, resulting in the theater routinely shut down in the summer; and it has no true projection staff, so its regular on-screen issues cannot be resolved in real time to the detriment of the audience experience. Unfortunately, for the hundreds of mainstream movie screens outside of most urban centers, theaters like this are the norm, not the exception. We know from survey data that 78% of art house patrons cite they watch movies in theaters because the experience will be better on the big screen9, and simultaneously, we know that art houses offer a superior theatrical experience. Providing a diverse programming roster of art house, repertory, experimental, and yes mainstream, titles alongside a better viewing experience is yet another extension of art houses’ community commitment.

Fifth and finally—for while there are more variables to add to this list, you’ve indulged me for too long already—claims that art house theaters are deprioritizing art house films is news to art house patrons. 86% of art house audiences report attending their art house theater specifically because they screen “more films that are outside the mainstream.”10 While the relationship between art house theaters and art house films is strained by a broken distribution model, art houses and independent filmmakers have found inventive ways to partner to keep “traditional” art house titles on screen. Simply look to examples like the award-winning documentary WTO/99 (Ian Bell, 2025) or Annapurna Sriram’s Fucktoys (2025) which, both with no distributor, have been screening at art houses across the country consistently for close to two years thanks for direct-to-filmmaker booking. Or consider The Popcorn List, a yearly list of the best films from festivals with no distributor. For the past two years, The Popcorn List has curated a series of films in their “Fresh, Hot Summer” program that allows art houses to bring the best in independent films to their screens through direct-to-filmmaker booking. This year to date, the 7 films in the series have been booked 62 times in 19 theaters.11 Another example is the AHC and Kinema partnered program The Booking Fair, a month’s long process that educates a cohort of indie filmmakers without traditional distribution on how best to work with art houses to get their films on screen. The success of initiatives like these would not be possible if it wasn’t for the trust in programming art houses have built with their audiences. The end result of the process – the combination of programming trust, audience building, education, and alternative models to a broken system – is that art house films are playing on art house screens to art house audiences and art house filmmakers are getting paid for their work while gaining the visibility necessary to continues in their career. And what’s more art house than that?

Share

Subscribe now

Straight out of IND/EX… we’re sharing the full press release covering results from our annual National Audience Survey presented in partnership with Avenue ISR, and with contributed data from Rentrak.

Share

TLDR? Check out the Variety article here. One thing’s for certain: audiences value their art house cinemas and these theaters doing the work to continue to cultivate future generations of moviegoers - they are the most passionate movie people on the planet (trust, we just spent a week with 750 of them!)

We’ll be back the week after next to share some examples of the programming happening within our community with a guest post from Alicia Kozma, Director of Indiana University Cinema. Happy independents month!

A survey of over 27,000 U.S. moviegoers from more than 50 art house cinemas reveals that the state of independent exhibition is strong in the face of challenges.

Art House Convergence (AHC), the non-profit organization serving art house cinemas across the country, shared the results from its annual National Audience Survey at the IND/EX conference, presented by marquee sponsor Filmbot. The findings were announced today on the first day of the conference at a session focused on “Art House Audience Trends,” presented by independent market research consulting firm Avenue ISR, with additional field data from Rentrak.

“Art house cinemas are vital gathering spaces, and an essential component of today’s independent film ecosystem” says Lela Meadow-Conner, Interim Executive Director of Art House Convergence. “Our latest survey proves that audiences continue to rally around their local independent theaters, and despite current challenges, like shortened theatrical windows, media consolidation and arts funding pressure, moviegoer support for art houses continues to grow. In fact, several of our member theaters across the country have reported their strongest box office months and best annual performances since 2019.”

“Independent cinemas that are part of Art House Convergence have seen an 8.8% uptick in year over year grosses, and an impressive 38% over 2019,” says Paul Dergarabedian, Head of Marketplace Trends for Rentrak. “Independent theaters show impressive revenue-generating horsepower and put into circuit terms they would collectively represent the 13th largest grossing group of cinemas year-to-date in the United States. This reflects the keen interest that moviegoers have in supporting their local independent theaters and the enthusiasm they have for the type of cutting-edge films that AHC member cinemas present so brilliantly on their big screens.”

Ryan Oestreich, General Manager of Chicago’s Music Box Theatre, an AHC member theater, says “The Music Box attendance returned to pre-pandemic levels in 2023 and has been growing by 10-15% every year since. Music Box has built a community through cinema, by doing what’s always worked, programming for multiple audiences with films they want to see on a consistent basis; plus we offer great customer service, presentation and a beautiful venue to watch movies in.”

Tomorrow night The Music Box will host IND/EX’s repertory showing of Sorry to Bother You with filmmaker Boots Riley (writer-director of the current indie hit I Love Boosters) in attendance and screening for more than 700 independent exhibition professionals. Riley also serves as the Official Ambassador for AHC’s annual Art House Theater Day - a celebration of independent cinemas - taking place July 30th at more than100 cinemas across the country.

Over 27,000 moviegoers participated in the survey through a partnership with more than 50 art house movie theaters, independent cinemas and other film exhibition organizations. Respondents from all 50 states and the District of Columbia participated in the annual survey, which was conducted during the months of April & May 2026. Respondents answered anonymously to detailed questions about their moviegoing behaviors and preferences as well as their experiences at their preferred art house theaters.

Key Findings:

Art House Experience as a Quality of Life Choice & Community Hub

• More than 70% of survey respondents say that their preferred art house theater destination is “very” or “extremely valuable” to their overall quality of life.

• Respondents see positive benefits on both personal and community levels:

  • 97% agree their theater “presents unique and high-quality films”

  • 77% agree their theater “exposes me to new ideas and ways of thinking”

  • 78% believe their art house “makes me a more well-rounded person”

  • 91% of respondents agree that the theater “elevates the experience of being in this community”

  • 88% agree the theater is “cultural hub of the community”

These filmgoers also recognize the role of art house theaters in building connections and promoting dialogue:

• 68% agree their preferred theater “connects me to people who share my interests/beliefs”

• 73% agree the theater “creates a forum for important community conversations”

Many of these cineastes do more than just purchase tickets to attend screenings and events at their preferred art house.

• 43% have joined their theatre membership programs

• 89% said they have purchased those memberships to “provide support” to the theater or organization

• 41% joined for member-only screenings and events

Curation is Key
Moviegoers in this survey attend more than 10 movies a year at their preferred art house theaters, representing 55% of their moviegoing habit. This number holds steady with data from the last two years. (The 45% of other moviegoing habits is most often to multiplexes or other chain formats.)

Compared to chain or multiplex theaters, moviegoers in this survey preferred indie theaters because art houses:

• 86%: Showcase “more films that are outside the mainstream”

• 74%: Offer “interesting programs and events”

• 66%: Engender “more of a sense of community”

• 54%: Feature beautiful interiors

Art House patrons prefer the following genres:

• 78%: drama

• 74%: foreign/international films

• 70%: comedy

• 36%: horror

• 31% LGBTQIA+ interest

• 29%: experimental

Of the 58% of respondents who watch documentaries at their independent theaters, the most widely preferred documentary genres are:

• 80%: arts & culture

• 74%: biography

• 71%: history

• 66%: social issues

• 62%: music

63% of patrons say they would increase their indie moviegoing if their favorite theaters added “more special events with guests (filmmaker appearances, Q&A’s, discussion, etc.), while 34% wish there were more open caption screenings.

Indie audiences are more inclined to see a movie on “the big screen” instead of staying home because:

• 77%: The movie features the kind of imagery or sound that needs to be experienced on “the big screen”

• 65%: The movie is a previously released repertory title chosen by local programmers (or audience members) to showcase a filmmaker, classic film or film genre

• 58%: The movie can only be seen in theaters only (with no plans for streaming)

• 51%: The movie is screening in a special format (e.g. 35mm, 70mm, 3D, IMAX)

• 51%: The movie has been nominated for major awards or is an award winner

Rentrak Reports Top Grossing Art House Circuit Recent Releases (YTD with their PostTrak scores and ratings)

1. Project Hail Mary 93 5★s

2. The Devil Wears Prada 2 85 4½★s

3. Marty Supreme 83 4½★

4. Hamnet 90 5★s

5. 2026 Oscar Nominated Shorts

6. No Other Choice

7. The Drama 76 3½★s

8. Wuthering Heights 75 3½★s

9. The Testament of Ann Lee

10. Backrooms 72 3★s

Audiences Across the U.S. Are Hungry for Repertory Screenings

• 98% of art house moviegoers enjoy seeing repertory screenings at their preferred art house theater

• 45% of art house moviegoers would like to see a 50/50 mix of curated new releases and repertory screenings

• 71% of respondents indicate they would attend their preferred art house theater more often if their theater expanded their schedule of “restored and remastered repertory films”

A strong majority of those who attend repertory screenings in their preferred theaters would like to see:

• 81%: anniversary titles

• 73%: cult classics

• 69%: classic Hollywood

• 61%: restorations

Rentrak reports popular repertory films amongst the Art House Circuit (in highest grossing order) included:

1. It’s A Wonderful Life (1946)

2. Days and Nights in the Forest (1970)

3. Yi Yi (2000)

4. No Picnic (1986)

5. Apocalypse Now (1979)

6. When Harry Met Sally…(1989)

7. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1996)

8. Four Nights of a Dreamer (2012)

9. Rashomon (1950)

10. Die Hard (1988)

11. Vertigo (1958)

12. Shall We Dance? (1996)

13. Casablanca (1942)

14. The Big Lebowski (1998)

15. Heat (1995)
    
    According to survey responses, these are the films that moviegoers identified as their top art house picks, including a mix of new releases and repertory titles:.

1. Project Hail Mary (2026)

2. One Battle After Another (2025)

3. Hamnet (2025)

4. Sinners (2025)

5. Oscar Nominated Shorts package (2026)

6. No Other Land (2024)

7. No Other Choice (2025)

8. White Christmas (1954)

9. Marty Supreme (2025)

10. Sirat (2025)

11. The Secret Agent (2025)

12. Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)

13. It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)

14. Sentimental Value (2025)

15. The Princess Bride (1987)

16. The Christophers (2025)

17. Frankenstein (2025)

18. Hundreds of Beavers (2022)

Art Houses Continue to Engage New Audiences

• Nearly a quarter (24.9%) of all respondents first began attending their preferred art house within the last three years

• The average age of these new art house moviegoers is 40, eleven years younger than the overall average of those surveyed, which is 51

• 68% of recent attendees are younger than 45

The top three reasons these younger, more recent attendees started going to their preferred art house theaters:

• 44% said “they were showing a movie I wanted to see”

• 31% had “ recently moved (or moved back) to the area”

• 31% said they “attended with a friend, family member or other acquaintance”

These moviegoers rely on many sources of information in determining which movies they want to see in theaters. The most widely used are:

• 62%: Friends/family recommendations

• 61%: Emails from theaters

• 60%: Trailers or previews

• 58%: Movie reviews (print, online, etc.)

• 53%: Individual theater’s website or social presence

• 42%: Social Media Posts, specifically:

  • 55%: Instagram

  • 54% YouTube

  • 43% Facebook

  • 26%: Reddit

  • 25%: Letterboxd

  • 12%: Substack

Participating theaters include: Music Box Theatre, The Coolidge Corner Theatre, AFI Silver, The Heights Theater, Tampa Theatre, Amherst Cinema, Varsity Cinema / Des Moines Film, The Belcourt Theatre, The Historic Artcraft Theatre, AFS Cinema, Midtown Cinema, Bryn Mawr Film Institute, Brattle Theatre (Brattle Film Foundation), The Frida Cinema, Pickford Film Center, Greenbelt Cinema, Coral Gables Art Cinema, Denver Film/Sie FilmCenter, The Grand Cinema, Kiggins Theatre, Cinema Arts Centre, The Nightlight, FACETS, Cinestudio, The Byrd Theatre, Independent Picture House (IPH), The Rafael (Smith Rafael Film Center), Enzian Theater, The Chelsea Theater, MFAH Films (The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston), The Loft Cinema, The Siskel Film Center, Vermont International Film Festival, West Newton Cinema, Film at Lincoln Center, Images Cinema, Onyx Theatre, Little Art Theatre, Film Streams, Park City Film, SIFF Cinema, The Iowa Theater, Capri Theatre, Cinema Salem, The Sequoia Cinema, Ragtag Cinema, Salt Lake Film Society, Sidewalk Cinema, Maine Film Center and Salina Art Center Cinema.

Art House Convergence (AHC) is a 501(c)3 arts service organization that connects, amplifies and advocates for mission-driven, community-focused independent cinemas and exhibitors within the film industry, and arts and cultural sector. We provide professional development, and capacity and network building for the independent exhibition workforce; and advocate for independent cinemas in the greater, and ever-changing, exhibition and film landscape.

Copyright, Art House Convergence 2026

Subscribe now

Subscribe now

In 2006, a group of fourteen independent cinemas were brought together by the Sundance Institute’s Art House Project to discuss independent film and independent film exhibition, opening dialogues and lines of communication between cinemas around the US - soon, Art House Convergence was born. We operated an international gathering of independent exhibitors (including cinemas, film festivals, distributors, vendors and industry partners) in Midway, Utah for a week before Sundance through 2020.

After a four year hiatus, during which we became our own non-profit organization, we gathered again in 2024, in collaboration with Film Festival Alliance, for the IND/EX Conference; in 2025 we gathered our community for our own Convening; and in a few weeks, we’re back with the second edition of IND/EX, taking place, along with 750 of our closest friends.

This gathering — designed specifically for the professionals and organizations that present, program, and engage audiences around independent film, is a singular space for mission-driven and community-focused cinematic arts organizations , and serves as a critical touchstone for the exhibition community. It has become a cherished annual convening, bringing together those who steward film culture in communities across the country. Because so many organizations operate independently throughout the year, the conference offers a rare opportunity to connect with peers, exchange ideas, share best practices, and strengthen the field through collective learning and collaboration. It is our water cooler

So…what do we talk about? The Programming Team consisted of 8 exhibition professionals (Paul Gonter, FACETS Film Forum, Cait McCluskie, Breck Film, Seth Mutchler, Indiana University Cinema, Kayla Myers, Cinema/Chicago, Celine Negrete, The Onynx Theatre, Zuri Obi, Freelance Curator, Hannah Schockmel, The Coolidge Theatre, Christoph Straub, TIFF) who’ve spent the last several months designing over 60 professional development sessions. Some of the ones we’re most looking forward to nerding out on include:

• How to Open an Art House: A Case Study

• An International Look at Repertoire and Independent Film Exhibition

• Art House Audience Trends

• Word-of-Mouth & Guerrilla Marketing in the Hyper-Digital Age

• Beyond the Theater - Pop-Up Cinema and Non-Traditional Exhibition Spaces

• What the F…undraiser! - Thinking Beyond the Gala

• Daytime Done Right: Programming for Older Audiences

• Small Gauge, Big Ideas: Programming and Projecting 16mm Film

• More Than Audiences: Accessibility for Artists

Plus, the Fireside Chat with indie exhibition icons Gina Duncan & Tabitha Jackson; a screening of Sorry to Bother You with Boots Riley at the legendary Music Box Theater, and the epic fan favorite “Trailer Wars” - a battle-of-the-bands style competition pitting exhibitors from the cinema and festival worlds head-to-head showing off their best in-house trailers. Throw in a Cubs game and film-inspired Chicago Boat tour - this is a group of people from around the world who are excited to come together, learn from our peers and have a great time while we’re at it.

Here’s who’ll be there:

We’ll report back post-IND/EX with some of the highlights and top-level findings! Stay tuned…

Reminder: Mark Your Calendars for July 30th to Join the Cinema Party. Find a participating theater here.

Share

Subscribe now

Art House Convergence (AHC) is a 501(c)3 arts service organization that connects, amplifies and advocates for mission-driven, community-focused independent cinemas and exhibitors within the film industry, and arts and cultural sector. We provide professional development, and capacity and network building for the independent exhibition workforce; and advocate for independent cinemas in the greater, and ever-changing, exhibition and film landscape.

Copyright, Art House Convergence 2026

Share

A few of the AHC team were lucky enough to spend some time in Cannes this year. While seeing films and meeting with our exhibition colleagues from around the world, we continued to be reminded that despite the required attire (or maybe because of it), Cannes still remains one of the most important film festivals in the world. It’s nice to take a few days to step out of our North American bubble and remember that film is alive and well outside of Hollywood. And, So. Many. Films.

Oscar campaigns are launched on the red carpet, alongside a market of thousands and thousands of titles (when asked how many films she thought were being repped in the marché, one sales agent said, “a billion,” and she’s probably not wrong.) It is a true celebration of cinema - the good, the bad, and the art house films that independent exhibitors will bring to U.S. audiences.

Subscribe now

Read on to meet one of those fabulous cinemas, The Roxie Theater in San Francisco (where we also recently recorded our Art House Theater Day promos and Q&A with the one and only Bay Area-filmmaker, Boots Riley) which is more than 100 years old.

And filmmakers, take note: The Roxie hosts a whole suite of programs that support indie filmmakers, including the First Looks Oscar-qualifying Program (for filmmakers anywhere), Roxie Review (need to QC your film?) and the Roxie Mixtape (for Bay Area filmmakers.)

Share

Lex Sloan, Executive Director, The Roxie, San Francisco
In conversation with AHC Program Manager Colton Campbell

Lex (who also happens to be an AHC board member) highlights The Roxie’s place as an anchor of the Bay Area film community as one of its longest running art houses, and the recent campaign to purchase the building to ensure its staying power for years to come.

What about The Roxie makes it an anchor for the film community in the Bay area?

The glow of our neon on 16th St in San Francisco’s Mission District is a beacon of an independent spirit. We are an anchor in our community because, for generations, we have shown up with resilience, dedication, and a willingness to take risks.

The Roxie has long been a gathering place rather than simply a screening room. For generations, filmmakers, artists, students, and neighbors have come through its doors knowing they’ll encounter films that challenge, delight, and reflect the many communities that make up the Bay Area. We are a place for artists, connection, and shared experience. We listen. We adapt. We care. Our mission and vision guide everything we do, keeping us focused on the work that matters most.

We remain here for — and because of — the filmmakers, festivals, members, and supporters who share their creativity, their passion for cinema, and their commitment to our community.

Historically, how long has The Roxie been around and what iterations may it have taken on in its time in operation?

The Roxie’s story stretches back more than a century, making it one of the oldest continuously operating cinemas in the United States. Built as The Poppy Theater in 1913, it has lived many lifetimes — from nickelodeon to talkies, from Technicolor to digital, and we still project 35mm film on our 1940s Carbon Arc projectors. Over the years, we’ve been The Rex, The Gaity, The Gem, the 16th St, the New 16th St, and in 1933 we became The Roxie — a name that has endured through decades of change. Like the city around us, the theater has continually reinvented itself, surviving economic downturns, shifting cultural tides, and uncertain times. In the 1970s, it was reborn as an art house cinema, and in 2009 we became a nonprofit, proudly operating as a mission-driven community cinema. Today, we continue to honor our past while looking toward the future — creating a space where independent film, artists, and audiences can thrive for generations to come.

With the recent news of The Roxie purchasing its building, how might this change the space or make it more possible to operate for many decades to come?

Purchasing The Roxie’s building marked a profound turning point. For the first time in its long history, the theater is no longer vulnerable to displacement or the whims of the real estate market. Ownership allows The Roxie to think in decades instead of years — to invest in its historic infrastructure, protect its film projectors, and plan ambitious programming without fear of losing its home. More than a real estate transaction, the purchase ensures that The Roxie can remain a cultural anchor in the Mission District, offering stability for artists, audiences, and staff well into the future.

What are some exciting recent or upcoming events happening at The Roxie? What are you and your team hoping to accomplish in the future?

We are focused on fully realizing what building ownership makes possible. This includes major capital upgrades to our 113-year-old building — structural work (yes, thrilling), improvements to our projector, screen, and masking, and meaningful upgrades to the overall viewing experience.

At the same time, we are investing in the future of our programming and our people: deeper festival partnerships, more visiting artists, expanded children’s programming, and continued investment in celluloid screenings and projectionist training. We are also prioritizing staff health and sustainability, knowing that a strong, cared-for team is essential to everything we do. As we dream big and explore what it could mean to expand our footprint beyond 16th Street, our goal is not growth for growth’s sake, but a richer, more sustainable cultural life inside — and beyond — these walls.

What might you and your team hope for a regular or a new patron to experience while at The Roxie?

When people visit The Roxie, we hope they feel a true sense of belonging — welcomed, seen, and invited into a shared experience. Whether it’s someone’s first screening or their hundredth, we hope they feel part of a community where films are thoughtfully chosen, audiences matter, and people can see themselves reflected on the big screen. We hope they feel cared for by a kind and attentive staff. The Roxie is a place for discovery and shared emotion, and at its best, we believe cinema can open new worlds, deepen empathy, and offer solace in uncertain times.

To learn more about The Roxie, visit them here and check out The Roxie’s four favorites on Letterboxd.

Subscribe now

Art House Convergence (AHC) is a 501(c)3 arts service organization that connects, amplifies and advocates for mission-driven, community-focused independent cinemas and exhibitors within the film industry, and arts and cultural sector. We provide professional development, and capacity and network building for the independent exhibition workforce; and advocate for independent cinemas in the greater, and ever-changing, exhibition and film landscape.

Copyright, Art House Convergence 2026

This week, we’re excited to spotlight two AHC members and the work they do at their respective theaters, and also debut the official 2026 Art House Theater Day artwork. Save the date: July 30th at an indie theater near you!

Share

Marian Luntz, Curator of Film at Museum of Fine Arts, Houston
In conversation with AHC Program Manager Colton Campbell

The Museum of Fine Arts Houston has celebrated cinema as an art form since 1939. The department of film and video exhibits and promotes the medium of film as a fine and popular art. To fulfill this mission, the department's primary goals are to introduce and/or expose the broadest possible audience to the genius of the moving image; to deliver state-of-the-art presentation; to respond to an evolving medium; to stimulate communication and/or dialogue through the shared experience of watching films and video on a big screen; and to inspire the next generation to value film and other screen arts

Marian Luntz, curator of film and video, has worked at MFAH since 1990. In a career focused on the world of independent film and media art, she previously held positions with Kino International, the American Film Institute, the American Federation for the Arts, and the Southwest Alternate Media Project (SWAMP).

How long have the film department and cinema been a regular part of the programming at the museum?
The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston is more than 100 years old. Our Archives reveals details of screenings dating back to the 1930s, using community theaters before we had a building! With the opening of our Mies van der rohe-designed Brown Auditorium (320 seats) in the 1970s, a commitment was made to showcasing the art of cinema by presenting films on a regular basis, with weekend arthouse programming continuing through the present. Our second venue, the Lynn Wyatt Theater (230 seats), opened in 2021. Both theaters are equipped with 35mm and DCP, with 16mm in the Brown, and are used for films, performances, lectures and public programs.

What are some of the unique characteristics of a museum cinema that may be different from operating a singular theater?
First, I want to mention that we embrace the acronym GLAM (galleries, libraries, archives and museums) for our niche in the exhibition community. In addition to new releases, restorations and annual festivals, our selections spotlight films on artists that often respond to our current exhibitions (right now including the hugely popular exhibition Frida: The Making of an Icon). We often collaborate with community organizations, making our venue available to draw their members for films of mutual interest. We don’t have concessions: I once saw another museum describe their films as being presented in a “pristine, popcorn-free environment” – that sums it up here. However, our café is an option, allowing filmgoers to enjoy a bite before a screening.

What do you hope for patrons to find when visiting MFAH for a film screening?
Our museum’s campus is a magnificent destination in the heart of Houston, spanning 14 acres with multiple buildings connected by artist-designed tunnels and a fantastic sculpture garden. We encourage filmgoers to allow time to also explore our galleries and exhibitions. We also hope they’ll join our loyalty program, Film Buffs, and return often.

Furthermore, what is a typical week in terms of number of film screenings?
We show films year-round on Friday-Sunday evenings, along with occasional matinees and Thursdays (the museum’s free general admission day). Most new releases and restorations are played at least twice on different days, and our festivals often include multiple screenings in a day. Currently we’re in the midst of our busy spring season including popular annual festivals Latin Wave: New Films from Latin America, Five Funny French Films and Jazz on Film.

How might other cinemas connect with MFAH on the Robert Frank Collection and what exactly can you share about it? I’d like the AHC community to know that we are the longtime distributor of films by Robert Frank (1924-2019), the Swiss-born photographer (The Americans) and filmmaker (Pull My Daisy, Cocksucker Blues and many more). He was a part of the New American Cinema movement and a denizen of New York’s downtown scene, even into his late years when passers-by might be greeted by Robert sunning himself outside his studio at Bleecker near Bowery. Frank’s filmography (we have 20 of his films available, made between 1959 – 2017, ranging from 4 – 90 minutes) reflects on his friendships with the Beats, filmmakers, artists and musicians, his family, and the second home he and artist wife June Leaf created in Nova Scotia, presented in a distinctive personal style. Our rental fees are user-friendly, with many titles available in new digital restorations created by MoMA. I’m glad to guide programmers through the collection and share personal favorites, and invite colleagues to contact me to request a copy of our forthcoming publication with newly-commissioned program notes on Frank’s films.

For more information on MFAH, their screening spaces, and the Robert Frank Collection, you can visit https://www.mfah.org/events/films. And don't forget to check out the MFAH Letterboxd list on AHC’s HQ!

Share

Subscribe now

Dara Messinger, Director of Programming, at Firehouse: DCTV’s Cinema for Documentary Film
In conversation with AHC Program Manager Colton Campbell

Firehouse: DCTV’s Cinema for Documentary Film opened in 2022 as a celebration of the 50th anniversary of DCTV. DCTV is a nonprofit media arts center in Manhattan founded in 1972. Firehouse Cinema operates as a year-round, 67-seat single screen cinema.

Dara Messinger is a filmmaker and programmer with 20+ years of experience in the documentary industry. As the longtime Director of Programming at DCTV in Chinatown, NYC, she has overseen the honored organization’s public programs. Her work as curator continues and deepens as she now programs its brand new Firehouse: DCTV’s Cinema for Documentary Film.

How does the mission of the Firehouse Cinema tie in with DCTV as a whole and how do both help build each other up?
DCTV is unique because it’s a multifaceted nonprofit media arts organization working at the intersection of education, production, and exhibition of documentary film – all under one roof – with the explicit goal of using filmmaking to catalyze, inform, and empower communities, from underserved New Yorkers to independent documentary filmmakers at large. Firehouse now helps to extend all this. It provides general audiences with a new cultural institution to visit and appreciate all different kinds of nonfiction films, and it provides filmmakers with an opportunity to get their work screened in NYC, and even qualify for the Oscars. We’re actively trying to remove the financial and cultural barriers that make documentary film inaccessible.

What is your hope for someone in the city or broader community to find when they visit Firehouse Cinema?
I want people to feel at ease, surprised, challenged, moved. I want them to feel like they’ve found one of the few authentic places left in NYC! And to know that they can keep coming back. Firehouse has so much to offer, as does DCTV with its various other services and resources. Membership is a great way to support all that we do while also getting some great benefits.

Do you have any exciting events upcoming in 2026 or any future news you’d like to share?
There’s a lot in the works. We’ll finally be sharing Debra Granik’s Conbody vs Everybody that’s been a decade in the making. She and her team have been a part of our community for so long, and it takes place on the LES, so it’ll really feel like a homecoming. We’ll also be having a Christine Choy retrospective that we’re really excited about. And we’re continuing to build out more curated series and developing new programs to support filmmakers directly. Stay tuned, it’s going to be a great year.

To you personally or your organization as a whole, what makes documentary films necessary to see on the big screen and why do you believe this screening space to be important to the city?
We opened Firehouse right as public life was finding its footing again after COVID – that moment where things were returning to “normal” but everyone knew it was a new kind of normal. People were hungry to gather again, to sit together in the dark and share an experience. Documentary film in particular asks something of its audience – it invites you to reckon with the real world, together. So many of our screenings are also followed by conversations with exceptional artists, scholars, cultural workers, and those convos spill over into the lobby over drinks. A space like Firehouse makes this all possible in a way that a screen at home simply can’t replicate. We’re also screening a lot of work that isn’t available to see elsewhere. That makes what we do feel even more special.

To learn more about Firehouse: DCTV’s Cinema for Documentary Film, check out their site at www.dctvny.org/s/firehousecinema. And check out some of Dara’s recently screened favorites on our Letterboxd.

Share

Art House Convergence (AHC) is a 501(c)3 arts service organization that connects, amplifies and advocates for mission-driven, community-focused independent cinemas and exhibitors within the film industry, and arts and cultural sector. We provide professional development, and capacity and network building for the independent exhibition workforce; and advocate for independent cinemas in the greater, and ever-changing, exhibition and film landscape.

Copyright, Art House Convergence 2026

Subscribe now

We’ve written about it a couple of times in our first few posts, but we’re done burying the lede: media consolidation is detrimental to independent exhibition. From CinemaCon to the upcoming Cannes, the merger remains the talk of the town. Below, we’ll publish in full, Art House Convergence’s Official Statement of Record written for a since-cancelled Senate hearing, and cited in official documents presented by our partners at to Senator Cory Booker for the April 15th hearing (where you may have seen independent film supporters & David Borenstein, Mr. Nobody Against Putin testify as well.)

And lest you think this is just an American problem, we’re also linking to official statements from our global partners, the International Confederation of Art House Cinemas (Threat to Cinemas, Audiences & the European Film Ecosystem) and the Network of Canadian Independent Cinemas (Open Letter to the Competition Bureau of Canada.) The consolidation has ripple effects far beyond the shores of Hollywood.

Read on… (and for a quick reference “Q&A” style read, click here.)

Share

WRITTEN STATEMENT FOR THE RECORD OF ART HOUSE CONVERGENCE

Art House Convergence (AHC) appreciates the opportunity to submit this statement for the record in connection with the April 15, 2026 Public Forum entitled “Consolidation and Control: The Paramount-Skydance/Warner Bros. Discovery Merger’s Threat to Jobs, Creative Independence, and News Journalism.“

AHC is a coalition of independent and art house exhibitors that connects, amplifies, and advocates for independent film exhibition across the U.S. AHC magnifies their individual and collective economic impact, and the vital role they play in sustaining our arts and culture landscape and local communities nationwide.

An art house cinema is defined as a movie theater or cultural third space (including museums, archives, libraries, galleries, universities etc.) whose film programming is curated to their particular audience and includes, but extends well beyond, mainstream movies, foreign films, documentary, and independent film. Many art houses are known for their specialized screening formats (including 35mm, 70mm or Vista Vision) educational programs, customer-first approach. Crucially movie theaters provide the necessary arts and community spaces that keep small towns, suburbs, and cities thriving, well after the credits end and the lights come up.

Since the widespread theatrical exhibition of film began in the early 1900s, cinemas have been vital neighborhood spaces and cornerstones of Main Streets in all 50 states. Movie theaters offer cool escapes on hot days, and warm spaces from the cold. They act as economic drivers, keeping consumer spending local. Recent research shows that for each dollar spent in a local movie theater, an additional $1.50 is spent in surrounding businesses in the community. Notably, they provide all this and more while retaining only a fraction of the cost of each paid admission. The quintessential American entrepreneurial spirit built into the foundation of independent movie theaters faces an existential threat from corporate mergers.

AHC and our national and international partners– including the U.S.’ Cinema United, the International Confederation of Art House Cinemas (CICAE) which represents cinemas across Europe, and the Network of Independent Canadian Exhibitors (NICE)-are aligned in our deep concerns about a pending merger resulting from the sale of Warner Brothers Discovery. Continued consolidation affects the global exhibition industry in its entirety.

Disney’s 2019 acquisition of Fox Studios provides precedent for the outcome of any WBD merger. Despite opposition from theaters, the merger resulted in reduced film production, decreased first-run content for theaters, increased negotiating leverage for Disney, exacerbated difficulty in accessing a two substantial repertory catalogues of studio films in favor of prioritizing streaming on Disney+ over theatrical distribution, and the loss of thousands of jobs across the industry.

AHC is deeply concerned that a Warner Brothers acquisition by Paramount or any other corporation will have an immediate effect on independent theaters and moviegoers across the country. Ticket prices will increase to cover operating expenses, theaters will be forced to shutter, cinema workers will lose their jobs. Rural communities will lose access to both an American pastime and movies made outside an ever-shrinking studio system - deeply impacting the cultural significance of moviegoing as one of our country’s most affordable and accessible art forms.

A Warner Brothers’ sale and consolidation will also limit audiences’ access to decades of past and forthcoming studio films, as it is more lucrative for corporations to place these films on their own streaming platforms rather than making them publicly available to cinemas. Fewer films will be produced that are representative of our country’s cultural diversity as studios prioritize and cater to mass appeal. Independently produced media is already facing a distribution crisis, and conglomeration only serves to accelerate this problem. Currently, independent cinemas offer a vast variety of film programming to local audiences, and the loss of this programming opens further debate around free speech, democracy, and authoritarian control over media.

AHC would like to highlight two key issues to the attention of the subcommittee:

• Theatrical Windows: In addition to a proposed merger’s effect on film production, resulting in fewer theatrical releases for new films, it also affects the release patterns themselves. “Theatrical Windows” - the period of time in which a film is only available to audiences in a movie theater - are an essential component of the exhibition business.
  
  The pandemic, coupled with the accelerated rise of streaming services, had already shortened the traditional theatrical window length from 90 to approximately 30-45 days, often even shorter for independent films, at 17 days. (In 2020, AMC Theatres struck a deal with Universal Studios for a 17-day exclusive theatrical window that their chief executive has subsequently unwound and cited as a poor decision.)
  
  The increased market power of streaming platforms post-pandemic has caused a severe decline in the Pay-One window fees for independent distributors who were previously used as curatorial sources for new independent film. The Pay-One window is the exclusive streaming period on a specific platform, e.g. HBO Max, or Paramount+. As a result of the decline in the Pay-One fees, independent distributors have less cash to mount a theatrical release including the necessary marketing budget. In fact, many film distributors forgo a theatrical release at all, depriving the public of an accessible and immersive opportunity to see the film and the filmmakers the opportunity for meaningful revenue and awareness. By skipping a theatrical release and going straight to VOD (Video on Demand), each film product experiences a meaningful depression in its lifetime economic prospects. Without proper marketing for its digital release, a film disappears into an algorithm on Paramount+ or HBO Max for example, controlled by a corporation - disallowing any perception of “on demand” access for American audiences.
  
  A theatrical window supports downstream revenue via subsequent channels of distribution including VOD, physical media and other ancillary rights. Therefore, an inadequate theatrical window depresses the entire film ecosystem, all the businesses, the creators, the film workers, and most importantly, the audience, who loses out on the opportunity to see the film in the format it was made for: the big screen.
  
  Consolidation also concentrates power otherwise afforded to exhibitors when negotiating for better theatrical terms, including window length, ticket revenue splits, and other demands and requirements currently placed on theaters, mainly by the large studios. Fewer players means worse terms for exhibitors, raising their costs and reducing the experience for their customers.
  

• Repertory Programming: Repertory films, or a studio’s catalogue of past productions or acquired titles, are of vital importance for movie theaters, especially independent movie theaters. Independent movie theaters have long incorporated repertory programming – those films that were released anywhere from 2 to 100+ years prior to a current calendar year – into their regular offerings.

  
  While repertory programming allows contemporary audiences to access decades of cinematic art, history, and culture, these films also allow independent theaters to deepen their programmatic and cinematic education offerings, providing critical financial stability. Yet mergers at the level proposed between WBD and any of its suitors presents an existential crisis for access to repertory film programming.
  
  In fact, younger audiences around the world are showing up at their local cinemas for repertory films. According to AHC’s 2025 National Audience Survey, 82% of filmgoers cite ‘repertory film’ as one of their top genres. At New York’s Film at Lincoln Center “demand has increased dramatically in the past half decade, as theaters reopened after COVID-19 shutdowns. Overall was up 14 percent in 2023, powered largely by repertory showings.” At Boston’s Coolidge Corner Theater, “from 2019 to 2023, repertory programming jumped from 10 to 30 percent of the theater’s total revenue,” and prominent exhibition-focused, independent film distributors are re-releasing older titles as a way to attract new audiences.
  
  Combined with the precipitous decrease in new film production because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the twined Writers Guild of America (WGA) and SAG-AFTRA labor strikes of 2023, repertory film programming has become more critical than ever in maintaining the economic sustainability of independent movie theaters. Repertory programming was a vital node in the independent exhibition sectors’ ability to withstand pandemic-era closures, contributed significantly to theaters’ ability to continue as economic drivers in their communities’ post-pandemic, and remains critical to regular theatrical operations. Indeed, repertory programming has become so integral to contemporary theatrical offerings that conglomerated mainstream exhibitors like Regal, AMC, and others have begun to adopt the independent film model of incorporating repertory film into their regular offerings. Warner Bros., as one of the oldest film studios in existence, was already the home to thousands of repertory programming titles, and years of film library purchases and the eventual conglomeration that birthed WBD means the company now holds hundreds of thousands of repertory films. Control over the WBD repertory catalog and their siloing on any corporate streaming platform would irreparably damage movie theaters and undoubtedly lead to closures. For example, film titles in the Warner Brothers catalog include Casablanca, Singin’ in the Rain, The Goonies, and the Harry Potter franchise. What would it look like if your local movie theater was barred from screening Casablanca simply because it was in the studio’s short-term financial interest to do so? How does the American public benefit from such control?

Independent theaters offer audiences access to this country’s rich filmic history, creating opportunities for education, dialogue and critical discourse around the media we consume. Independent theaters serve as a lifeline between media makers and moviegoers. And independent theaters are critical for the American film industry’s economic survival.

Independent theaters are the custodians of America’s cinema-going culture and are essential to our national, cultural identity - which is itself deeply rooted within “the movies”: America’s greatest cultural and influential export. This is their business, and their currency. They are central to our “experiential economy,” - the loss of exhibitors can not be understated.

For the reasons outlined above, AHC appreciates the leadership of Senator Booker and other congressional representatives examining consolidation in digital media markets and stands ready to serve as a resource as the Committee evaluates the real-world consequences of this proposed transaction.

Share

Subscribe now

Art House Convergence (AHC) is a 501(c)3 arts service organization that connects, amplifies and advocates for mission-driven, community-focused independent cinemas and exhibitors within the film industry, and arts and cultural sector. We provide professional development, and capacity and network building for the independent exhibition workforce; and advocate for independent cinemas in the greater, and ever-changing, exhibition and film landscape.

While our friend was the talk of the town (in what is now dubbed “pin gate”by at ) at CinemaCon, and AMC’s chief was praising the WBD/Paramount merger, our dear friends to the North were celebrating National Canadian Film Day, presented by Reel Canada whose mission is to introduce audiences to the power and diversity of Canadian film, and engage them in a conversation about what it means to be Canadian. (Must be nice!) Check out their 2026 Canadian film lineup.

One of our favorite Canadian partners is NICE, the Network of Independent Canadian Exhibitors, an alliance of Canadian independent cinemas, festivals, and professional programmers. At AHC, we work closely with them to share information (about topics like the merger and it’s worldwide effects), data and membership perks, and to further connect the community of global indie exhibitors. So in celebration of the great work that they do, and in honor of Canadian Film Day, we’re sharing an excerpt from a sit down with AHC’s Program Manager Colton Campbell and NICE’s Executive Director Sonya Yokota William, who has been in the role since the organization’s official incorporation in 2022

Read on to learn more; and keep scrolling for Part 2 of our Best Practices for Filmmakers booking their films in cinemas. And, don’t forget to take action at #BlockTheMerger.

Last April, AHC’s Program Manager Colton Campbell spoke with Sonya Yokota William, Director of the Network of Independent Canadian Exhibitors (NICE) who has been in the role since the organization’s official incorporation in 2022. NICE is an alliance of Canadian independent cinemas, festivals, and professional programmers.

What do you enjoy most about being the organization helping these cinemas survive and thrive across Canada?

NICE is such a special community. I think even beyond loving the work itself—the work of popping corn and putting films on the big screen—NICE has the luck of being fairly new and grassroots. Our members are really invested. Canada has some really special independent cinemas. We feature one every month with our Member of the Month feature. Check them out!

What are some challenges you or Canadian cinemas as a group may have had to overcome and what about that makes you hopeful for the next set of years to come?

Independent cinemas have always faced a changing marketplace, from broadcast television to home video and beyond. The fact that they have survived and thrived through the decades is a testament to their importance! They are beloved by their communities and audiences, and serve as springboards for all sorts of careers.

Since our inception, NICE has focused on fair access to film. In a report we published in 2024, we discovered that 53% of our members must wait until a local Cineplex has finished showing a film before they are allowed to screen it. Additionally, 81% of our members are impacted by “clean runs”—the full shows requirements from major studios.

These policies limit our members’ ability to serve their audiences. Who wouldn’t want a local cinema with a vibrant calendar: family matinee, new buzzworthy blockbuster in the 7:00pm slot, and fun genre film at 9:00pm? Independent cinemas understand their audiences and want to sell as many tickets as possible. We firmly believe that greater freedom and fair access to film would create a better market for everyone.

What are some of your favorite art house experiences in Canada or even in some places within the AHC community?

I have a special fondness for the cinemas where I’ve worked over the years: The Cinematheque in Vancouver, and TIFF Lightbox, Hot Docs Cinema, and Paradise Theatre in Toronto. One of my formative film-loving memories is watching Pierrot le Fou at The Cinematheque when I was a teenager. It may sound pretentious, but it’s true! That experience came at the perfect moment in my life and showed me what going to the movies could truly be.

For more information on Sonya and NICE’s work, please visit www.nicecinema.ca.

Share

Booking Your Film in an Art House: Best Practices, Part 2

ICYMI, check out Part 1 of our Best Practices here:

Art House Convergence

Theatrical Windows Rule!

61% of Art House Patrons Agree: If A movie is “Only in Theaters,” it’s a reason to see it on the big screen." - 2025 Art House Convergence National Audience Survey…

Read more

5 months ago · 10 likes · 2 comments · Art House Convergence

And here’s Part 2, focusing on what to do once you’ve booked.

Filmmaker Involvement

• Let the theater know if your creative team will be available and willing to participate in promotion including:

• Pre-screening social media and media interviews

• Creation of a personalized pre-recorded introduction

• In-person (if applicable) and virtual Q&As, and community outreach

Additional tips:

• Don’t just limit it to the director – moviegoers are also curious about the other crafts.

• Try to customize your interactions as much as possible – for example, if you send along a film intro video, thank the theater by name in the video. Audiences love to feel more directly connected to you as the filmmaker.

• If no one from the team is available to participate, have a list of folks or types of folks who would be good to lead a post-screening Q&A, should the theater be interested in this.

It’s important to keep in mind that many independent exhibitors run much like an indie film does - on a shoestring budget and without a lot of staff. Sometimes the only marketing they can do on your behalf is a newsletter or social media story (with many films/day to promote), so a successful screening often relies on the film team’s hard push on marketing and PR.

Community Outreach

Do as much outreach on your own in the community where you are screening as you can, whether through direct asks or social media. This can make your screening much more vibrant by increasing attendance. When doing so, be sure to coordinate with the theater; they may have contacts but not the bandwidth to do the outreach, and that would be a perfect place for you to step in. A targeted paid media spend on Facebook or Instagram can be a good bang for your buck; you don’t need to spend a lot! When coordinating with the theater, ask what social media channels they have the most traction on, this way you know you are spending your money in a social space that is reaching their audience.

It’s also best practice to engage some of your own local, regional, or national community partners, many of which you’ve likely already connected with through your festival run.

Box Office

If you book the film directly with the theater, you may reach out for a Box Office Report (BOR) the following week. If you want a BOR and you booked your film with a flat fee, you will likely have to explicitly request one: most distributors don’t require a BOR for films book with a flat fee, so exhibitors are unlikely to send one without being explicitly asked.

In your BOR you can expect to receive:

• Number of tickets sold

• Total box office gross (even if you are paid a flat fee)

• Breakdown of tickets sold (member v. non-member, student v. adult v. senior). This will give you some insight into who showed up and some demographic information.

Payment

Make sure you have an easy way to get paid! For example, you can create and send invoices in Paypal for free. Definitely have your invoice template at the ready (and likely a W9, too). Allow a few weeks to receive payment because some theaters have stringent accounting departments that are also paying numerous other bills.

Resources/Case Studies

• The Distribution Playbook (Seed& Spark + Kinema)

• Distripedia (The Film Collaborative)

• Distribution Advocates

• Eno

• Hundreds of Beavers

Download the entire Best Practices Guide here.

Share

Art House Convergence (AHC) is a 501(c)3 arts service organization that connects, amplifies and advocates for mission-driven, community-focused independent cinemas and exhibitors within the film industry, and arts and cultural sector. We provide professional development, and capacity and network building for the independent exhibition workforce; and advocate for independent cinemas in the greater, and ever-changing, exhibition and film landscape.

Subscribe now

You’ve heard a lot about “theatrical windows” lately - both here on substack and in the trades, particularly in reference to the WBD x PSD merger. Most of these stories focus on why they are critical for the movie business at large but today we want to talk to about why they matter for filmmakers…and the indie ecosystem.

To set the scene, a backstory on how our TWR campaign came to be: in mid-January, we ran across an insta story shared by a mutual featuring an irresistible merch drop from. In mid-January, we ran across an insta story shared by a mutual featuring an irresistible merch drop from and immediately reached out to see how we might work together. The incredible Producer jumped into producing-mode and in just a couple weeks, and literally shipped direct to Park City, we had beanies, tees and bags just in time for Sundance. The merch became highly coveted - even with the likes of our new friend - ’s .

Share

Spreading the word that THEATRICAL WINDOWS RULE was a great conversation starter but the number of filmmakers we chatted with who didn't know what a theatrical window was gave us pause. Now, together with Pink Amongst Men, we’re on a mission to shout it from the rooftops everywhere and invite you to join us, grab your merch here!

Here are several reasons why every filmmaker should also care, and insist on a theatrical window as part of their distribution plan. (Thanks to who included us in his NonDē Dangerous Ideas Programming at Slamdance and SXSW for including our Activate Your Art House panel as our launching pad.) Keep reading for Part 1 of AHC’s Best Practices for indie filmmakers when booking at an art house.

Why do theatrical windows matter for filmmakers?

What’s a theatrical window?
The exclusive the period of time when a movie is only available to watch in theaters. In the last several years, this window has shrunk from 95 days, to an average of 45 days or less, as studios opt to platform their films on their own streaming platforms instead. An average for indies - if you get one - is 17-45 days. The good news for indie films is, you don’t have to subscribe to the studio formula: release in select cities (that don’t just include major markets), play one night only engagements, get creative with Q&A’s and additional materials…embrace that big screen energy.

• Creative:

  • Your creative choices - from cinematography to FX to production and sound design - were most likely designed for a large screen format.

• Experiential:

  • Audiences will experience your film differently - on a big screen, and with other people - it just hits differently (but you all know this.)

• Audience:

  • Theatrical screenings (just like film festivals, and especially at art houses) allow you to connect directly with, and build, your fan base - as well as meet cinema programmers. Also, respondents from AHC’s2025 National Audience Survey say the top reason they love going to their art house is “more films outside the mainstream.”

• Marketing:

  • A theatrical window creates exclusivity, always an attractive marketing tactic (clearly attractive to audiences) and keeps it in the zeitgest longer(word of mouth remains the strongest form of movie marketing there is.)

• Cultural:

  • A theatrical release still signifies a sense of legitimacy for your film for both audiences, critics and the industry (see zeitgeist.)

• Financial:

  • A theatrical window also supports downstream revenue via subsequent channels of distribution including video on demand, physical media and other ancillary rights.

Are you convinced yet? Theatrical windows benefit your film, your career and entire independent cinema ecosystem at large.

Share

Share

Booking Your Film in an Art House: Best Practices, Part 1

Now here are some of AHC’s best practices should you be contacted by, or decide, to book your film in theaters.

While these are best practices for working with independent exhibitors, you should be aware ahead of time that there is no guarantee your film will be a good fit for any particular theater or that they will be able to screen it in the time frame you are interested in and/or asking for.

In general, be open to flexible scheduling and negotiations around fees. Every independent exhibitor has different budgetary constraints, and in general, they are not out to lowball you. Their only goal is getting your film in front of their audience with terms that are fair to both the filmmaker and the exhibitor.

Most exhibitors who reach out will be interested in one or two screenings.

Typically, a film without distribution doesn’t come with the same level of marketing and awareness. By screening the film once or twice, the theater is able to leverage the “event” nature of the single screening to drive higher attendance and awareness. It also reduces risk for the theater and helps them remain in good standing with the film distributors to whom they owe consistent screenings of new releases.

If you are spearheading the outreach to theaters, be strategic in your own timing. Booking lead time varies across theaters - for both multiplexes and independent cinemas. Many independent theaters book 3 months out, and have quarterly and monthly print marketing deadlines to meet. Many of the larger chains will book your film at the last minute - this is not always helpful as there is very limited, if any, marketing lead time for your team. Fall is a notoriously crowded time for theaters with lots of awards-bait releases; and in awards-qualifying cities, many showtimes are taken up by four-walled screenings. Slower seasons tend to be August - mid-October and late March into early April.

Typical Screening Terms:

• One-Off Screening: A single screening of a film title, with or without a Q&A and/or additional wrap-around components. A typical fee: $250 - $500 or box office split (some theaters will do a more favorable split if there is a filmmaker Q&A or other additional wrap-around components added to the screening).

• Week-Long Run: A full run of a film title with 2-3 screenings a day for 7 days, with or without a Q&A. A typical fee: box office split ranging from 30/70 to 50/50 in the theater’s favor

• Split Runs and Shows: When the theater programs at least one showing of the film per day over the course of the programming week (“splitting” screening times with another film or films). Shows are sporadic screenings of the film over the course of a programming week. These options give the programmer the most flexibility for maximizing the audience for the film title. A typical fee: box office split ranging from 30/70 to 50/50 in the theater’s favor

• Four Wall: A filmmaker or distributor rents out a movie theater for a set period, pays all the advertising and operating costs, and keeps all the ticket revenue, instead of the usual arrangement where ticket sales are split with the theater (this is most often utilized for awards-qualifying runs).

Film File: The theater will expect a DCP with 5.1 or 7.1 sound (stereo is ok, it’s just not as powerful in the theater) that follows industry standard naming conventions. Some theaters may have the capability to play ProRes files. You should also be prepared to have caption files available, whether they are closed captions or open captions. If you have Audio Description available, make sure to highlight that in your communication with the theater.

Marketing Toolkit: Deliver this at the time of booking so that they have all materials on hand and it should include:

• A poster (ideally one you can ship or a high resolution file that can be printed locally at your expense)

• Social graphics sized for Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter/X with pre-written copy and hashtags

• Key stills for the theater’s newsletter (recommend 4 stills to choose from)

• A logline, key film details (runtime, format, cast/crew), festival awards and play, links to any reviews (including Letterboxd) with favorable pull quotes (ideally, include all of this in a Google doc or PDF where it is easy to copy/paste without incurring formatting issues)

• A trailer 2 minutes or less.

• Consider including additional social media assets (behind-the-scenes film stills, video clips from the creative team, etc.). The theater’s marketing team is often small and responsible for every marketing channel plus PR – the more you can provide in the way of assets and copy, the more the marketing teams will be able to leverage that as they advertise the film locally. Also understand that they have packed social media calendars, so not every asset may be utilized. When in doubt, invite them as a collaborator on a post; if they are able to accept, they will.

• Be as timely as you can in your communications with the theaters. They are often working on tight deadlines as they slot in films among their first-run schedules.

• Make sure your contact information is listed publicly - either on your film’s website, director or production company’s website, social media, etc. If they can’t find you, they can’t book you! The inability to make contact with the filmmaker is the number one reason exhibitors cannot book directly.

• Many theaters employ an external consultant called a film booker who arranges the deal with you and decides on scheduling. Film bookers will book multiple theaters, so if you connect with one, make sure to ask if their other theaters would be interested in booking your film too.

It’s important to keep in mind that many independent exhibitors run much like an indie film does - on a shoestring budget and without a lot of staff. Sometimes the only marketing they can do on your behalf is a newsletter or social media story (with many films/day to promote), so a successful screening often relies on the film team’s hard push on marketing and PR.

Communications:

• Be as timely as you can in your communications with the theaters. They are often working on tight deadlines as they slot in films among their first-run schedules.

• Make sure your contact information is listed publicly - either on your film’s website, director or production company’s website, social media, etc. If they can’t find you, they can’t book you! The inability to make contact with the filmmaker is the number one reason exhibitors cannot book directly.

• Many theaters employ an external consultant called a film booker who arranges the deal with you and decides on scheduling. Film bookers will book multiple theaters, so if you connect with one, make sure to ask if their other theaters would be interested in booking your film too.
  

  Share

Stay tuned for Part 2 of Best Practices including Filmmaker Involvement, Community Outreach, Box Office, Payment, plus our recap from CinemaCon 2026!

Art House Convergence (AHC) is a 501(c)3 arts service organization that connects, amplifies and advocates for mission-driven, community-focused independent cinemas and exhibitors within the film industry, and arts and cultural sector. We provide professional development, and capacity and network building for the independent exhibition workforce; and advocate for independent cinemas in the greater, and ever-changing, exhibition and film landscape.

Subscribe now

Share

ICYMI, this week, we announced that the one and only filmmaker/activist/screenwriter/ producer/poet/rapper/speaker Boots Riley will be our Art House Theater Day Ambassador. AHTD is a day to celebrate all the things that art house theaters - and independent film - contribute to our cultural landscape: ambitious and innovative art that provokes, challenges, entertains, and inspires.

His quote above perfectly centers AHC’s values: community, collaboration, connection and curation, and why we believe art houses are so essential to the sustainability of the entire indie film ecosystem. (And Pro Tip to filmmakers, from our SXSW panel ‘Activate Your Art House’: 90% of the cinemas in our network are non-profit organizations. Running a non-profit theater, especially in the age of streaming, is a lot like, well, making an indie film. So for maximum results, it must be approached as a true partnership, especially in regards to marketing and audience building. And for more on the accurate state of non-profit cinema, check out ’s latest post.)

Subscribe now

Speaking of SX, Boots’ new movie I LOVE BOOSTERS premiered to 100% Fresh reviews (and his feature debut SORRY TO BOTHER YOU (2018) will be included on this year’s Art House Theater Day slate.) He’s also taking ILB on a college tour to connect with students - an ingenious way to build buzz (word of mouth still remains the most important metric for driving people to watch films) and connect directly with audiences ahead of its May 22nd theatrical release. This is the kind of progressive strategy that also really moves the needle forward for the entire ecosystem. An ecosystem, which we all know is in jeopardy.

Over the last couple of months, we’ve been preparing statements and talking points for folks on The Hill and states' attorneys general, who don’t understand anything about the independent film sector and how media consolidation affects the non-profit exhibition -- starting with:

• what is an art house?

• what is a theatrical window and why do they matter?

• what is repertory cinema and why is having access to a studio’s catalog so vital

• what does history show us (the Disney/Fox merger) about why this is a bad idea

(Again, see Boots’ quote above…and don’t forget to blockthemerger.com. And if you’re interested in the answers to these questions, check out How Media Consolidation Affects Independent Cinemas.

Share

Share

But all of this uncertainty is why programs like Art House Theater Day, which celebrate all the incredible elements of our ecosystem, are so important right now. It’s a day to give props to the storytellers (new and old), the distributors (large and small), the exhibitors (of all kinds), and the audiences (around the globe), who make our world go round, no matter how much of a grind it feels like every day. It’s a time to celebrate our ethos of collaboration over competition, culture-building over capitalism. And the work that we’re all doing in our own little corners of the globe to the tell and share these films. It’s work that matters, especially in this moment. “It’s a cinema party!”

So save the date - Thursday, July 30th - and stay tuned for: a list of all participating theaters (AHTD is open to any exhibitor who wants to participate) and the full slate of films, which is being curated by our fabulous AHTD fellows (a program for budding curators) Bradley Smith and Alissa Simone, and mentors Rebecca Fons (Barbican Centre) and Stephanye Watts (Be Reel Black Cinema Club) who you can read about here.

And in the spirit of coming together, we’re thrilled to share Art House New York’s upcoming Cinema Week, March 20-26, at over 30 indie cinemas across NYC and offering 5,000 free movie tickets! Check out the website for a list of unique programming, special offers and more.

Now, enjoy 2025’s AHTD Ambassadors Sean Baker & Samantha Quan tell us why they love art houses, too.

Share

Things We’re Reading:
A lot of folks seem to be writing about who’s saving movie theaters…here’s what you can do: buy a ticket!

Can Gen Z Save Movie Theaters? (The Hollywood Reporter)

Opinion: I Love the Movies. Here’s How To Save Them (Tom Rothman, NYT)

Art House Convergence (AHC) is a 501(c)3 arts service organization that connects, amplifies and advocates for mission-driven, community-focused independent cinemas and exhibitors within the film industry, and arts and cultural sector. We provide professional development, and capacity and network building for the independent exhibition workforce; and advocate for independent cinemas in the greater, and ever-changing, exhibition and film landscape.

Subscribe now

Spring break is upon us, and what does this call for? A road trip of course! We’re talking about an Art House Cinema-inspired adventure. And a great place to start is with both AHC’s Art House America Map, and our Visiting Members Map (where you can get reciprocal member benefits at 93 cinemas in 33 states across the country.)

**Before we dive in, we want to provide a quick update to our community on our advocacy efforts around the WBD merger. Further media consolidation is detrimental, no matter who the suitor. We’re in frequent dialogue with organizations including , Cinema United, International Documentary Association, American Economic Liberties Project, International Confederation of Arthouse Cinemas and the Network of Independent Canadian Exhibitors to specifically address concerns for independent cinemas. Here’s what you can do: visit Blockthemerger.com, where we are collecting short, first-hand accounts from across the industry to document how media consolidation is affecting the entire independent film ecosystem. Use your voice and share your story! **

Subscribe now

The Art House Road Trip

And here’s what else you can do: support an indie theater - or several. Is there any better way to see America than by visiting its cinemas? Plus, it’s a great idea (a ‘research expedition’) for anyone who’s invested in today’s indie film ecosystem (filmmakers, distributors, curators, etc…) Through the lens of art houses, you’ll discover:

• Curation: unique to each venue. (Actual human) programming is a main delineation between art houses and chain theaters, and programmers are booking films with their audiences in mind.

• Audiences: who’s showing up for indie films? Take a minute to look around you - art house patrons are loyal moviegoers who find real value in their local movie theaters. These are your people.

• Local Flavor: Art houses are more than movie theaters. From architecture to concessions, they represent the historical and modern flair of their communities.

Not to mention, you’ll wind up with an incredibly instagrammable camera roll of marquee shots, gorgeous interiors and exteriors and lots and lots of popcorn. If you’re lucky, you’ll meet the programmers and cinema workers who bring indie films to communities across the country, and take in other industry-critical details, like how marketing lands differently by city, and what local Letterboxd users are saying.

Subscribe now

Share

Let our Visiting Members Map be your ultimate guide. And save some money, while supporting independent exhibition, by becoming a member at one of these cinemas and reaping the rewards on your cross-country travels throughout the year.

Our Visiting Members Program is designed to highlight art houses as destinations and to foster collaboration within the cinema ecosystem. “AHC’s Visiting Members Program is a valued Amherst Cinema membership perk,” said Yasmin Chin Eisenhauer, Executive Director of the Amherst Cinema. “Located in the heart of a vibrant college community, we have 5,500+ members who come from 22 states (last count). The Visiting Members Program allows our members to stay connected to independent film—whether they’re on the road or back in their hometowns.”

For your planning pleasure, we asked some of our own AHC staff & board members to recommend their dream road trip routes:

• The California Coast Line: (AHC Board President): “I would visit places I’ve never been: starting in the Bay Area with The Roxie, making stops at The Lark Theater in Larkspur, drive down the coast to Palm Theatre in SLO, and hit The Frida Cinema in Santa Ana, and Digital Gym Cinema in San Diego. A fun way for me to go back to my old California stomping grounds, too!”

  

• Midwest Movie Houses: Kate Markham (AHC Managing Director): “I’d start in Milwaukee Film — Downer & Oriental Theatres, hit up Facets Film Forum, Davis Theater, Music Box Theatre and Gene Siskel Film Center in Chicago, head out to Indy and visit the Kan-Kan Cinema, and wind down in Cincinnati at the Kenwood Theatre & Esquire Theatre. The Midwest is with rich with art house culture.”

  

• PNW Day Dream: Colton Campbell (AHC Program Manager): “My personal dream would be to start at Pickford Film Center in Bellingham, WA and drive South, hitting up the SIFF — Film Center, Downtown, and Uptown and Roxy Theatre in Seattle, drive east to the North Bend Theatre and then down to The Grand Cinema in Tacoma, the Olympia Film Society — Capitol Theater and wind up at the Kiggins Theatre and Hollywood Theatre in the Portland/Vancouver area. This is the most beautiful part of the country and is dotted with cinematic gems.”

  

• The Big Ten Tour: (AHC Board Member, Artistic Director, Montclair Film — The Clairidge & The Bellevue): “As a born and raised Midwesterner, I would choose a Big Ten-ish Tour, starting at Film Streams in Omaha, pop up to FilmScene in Iowa City, a quick stop in Chicago at Facets Film Forum (Northwestern-ish), and head to Ann Arbor to the Michigan Theater (I got married there! Go Blue). From there I’d drive to the Fort Wayne Cinema Center in Indiana, head up to Little Art Theatre (the school that will not be named), go east to Ambler Theater (Penn State) and finish up at the Princeton Garden Theatre (Rutgers) in New Jersey. And just to be clear, Go Blue!”

  

• Carolina Weekender: Lani Simeona (AHC Board Member, Operations & Programming, The Cary Theater): “I’ll just keep it in the Carolinas and hit up the venues I haven’t been to yet, including The Independent Picture House in Charlotte and The Nickelodeon Theater in Columbia, SC. Plus, there’s the Chelsea Theater in Chapel Hill.”

  

• Mass @ the Movies: (AHC Interim Executive Director): “I grew up on MA but moved away right after high school. There’s a (wicked, IFKYK) wealth of indie cinemas across the state so I’d start in
  the northwest corner of the state at Images Cinema, head east to Amherst Cinema, then north of Boston to Cinema Salem, down to The Brattle Theatre, Coolidge Corner Theatre and then out to the Cape Cinema and ferry out to Martha’s Vineyard Film Society. A perfect summertime adventure - I can taste the lobstah roll already.”

What’s your ideal art house road trip ? Let us know!

Leave a comment

Things We’re Reading:

The New York Times has a hilarious story about the film titles Film at Lincoln Center patrons get wrong, including AMALA, we mean ANORA, from our friend Sean Baker.

Congratulations to AHC member Milwaukee Film on the purchase of the Downer Theater!

And if you’re at SXSW next week, in addition to checking out AHC member Austin Film Society, find us at the Activate Your Art House panel!

Share

Art House Convergence (AHC) is a 501(c)3 arts service organization that connects, amplifies and advocates for mission-driven, community-focused independent cinemas and exhibitors within the film industry, and arts and cultural sector. We provide professional development, and capacity and network building for the independent exhibition workforce; and advocate for independent cinemas in the greater, and ever-changing, exhibition and film landscape.

Subscribe now

Who is AHC?

With all the chatter around exhibition, distribution, microcinemas and cultivating audiences, here on #filmstack, we figured it was high time we enter the chat and tell you who we are, what we’re up to and why we believe independent exhibition has never been more important.

We are a 501(c)3 that connects, amplifies and advocates for mission-driven, community-focused independent cinemas and exhibitors within the film industry, and arts and cultural sector. Year round, we provide the support to independent cinemas and their workers through initiatives including:

• Professional development through monthly webinars, an annual conference and capacity building opportunities

• Networking through virtual affinity group meetings, an online discussion forum and regional gatherings

• Annual programs including the National Audience Survey, Cinema Operations Survey, Art House Theater Day and reciprocal Visiting Members Program

We advocate for independent cinemas in the ever-changing, exhibition and film landscape by:

• Building solidarity across the entire independent film ecosystem: exhibition, distribution, production, archival services, cultural advocacy, research and teaching, curation, and more

• Establishing partnerships with like-minded global organizations like the Confederation of International Art House Cinemas (CICAE), Network of Independent Canadian Exhibitors, Cinema United and Film Festival Alliance

• Elevating the visibility of independent exhibitors within the industry, and to audiences, as indispensable spaces of community, cultural, and artistic growth

Click here to for our values, and backstory which dates back to 2006 when we were founded in partnership with the Sundance Institute’s Art House Project.

Subscribe now

What to Expect from our Substack

You’ll hear directly from us - members of our wider community - as we dive into projects like the Visiting Members Program, Art House Theater Day, our annual conference and more with topics like:

• how independent exhibitors operate differently from a commercial multiplexes

• challenges across exhibition right now and how we’re working to solve them

• success stories from our members

• distribution v. exhibition: what they’re NOT teaching you about exhibition in film school

• best practices for filmmakers who want to book directly with art houses
  

  Subscribe now

Why You Should Support Your Local Indie Cinema

But let’s first dive into the basics. Independent cinemas have been around for a long time - well before multiplexes - and despite what the trades might be telling you, movie-going audiences are thriving because of them. Here are some of the top reasons why you should support yours:

• They are the stewards of ‘cinema-going culture’ - film screenings include intros, Q&A’s, panels, educational opportunities, and presentation formats include 35mm and 70mm film.

• They are curated by real human beings - who work with distributors of all sizes and directly with filmmakers. Where else will you find theatrical screenings of documentaries, foreign or festival standouts?

• They lead with a customer-first approach - no 30 minute pre-shows, elevated and often local concessions, and membership perks you care about.

• They are working hard at cultivating audiences - through special screenings, film festivals, repertory films. And they know who is coming to their cinemas.

• They are (mostly) non-profit organizations that are cornerstones of their communities - and their cultural and economic impact is real (see AHC’s National Audience Survey.)

Share

How can you support indie cinema RIGHT NOW?

• Living in an attention economy means nurturing a cinema going audience is harder than ever. Go see a movie at your local art house, or even better become a member! (Check out our Visiting Members Program map and see where you can get reciprocal benefits across the country.)

• Access is being stolen away from us by the minute because media conglomeration is REAL and it’s unfolding right before our eyes (We’re grateful to be working with our friends at the . Share your story at Block The Merger initiative.)

• Independent cinemas can’t sustain their bottom lines with ticket sales alone - concessions are where their bread and butter. Get the (gourmet) popcorn! Get the (fancy) soda! Get the (local) chocolate!

  Leave a comment

Who are our members?

Our membership program is open to everyone who is a part of the art house cinema ecosystem, including but not limited to programmers, filmmakers, cinema service providers and vendors, educators, technical staff, projectionists, theater managers, ushers, fundraisers, publicists and marketing professionals, journalists and trade publications, galleries, libraries, archives, museums, distributors, film funders, virtual platform providers.

Click the map to find an art house cinema near you, or if you’re a part of the community, click here to learn more about membership opportunities.

Subscribe now

Find Us IRL

In case you missed us at Sundance (thank you to our lovely friends at / Litebeem for hosting our gathering) and Slamdance’s Market Monday - thanks to for inviting us.

Now you can grab your very own AHC x Pink Among Men “Theatrical Windows Rule” merch. (A portion of the proceeds generously benefits our organization, and more on this campaign coming to this space.)

And find find us at SXSW:

Art House Convergence (AHC) is a 501(c)3 arts service organization that connects, amplifies and advocates for mission-driven, community-focused independent cinemas and exhibitors within the film industry, and arts and cultural sector. We provide professional development, and capacity and network building for the independent exhibition workforce; and advocate for independent cinemas in the greater, and ever-changing, exhibition and film landscape.

Share

-