Voices from Mini-Theaters

Due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of customers had been decreasing since late February. However, we continued operations while implementing seat restrictions and hygiene measures, driven by the presence of our regular customers and our desire to continue delivering the precious works entrusted to us by film directors, performers, staff, and distribution companies. However, following the declaration of a state of emergency on April 7, we made the difficult decision to close from April 8.

In addition to the decrease in customers, the closure put the theater's management in a dire situation. To allow people to support us even during the closure, we sold a 3,000 yen support package on our online shop that included "your name displayed on the screen, a screening ticket, and a special postcard." During the sales period of just about two weeks, more than 2,000 people purchased it.

Furthermore, through the "Connect to the Future!! Support Mini-Theaters Nationwide that Have Nurtured Diverse Film Culture" crowdfunding campaign launched by film directors and industry professionals via the Mini-Theater Aid Fund, we received over 300 million yen in support from approximately 30,000 supporters. This is set to be distributed to more than 100 theaters across the country.

Similarly, the #Save The Cinema "Save the Mini-Theaters!" Project, also initiated by many film industry professionals, continues its movement to demand emergency support from the government for small-scale cinemas (mini-theaters) nationwide that have been hit hard by COVID-19. To date, over 90,000 people have signed the petition.

All of our staff are deeply grateful for these movements of support and encouragement. We feel truly heartened that so many people understand and support the cultural and artistic activities of mini-theaters and local cinemas.

Subsequently, following the lifting of the state of emergency and Kanagawa Prefecture's business closure request, we were able to resume operations on June 1. Together with the staff, we are approaching the reopening with thorough infection prevention and hygiene measures. The fact that we were able to make such preparations and deployments is thanks to the aforementioned support, and I truly feel that it has allowed us to keep the work of the cinema going.

Another initiative we worked on during the closure was theater-support-type online screenings. This is a system where, with the cooperation of film distribution companies, a portion of the revenue from customers watching films via online screenings on the internet is allocated to the theater.

While almost all movie theaters across the country were closed, many people watched films using these theater-support-type online screenings. This is a very grateful initiative in terms of being able to earn income through films.

On the other hand, for a movie theater, the spread of online film viewing is also a threat. Several of our customers have said they started watching movies online due to the recent stay-at-home requests. While it seemed that younger people used these services more in the past, it appears that many older people are now using them as well, finding online viewing more convenient as it doesn't require transportation costs.

Until now, regional mini-theaters often received films for screening several months after their release in Tokyo. However, since films can be watched earlier online, there is a possibility that film lovers in regional areas might stop coming to mini-theaters, preferring online screenings.

Although we have been able to resume operations, customers have not returned immediately. With the spread of online screenings as mentioned above, I believe mini-theaters must make efforts to survive in the future.

Viewing on a large screen with high-quality sound can now be achieved even with home theaters. We must widely communicate the significance of watching movies in a cinema. Experiencing a film in the darkness of a theater, in a focused environment together with an unspecified number of people. Encountering works and people at a mini-theater, which acts as a "select shop" for films. Or, making the effort to visit the theater and including the city scenery and shops before and after the movie as part of the film experience—I believe that conveying the wonders of watching films in a theater in various ways will become an important job for mini-theaters.

In the film industry, it is not just the theaters that are facing difficulties, but also film distribution companies and creators such as directors and performers. Films with high authorship and artistic quality that are not large in scale, which have been screened at mini-theaters nationwide, may no longer be distributed or produced if mini-theaters across the country close down, as the budgets would not be viable. If that happens, I believe the diversity of Japanese film culture will be significantly undermined.

Therefore, I want to overcome this COVID crisis by standing in solidarity with mini-theaters across the country. So that after it subsides, more people will take an interest in mini-theaters and visit them nationwide. Precisely because we have now realized that so many people are supporting mini-theaters, I believe we should further promote the wonders of mini-theaters.