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Sudbury Indie Cinema Co-op launches Indiegogo campaign

Group hopes to raise $15K so it can renovate, move into its own space
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Sudbury Indie Cinema Co-op has launched a crowd-sourcing campaign to help close the gap on what remains to open the doors this fall opening a rep house cinema downtown at 162 MacKenzie St. 

The group hopes to raise $15,000 through the Indiegogo campaign between now and mid-September.

The plan has been in the works for five years, and brought in all three levels of government to help establish the single screen, not-for-profit which has aggressively and regularly programmed independent films from a variety of downtown screening locations with a focus on monthly series and festivals.

Beth Mairs, one of the founding members of the co-op and its managing director, said that independent not-for-profit cinemas have a key role in supporting the Canadian film industry by connecting the work our filmmakers create to audiences that will appreciate and support it. 

"Part of the problem we see in Canada is due to the monopoly on large screens which pander to Hollywood blockbusters,” she said, in a press release.

“As not-for-profit cinemas driven by principles and not by profit, Sudbury Indie Cinema is part of a grassroots solution in centres across the nation to deliberately programme Canadian, local, and the best of world cinema. 

“In addition to this, at Indie Cinema, we reach beyond the biases within the film industry itself to proactively bring films reflecting voices outside the mainstream. This is the basis of some of our current programming like WomenInFilmWednesdays showcasing woman-directed films, Queer North Film Festival, and in the near future Cinema Samedi, and First Persons' Thursdays. 

“There's clearly an audience for more challenging films in SUdbury and we are delighted that finally we'll have the stability of a home to make high quality programming available to the public year-round.”

The project itself has drummed up admiration and support not just from film-lovers plus arts and culture boosters but due to the location Indie Cinema has selected, the press release said.

The adaptive re-use of a former school in the greater downtown is cause for celebration. While the former St. Louis de Gonzagues School has historic significance and has recently become a popular shooting location for TV and film, its also been a bit of an eyesore at times laying to ruin across from Sudbury Secondary. 

The current owner of the building, Autumnwood Mature Lifestyles, remains very receptive to the entire school being re-purposed for an arts and culture hub, open to the public.

The crowdsourcing campaign has perks for backers lending their support from $25 up to $1,000. 

Through this campaign, you can also purchase a charter membership in the co-op for $40.


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