The Sudbury Indie Cinema Co-op is an organization based in Sudbury, Ontario, which operates the city's first dedicated repertory and art film movie theatre.Clement Goh, "Sudbury's indie theatre, festival, seeing resurgence as moviegoers trade laptops for big screens". CBC News, July 4, 2023.
The organization's founder and executive director is Beth Mairs, a filmmaker and former adventure tourism entrepreneur."Sudbury's independent cinema director says people are 'hungry' for art". CBC Northern Ontario, September 16, 2020. She was also the New Democratic Party candidate for the Sudbury electoral district in the 2019 Canadian federal election."'Seasoned social activist' Beth Mairs gets the NDP nod for Sudbury". Sudbury.com, September 6, 2019.
History The organization was founded in 2013, as a project to take over and relaunch the movie theatres in the downtown Rainbow Centre Mall after the mall owners announced that they would be closed.Laura Stricker, "Indie theatre looking for home; Deal with Rainbow Mall doesn't materialize". Sudbury Star, May 24, 2014. Although the committee initially failed to reach a deal, they subsequently announced plans to launch their own theatre in the former gymnasium of the closed Saint-Louis-de-Gonzague elementary school on Mackenzie Street, concurrently with the school's planned redevelopment as a residential condominium.Carol Mulligan, "Old school will be home of indie cinema; St. Louis de Gonzague gym will house movie theatre". Sudbury Star, November 7, 2014.
As they worked to secure funding for the redevelopment of the Mackenzie Street venue, the committee began organizing screenings at various venues throughout the city, including Sudbury Secondary School, the Greater Sudbury Public Library, the Sudbury Theatre Centre and the Fraser Auditorium at Laurentian University.Laura Stradiotto, "Despite delays, indie cinema pushes ahead". Sudbury Star, September 21, 2015. After Imagine Cinemas acquired and reopened the Rainbow Centre theatre as the Downtown Movie Lounge in 2016, the co-op also screened some films there, but continued to work toward opening the Mackenzie Street facility rather than relying on the Downtown Movie Lounge as its permanent venue.Chris Knight, "Film tribute to unique Canadian artist; Maudie screens in Sudbury on Wednesday". Sudbury Star, May 6, 2017.
The Mackenzie Street facility opened in February 2019, with its first public event being that year's edition of the Junction North International Documentary Film Festival,Mary Katherine Keown, "New theatre to open Thurs". Sudbury Star, February 26, 2019. although the facility still only had temporary bleacher seating at the time as its permanent seats had not yet been installed."Indie Cinema hosts fundraiser". Sudbury Star, June 17, 2019. Once the installation of the permanent seating had been completed, an official opening ceremony followed in June with a ribbon-cutting ceremony presided over by Sudbury mayor Brian Bigger.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the organization closed its theatre to public screenings, but partnered with the virtual cinema initiatives of Film Movement and Kino Lorber to continue operations."Virtual (and welcomed) help for Sudbury's indie cinema". Sudbury Star, March 28, 2020. The theatre reopened in August 2020, with social distancing, capacity restrictions and masking policies in place."Indie Cinema in operation". Sudbury Star, August 22, 2020. Around the same time, they also reached out to begin offering their theatre as a venue for fundraisers and special events for other arts and cultural organizations in the city."Sudbury Indie Cinema reaches out; It plans to offer its space to as many as 10 other arts and culture organizations". Sudbury Star, September 30, 2020. The theatre then underwent another brief COVID-related shutdown over the winter of 2021, before fully reopening in February;"Now that stay-at-home order lifted, Sudbury Indie Cinema opens". Sudbury Star, February 18, 2021. however, due to continued issues in the film distribution ecosystem, it operated only on a part-time schedule through the first half of 2021, until returning to full-time daily programming in August."Sudbury Indie Cinema returns with Minari, Pig; Theatre reopens Thursday, Aug. 5, after long COVID shutdown". Sudbury Star, July 31, 2021.
In October 2023, the co-op announced a sponsorship deal with the city's credit union, which will see the theatre renamed the Sudbury Credit Union Theatre."Indie Cinema now features the Sudbury Credit Union Theatre". Sudbury.com, October 23, 2023.
In April 2024, the co-op revealed that the Mackenzie Street facility had been sold to new owners who declined to renew the theatre's lease past February 2025.Heidi Ulrichsen, "‘Devastating’: Indie Cinema has to find a new home". Sudbury.com, May 9, 2024. In May, the board announced that they were reviewing opportunities to relocate to either the Thorneloe University building on the Laurentian University campus, or the Knox Hall performance venue on Larch Street.Kate Rutherford, "Sudbury Indie Cinema members consider two new locations after building sold". CBC Sudbury, May 15, 2024. At Knox Hall, the organization would be able to remain downtown, but would have to reduce programming to only part of the week to share the venue with musical performances, and would not be able to run a full-size projector; at Thornloe, the organization could continue its current scheduling and programming models, but would have to relocate outside the downtown core.Jenny Lamothe, "Indie Cinema meeting leaves founding director ‘optimistic’". Sudbury.com, May 14, 2024. In June, the co-op revealed that the new landlord had decided to extend the deadline for three more years, giving the organization more time to plan for and undertake its eventual relocation."Indie Cinema given temporary reprieve for 2025 relocation". Sudbury.com, June 13, 2024.
In April 2026, the co-op announced that it will relocate to 30 Ste. Anne Rd, a former nun's residence operated by the Diocese of Sault Sainte Marie, Ontario until its closure, in 2027.Mary Katherine Keown, "Indie Cinema moving to former nun building". Sudbury Star, April 10, 2026. The new location will again see the adaptive reuse of a gymnasium, although much of the organization's existing equipment and infrastructure can simply be moved from the existing Mackenzie facility just a short distance away.
Around the same time, Mairs announced her retirement from the leadership of the organization."Sudbury Indie Cinema to honour founder with retirement fundraiser". Sudbury.com, May 23, 2026.
Activities In addition to screening a regular program of Canadian and international independent films, the organization coordinates several annual specialty film festivals, including Junction North for documentary films,"Junction North International Documentary Film Festival set for Sudbury". CBC Sudbury, November 6, 2017. the Queer North Film Festival for LGBTQ films,"Queer North Film Festival announces lineup for second year". CBC Sudbury, June 1, 2017. the Sudbury Outdoor Adventure Reels Film Festival for films about wilderness adventure and travel,"Adventure film festival coming to Sudbury". Sudbury Star, December 21, 2020. Sudbury's Tiny Underground Film Festival (STUFF) for underground and experimental films,Megan LaPierre, "Sudbury's Tiny Underground Film Festival Announces 2023 Programming". Exclaim!, September 12, 2023. and the Sudbury Indie Creature Kon for horror films."Une 2e édition pour un festival de films d’horreur à Sudbury". CBON-FM, September 12, 2023.
It also stages special events, such as a three-day Studio Ghibli festival in 2023,Clement Goh, "'The fandom pulled through': Sudbury's Studio Ghibli fans to have first film festival". CBC News Sudbury, August 31, 2023. an annual National Canadian Film Day event,Laura Stradiotto, "Canuck cinema complex". Sudbury Star, April 19, 2016. a festival of dance films,"Dance Onscreen film festival continues this weekend at Sudbury Indie Cinema". Sudbury Star, November 19, 2022. and a recurring Saturday Morning All-You-Can-Eat Cereal Cartoon Party featuring a compilation of classic retro children's cartoon programming presented with a selection of popular children's breakfast cereal for refreshments.Dan Bertrand, "Retro cartoons, children’s cereal combine for a nostalgic good time". CTV Northern Ontario, April 11, 2023.
Regular screening series include Women in Film Wednesdays to highlight films directed by women,Molly Frommer, "Sudbury Indie Cinema hosts Women in Film series". CTV Northern Ontario, February 6, 2020. First Peoples Thursday to highlight indigenous film, and Samedi Cinema for French-language films.
In January 2023, the co-op celebrated its 10th anniversary by running a retrospective series of films that had originally been released in 2013, including The Hunt, Frances Ha, Stories We Tell and Drug War.Beth Mairs, "Column: Getting ready to celebrate the Indie’s 10th birthday". Sudbury.com, January 5, 2023.
In October 2024 the theatre mounted its first full shadow cast screening of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, in conjunction with local theatre group Mooncrater Theatre."Sudbury theatre company takes on The Rocky Horror Picture Show". CBC Sudbury, October 19, 2024.
At the time of the 2026 relocation announcement, the co-op revealed that its visitor statistics show that an overall average of nine per cent of cinemagoers visiting the facility are from out of town, rising to as much as 15 per cent during the specialty film festivals, and bringing an estimated CA$500,000 into the city's economy annually.
References
External links