The final day of the Audience Development and Innovation Lab in Sofia began with a special tour of Cinema House (Dom na Kinoto), that has recently undergone significant auditorium updates including new lighting, sound panelling, and laser projection that can be operated from a smartphone – as well as a new art and photography exhibition space. Back at Cultural Center G8, participants discussed ideas and initiatives around event-driven cinema branding, environmental sustainability and inclusivity.
Session 6 – Event-Driven Cinema Branding
Züleyha Azman from KINO Rotterdam in the Netherlands spoke about brand building through regular special events like “Boogie Nights”, which takes Paul Thomas Anderson’s famous film of the same name as its inspiration. Turning their cinema auditorium into an epic annual dance party during IFFR (International Film Festival Rotterdam), KINO have reached new and younger audiences as well as having created a social media storm around the event that, now in its eighth edition, is guaranteed to sell-out. Ola Starmach from Kino Pod Baranami then explained how their cinema keeps stock of film posters throughout the year to later host a special event in the summer: the film posters are free for attendees but admission requires the purchase of a cinema ticket.
Session 7 – Turning Environment into Advantage: Challenges and Opportunities
Tom de Bont (Cinema Consultant, Netherlands) spoke about the Heerenstraat Theater, a former university building, and an historic venue that represents freedom and liberation within the town. By keeping many of the original structures such as the stage and incorporating other elements from the historic building into their design, they were able to bring the past and the present together in a harmonious, and sustainable, way. Their aims were to honour the historic building, which played a role in peace building during the Second World War, whilst adding value to and being a part of their community. Some of the building materials used were repurposed – such as wood for the seating – and, where possible, more ethical materials – such as for the seating foam – were used.
In Slovenia, national laws will soon change to mean that venues must comply with a new standard of accessibility requirements. Though this is positive overall, it does place some cinemas in a precarious situation as they cannot all necessarily apply for funding to assist with the changes. For Samo Senicar from Kino Union in Celje, building heritage laws also mean that the building frontage cannot display dynamic, clear signage, either. Adapting historic venues for contemporary cinema activity is not without its challenges and Kino Union persists despite the odds.
For Zuzana Stanková from Univerzitní kino Scala, Brno, in the Czech Republic, there were serious challenges internally whereby structural issues meant relocating the auditorium – first to the cafe and then to the foyer. After making such changes, there remained a further challenge in communication: ensuring that the audience felt safe to return during a time when structural damages were yet to be resolved. Press coverage, as well as the cinema’s own clear and honest external comms, were crucial in ensuring audiences understood the status of the works and the alternative screening plans that the cinema had to enact.
Workshop 3 – Sustainability in Your Venues and During Your Events
Since the publication of the Europa Cinemas Green & Sustainability Strategy Charter in 2022, environmental sustainability has been a priority for the Network and its member cinemas. However, with varying degrees of local legislation and available resources, many cinemas still have a long way to go. Discussions at the Lab revealed that roughly 50% of the exhibitors present still use printed ticketing in their venues, and very few have totally eradicated single-use plastic (with Sweden and Denmark paving the way, having replaced plastic with reusable glass). For Cinemes Girona in Barcelona, printed tickets are reserved only for live opera screenings, as this programme is specifically aimed at senior citizens, the segment of their audience that still want and use print materials. In Lithuania, Kaunas Cinema Center “Romuva” are digital only, having ceased all use of print materials including film posters.
Modes of transportation that staff and audiences use to get to the cinema also arose, with many participants explaining that public transport is encouraged through a lack of available or free car parking. Beyond this, however, only a handful of cinemas had explored ways of actively encouraging use of public transport, bikes or pedestrianism. In Budapest, at Tabán mozi, an arrangement with the relevant local authorities means that audiences receive 20% off their cinema ticket admission fee if they use public transport to travel to/from the venue. Tabán mozi then have the 20% discount fee reimbursed by the council, making it financially viable as well as environmentally sustainable. And in Croatia, the city supports public transport across the whole city as it is free to use.
Session 8 – Broadening the Cinema Experience for Better Inclusivity
After lunch, the focus shifted from environmental concerns to inclusivity. Marlies Stevens from Kunstencentrum BUDA in Belgium presented their “sensory friendly screenings”, which are predominantly for autistic children but remain open and accessible to all audiences. Andrea Čurošová Gavalocá from Kino Usmev in Slovakia presented their inclusive programming IncluCine, and Goda Grigaliunaite from Cinema Centre Romuva Kaunas in Lithuania presented on their Film Therapy for Mental Health collaborative programme and project – which was supported through Collaborate to Innovate.
Gregor Janežič from Kulturni dom Cernika in Slovenia presented their accessible screenings which focus on subtitling, audio description, and Slovenian Sign Language translation. This programming has not been without its challenges, from budgetary and technical limitations to venue restrictions. Furthermore, they’ve had to focus on finding innovative ways to create audience awareness around their developing offer. Still, developing their accessible screenings has successfully led to attracting new and more diverse audiences.
Lab Debrief & Return Strategy
To summarise the day – and the week’s topics more widely – participants once again divided up into smaller groups to discuss ideas ranging from limitations and pressure on staff energy and resources, communications challenges, and initiatives that focus on building loyalty, connection, and community – even if they don’t always prove financially viable in the long-term. Finally, participants wrote a letter to their future selves – offering a sort of soft incubator for the ideas, wishes, or hopes we should all make time for – now and in the future.