An independent movie theater (American English) or indie cinema (British English) is a movie theater which screens independent, art house, foreign, or other non-mainstream films.[1] It can be contrasted with a mainstream theater (often a multiplex), which is more likely to screen blockbusters and other popular films.
Indie theaters are often characterized by their smaller size and stronger ties to their local communities.[2] Many are also located in historic or nontraditional venues.
Unlike mainstream theaters, which almost exclusively draw patrons looking to see a particular film and make no tacit endorsement of the films they screen, indie theaters often work to cultivate a reputation for good taste by curating a selection of high-quality films, thus drawing patrons who might know little about a film before going to see it.[3]
In the silent cinema era, most movie theaters were independent.[4] In the 1930s, as talkies requiring more sophisticated equipment arose, many smaller cinemas were unable to compete with larger chains.[4] The 1948 United States v. Paramount Pictures, Inc. Supreme Court case, which blocked movie studios from also owning cinemas, led to a resurgence of indie cinemas starting in the 1950s.[4] In the 1980s, loosened vertical integration restrictions helped reverse this trend.[4] Like all movie theaters, indie theaters have been financially threatened in the 21st century by the rise of streaming platforms like Netflix.[2] Some have converted to become nonprofits.[2]
In the United States, the largest indie movie theaters chain is Landmark Theatres. There are some smaller regional chains such as Laemmle Theatres in Los Angeles, as well as many stand-alone venues throughout the country in places like New York City.[2]
In South Africa, limited independent cinemas exist beside the blockbuster chains Ster-Kinekor and Nu Metro Cinemas, including The Bioscope in Johannesburg, The Labia in Cape Town, Kings Cinema in Alexandra township, and the non-traditional non-profit organization Sunshine Cinema.[5]
at the movie theater, we're all about curation through a person, and that's always been part of the indie cinema experience.