qathet Film Society seeks public feedback with community survey

Since qathet Film Society bought the Patricia Theatre building in 2021, ongoing efforts have been made to revamp the space as a place people go to on a regular basis. Not just for film festivals but as a place to watch blockbuster and art house movies, see live events and form an in-person community.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and changes in public viewing habits, getting people out to the threatre is not always an easy task. That’s why in mid-July (tentatively), the theatre is launching a community survey to find out what the public wants out of the historic space.

“Now that the film society has a year or so under our belts, we are really starting to know the business, and meet the ever-changing community, post pandemic,” said theatre program manager Laura Wilson. “This is a nice time to take a fresh look and see where we are headed and how we can serve the whole community.” 

Wilson is hoping to receive community input from moviegoers, and those who haven’t yet visited the theatre. 

“What I really want to know is, who isn’t coming [to the theatre]?” said Wilson. “Why aren’t they coming out?”

When the survey goes live, folks will be able to scan a QR code to participate; paper copies will also be available.

Wilson is passionate about bringing programming for movie and film festival buffs, and for every demographic in the region. 

“We want it to be a real community hub,” said Wilson. “We do a lot outdoors in this town but to bring people together inside a venue would be great.” 

Recently the society has been trying things out, such as hosting book launches, music events and private parties, just to get people out.

Luckily, now Wilson can focus on programming and not worry about the theatre falling apart or closing. Due to ongoing work of qathet Film Society, the theatre is currently financially stable.

“The previous owner had to spend all her money on trying to keep the building from falling down,” said Wilson. “Now I don’t have to worry about that; I just need to make sure stuff happens.” 

Balancing act

Wilson is excited by the tasks ahead, but being licensed as a first-run movie theatre is a balancing act. 

“Basically the movie distributor (Disney, Sony, et cetera) owns your screen when you book their film,” said Wilson. “Sometimes if titles are old enough I can mix around or if I am getting two films from the same distributor then I have some leeway.”

Wilson stated that Cineplex owns close to 80 per cent of the market (theatre screens), so that company sets the rules.  

“It’s killing independent theatres,” added Wilson. “They [Cineplex] don’t want anyone cutting into their market.” 

But she acknowledges that qathet region residents are quite lucky, because of the variety of movies the Patricia is able to present to audiences, including new releases.

“We have to play by all the rules the big theatres play by, but we have no competition [in Powell River],” said Wilson. “Why can’t we play it [first-run film] on opening night, and only have it for a week?” 

The film company/distributor usually requires a theatre to screen a new movie for a minimum of a month. For big movie complexes with at least six screens this isn’t a big deal, but for smaller theatres such as the Patricia, with only one screen, the payoff is not there, for the community or the theatre. But thankfully there are loopholes Wilson can maneuver through.

She wants to emphasize that getting blockbuster movies to the theatre is not necessarily her priority for the space, but something that needs grappling with. She also wants to prioritize films that may not be seen in mainstream theatres.

For example, Polite Society by director Nidia Manzoor played last week, a fun film blending Bollywood and Kung Fu action together on screen. In March, Canadian director Sarah Polly’s festival favourite Women Talking was screened.

Community hub

“The Patricia is more than just a movie theatre,” said Wilson. “I can host a live music show while a big movie is showing. I want people to understand it’s a beautiful venue and community hub.”

In recent months the theatre was host to a wildly popular book launch by local author Jason Schreurs, which drew a large, diverse crowd. In 2021, author Grant Lawrence hosted a sold-out live event at the first public gathering at the theatre post-pandemic.

Wilson hopes to have organizations/groups such as Townsite Jazz Festival or qathet Symphony Orchestra rent out the space on a regular basis. She said people have also approached her for private rentals for birthday parties and business/company events.

Wilson is also wanting more youth feedback, and to start youth-run film showings. Another project in the works for the theatre is expanding the garden and outdoor space.  

“The Patricia has a beautiful garden that’s totally overgrown and has been neglected for years,” said Wilson. “We also want to expand and rethink the concession, and we have a beautiful outdoor patio that hasn’t been utilized yet.”

But she said the film society is starting from the beginning, meaning it is getting an electrician to map out the concession and patio space, and make sure everything is in working order, since the building is more than 100 years old. 

“Concessions, that’s where the big theatres make money, so we definitely want to look at that and see what we can do there,” said Wilson.

Fortunately, many years of work put in by the various reiterations of the film society to preserve and restore the Patricia Theatre as a cultural amenity is paying off, and the theatre is moving forward in a positive way.

“Imagine going into the garden or patio with a beverage after the movie and having a conversation about it,” said Wilson. “That would be ideal.”