Cinema La Placita

Ok, I know a number of people are asking when Cinema La Placita will start showing the free movies downtown, and which movies are the showing. I get asked because I attend regularly, but I'm not affiliated with Cinema La Placita in any other way.

Well, I don't know the answer to the second question. But to the first, Cinema La Placita should start up the first Thursday in May.

Now while the movies are technically free, they're not really free, or at least shouldn't be for most people attending. It does cost money to put on the shows, and the amount isn't insignificant, either. Now I know you say to yourself, "I can run down to the video store and rent this movie for $3, how can it cost much more to show it outdoors?" Well, for one thing, when you rent a movie from the video store, it's for home use. Not for public viewing. When you show a movie publicly, you must pay licensing fees.

So between the licensing fees, the popcorn, the security staff, and everything else showing one movie costs around $600. Yes, $600. Over a season that's around $15000. So you see it's not free. But where does that money come from? Not from the city. Not from a grant. Not from a wealthy benefactor. It comes from you and me -- the patrons. All of the costs of putting on Cinema La Placita come from donations. Every dime.

And the audience could definitely stand to kick in a bit more; last year they contributed around $4000. Just a bit over 25% of the cost. You can see that's not sustainable. So this season, dig deeper. I know it's tough. But do it anyway and chip in your $5 (per person) when you go to the movie. Keep the series going. It's up to you.

Se you there!