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Dear Laemmle Fans,

Our thoughts are with the citizens of Lebanon today, as they contend with the crisis caused by Tuesday’s disaster. For those who are able to, here is a list of meaningful ways you can help.

In other news, it has now been 20 long weeks since the closure of local cinemas, and the launch of our online program. And while I wish more had changed since then, I’m grateful to see our local curve begin to flatten. As a reminder, we can all make a difference by wearing masks, washing our hands, and maintaining social distance when appropriate.

New on Laemmle Virtual Cinema this week, we have the Norwegian drama Out Stealing Horses, featuring an exceptional performance from a never-better Stellan Skarsgard, as well as My Dog Stupid, starring real-life French couple Yvan Attal and Charlotte Gainsbourg. On the documentary side, there are new releases on rock ‘n’ roll magazines, Iranian detainees, and a journalist fighting for freedom of the press in the Philippines.

All the best,

Greg Laemmle

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Laemmle Virtual Cinema
New Releases for August 7 • Click posters for “Watch Now” instructions.

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Dear Laemmle Fans,

Day by day, our country continues to reckon with the new realities of living through a pandemic. The return of baseball has provided a much-appreciated semblance of normalcy, although the pleasure may be a fleeting one unless the league is able to contain the ongoing outbreak amongst the Marlins roster. And in unrelated news, Hollywood quietly says goodbye to the longest lived star of its Golden Age.

I’d also like to highlight some of the new releases on Laemmle Virtual Cinema this week, including excellent new documentaries concerning the American judicial system and the Paradise fire from 2018 (directed by Ron Howard). We also have drama films A Girl Missing and The Cuban, as well as biographies on musicians Gordon Lightfoot and Bob Marley. And in case you missed it last week, Catholic school comedy Yes, God, Yes (starring Natalia Dyer of Stranger Things) has been particularly popular and well-received by our audience.

All the best,

Greg Laemmle

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Laemmle Virtual Cinema
New Releases for July 31 • Click posters for “Watch Now” instructions.

Director Statement: Mateo Bendesky (Family Members)

I have been interested in making a movie about teenagers ever since I was one myself. I felt that there was something in that transitional and confusing world worth reviving in a film, since through that process, I would be able to better understand my own teenage years.

Taking that as a starting point, Family Members has two central topics: adolescence and mourning, two processes that I consider fundamental in the construction of identity and the sense of self. When I shot the film, I was interested in exploring adolescence as a middle state, as a waiting room for adulthood, where the mind and body are still in the height of their development but don’t have a definite direction yet.

Lucas and Gilda, the film’s protagonists, are not kids anymore but they’re not adults either. In some way, the only choice they have is waiting: waiting for the next day to arrive, for the transport strike to end, to be old enough to move alone, for someone to come and save them.

Lucas and Gilda are not typical teenagers. Lucas, obsessed with his body, finds in bodybuilding and contact fighting an escape valve for his sexuality. Gilda, on the other hand, just left a rehab center and is desperately trying to find meaning in the world surrounding her. This and the constant tension in their relationship made their eccentric adventure in an adult-less world even more interesting for me to portray.

As Lucas and Gilda try to understand themselves and each other, their environment becomes more and more hostile, as if it was exercising an opposite force of the same intensity than the one they construct to conquer their situation. Like two explorers in the fog, Gilda and Lucas move forward with firm steps, without knowing where they are going or why. This image, which defines mourning and adolescence at the same time, is why I decided to accurately portray the story of these siblings cinematically.

Opposed to the idea of protagonists finding the meaning of life in an instantaneous way, I was interested in showing how these kind of illuminations usually happen in everyday life: not as explosions of meaning, but more like brief gleams of hope in the middle of darkness that allow us to convince ourselves, even for a moment, that both our life and our world can always be better.

I hope you enjoy the film.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FILM

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Dear Laemmle Fans,

I can’t believe this is already our 25th Laemmle Virtual Cinema newsletter. While the proceeds from our online endeavors are dearly appreciated, they haven’t replaced the box office, and many cinemas across the country are struggling to survive. For those inclined, you can help lobby Congress for an entertainment relief package by participating in the #SaveYourCinema social media campaign, led by the National Association of Theater Owners.

New releases this week include the religious comedy Yes, God, Yes starring Natalia Dyer of Stranger Things, as well as the Neo-Gothic thriller Amulet from debut director Romola Garai. There’s also a documentary on photographer Helmut Newton, a collection of fiction shorts from this year’s Sundance, and two Spanish dramas: Family Members, and Days of the Whale.

All the best,

Greg Laemmle

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Laemmle Virtual Cinema
New Releases for July 24 • Click posters for “Watch Now” instructions.

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Dear Laemmle Fans,

While it looks like our reopening timeline has been pushed back due to the re-enforcement of local shutdown orders, there is hope on the horizon here at Laemmle Theatres. As mentioned last week, we’re actively working on ways to better your online experience, and are excited to share details in the next few weeks. And for those who may have missed our social media posts, please click here to listen to our official statement in response to recent news regarding potential Laemmle Theatres property listings.

For now, there are several new releases on Laemmle Virtual Cinema, leading off with Waiting for the Barbarians, starring Johnny Depp and Robert Pattinson. Next up is Sundance favorite Bloody Nose, Empty Pockets, as well as a new Carmilla adaptation from the United Kingdom. There’s also a bio-doc on influential novelist Flannery O’Connor, and foreign language offerings from Germany and Japan.

All the best,

Greg Laemmle

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Laemmle Virtual Cinema
New Releases for July 17 • Click posters for “Watch Now” instructions.

Hi Everyone,

Please find below a statement that we recorded, with some updates for the community regarding potential sale opportunities you may have read about in the news. One day, I plan to learn how to express myself using solely written language. But until that day comes, please excuse the use of film clips… I find that such shared cinematic moments are capable of conveying a message more sincerely and precisely than words alone ever could.

All the best,

Greg Laemmle

CLICK HERE TO WATCH VIDEO

Greg Laemmle here, with an update for our loyal patrons.

You may have heard through the grapevine that our company is up for sale again.

That’s not the case.

What is true, is that we are considering the sale of certain theatre properties.

This isn’t an ideal course of action, but it is something we need to do.

Stimulus programs to date have not been particularly helpful for businesses that are entirely shuttered.

And we’ve been closed for four months, with no reopening in sight.

Our goal is to free up cash, and shore up the financing of our remaining locations.

This isn’t an easy choice.

Bit it will allow Laemmle Theatres to survive.

If we do sell a property, we will secure a lease-back agreement, that will allow us to resume operations once local public health officials deem it’s safe to do so.

For those who think this is trivial, I get it.

There are more important things to worry about right now.

Nothing matters as much as our health, the well-being of our loved ones, and the safety of all essential workers.

But it’s also important to have something to look forward to.

And at Laemmle Theatres, we want to make sure that seeing a movie at your favorite theatre can be part of that future.

I want to thank the Laemmle community for your patience and understanding during this period.

We’ll do our best to keep you updated, as more information becomes available.

In the meantime, remember, always wear your mask.

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Dear Laemmle Fans,

While our local officials have been busy preparing for the recent spike in cases, we’ve been busy here at Laemmle Theatres looking at ways to improve our virtual offerings. Thanks to your suggestions, we’ll be announcing some additional features soon that we hope will simplify the user experience, including greater integration with Premiere Cards and associated benefits.

We’ve got an awesome new lineup of films this week too, beginning with German dramas The Tobacconist and A Regular Woman. There’s also a new release from Iran, and a re-issued standout from Vanuatu. On the English-language side, we have Atom Egoyan’s Guest of Honour and Australian comedy Never Too Late, as well as bio-docs on Ai Weiwei and Olympia Dukakis. Lastly, a quick shoutout to Nina Levy, the recipient of our first spotlight fan interview.

All the best,

Greg Laemmle

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Laemmle Virtual Cinema
New Releases for July 10 • Click posters for “Watch Now” instructions.

Dear Laemmle Fans,

There are some people who like movies. And then there are some people who REALLY like movies.

To honor the latter category, Laemmle Theatres would like to present an interview that we recently conducted with local movie connoisseur and Laemmle super-fan, Nina Levy. Since the pandemic shutdown began in March, Nina has already watched (and rated) over 60 films available on Laemmle virtual Cinema!

Pictured: Nina in her “home cinema” with her two-year-old Chihuahua-Terrier mix, Lucy (the same breed as the dog in Marona’s Fantastic Tale).

Who are you? Tell us a bit about yourself!

My name is Nina, and I’m from Los Angeles, more specifically its San Fernando Valley. Movies have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. The first film I was obsessed with was James Cameron’s Titanic, an epic love story with emotions heightened by a tragic disaster and an incredible score by James Horner. Over the years, the magnitude of my interest and focus on films has wavered, but the presence of films is always there. Fortunately, my family also shares a strong interest in movies. My siblings’ first jobs were working in a movie theatre. My mom enjoys going to the theatres to watch movies. My dad probably watches at least one movie a day at home, especially since his retirement.

Several of my visits to Laemmle Theatres were shared with my friend Dina whom I have known since 2002 when we met in high school.She and I watched quite a variety of films, particularly during our college years and after graduation, which was a big influence on my continued taste for foreign and indie films.Our shared interests led us to explore films such as Michel Gondry’s The Science of Sleep and John Carney’s Once.

What’s your favorite movie of all time?

My favorite movie of all time is a recent one that captivated me: Céline Sciamma’s Portrait of a Lady on Fire. I attended its special sneak preview in February at Laemmle’s NoHo 7 theatre. It’s hard for me to put into words how this film has moved me, but it did in a profound way. It is evident how much this film has moved many other people, especially with the growing Portrait Nation community who continues to shower respect, love, and support upon Céline Sciamma and the film’s ladies Noémie Merlant, Adèle Haenel, and Luàna Bajrami. It is Céline’s masterpiece and truly a work of art.

3.) When was the first time you visited Laemmle Theatres?

The first time I visited Laemmle Theatres was probably in the early 2000s.  I definitely watched films at Laemmle Theatres during high school, but I can’t remember if my first visit was then or before that during junior high.

Which theatre do you attend most often?

I attend Laemmle’s Town Center 5 theatre in Encino more often than Laemmle’s other locations.I used to visit Laemmle’s Fallbrook 7 in West Hills quite a lot over many years. When it closed several years ago, I was a bit heartbroken. I was drawn to its nostalgic atmosphere. I watched many great films at that theatre, such as Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis.

What’s your favorite snack from the concessions stand?

My favorite snack from the concession stand is popcorn with extra butter drizzled on top.  Sometimes I get nachos, but it’s hard to resist the allure of the classic cinema snack.

What do you miss most about going to the movies?

What I miss most about going to the movies is stepping into another world, another life when the lights dim and the film begins.The big screen is like open arms welcoming its audience to be part of the film’s story. There are certain films that I think could only truly be appreciated by watching them in the theatres. After first hearing about Loving Vincent by Dorota Kobiela and Hugh Welchman, I occasionally checked for updates on how the film’s progress was going. My excitement could hardly be contained when it was finally ready for release. I watched Loving Vincent at Laemmle’s Town Center 5 theatre. I felt goosebumps as the film started playing. I couldn’t believe my eyes. I was mesmerized by the art and the heartache.

I have always preferred to watch films in the theatres.  When I read Greg’s newsletter post announcing the launch of Laemmle’s Virtual Cinema, I shared a similar sentiment. I was not totally comfortable with the transition to video-on-demand, but in times like these, in a way, it has become a necessity.

What’s your favorite thing about virtual cinema?

My favorite thing about virtual cinema is getting to experience new AND old films.I love that Laemmle Theatres has included classic films in its releases. I really enjoyed watching the restorations of Jules Dassin’s 1955 Rififi, Reinhold Schünzel’s 1933 Victor and Victoria, and Leontine Sagan’s 1931 Mädchen in Uniform.

The selection of films has also featured such a wide variety of genres that it piqued my curiosity, and I found myself watching films that I normally wouldn’t go to the theatre for, such as Peter Cattaneo’s Military Wives which I actually enjoyed so much that I watched it once per day that the rental was available. I bought the soundtrack after watching the film. The ladies’ rendition of Yazoo’s Only You is beautiful.

Which have been your favorite virtual releases so far?

My favorite virtual release so far is Anca Damian’s Marona’s Fantastic Tale which beautifully combines a heartwarming story with two big interests of mine: dogs and art. I also enjoyed watching the Q&A with Anca Damian that was included in the virtual release. Anca’s collaboration with her son Anghel for the screenplay, artist Brecht Evens for the animation design, and composer Pablo Pico for the music resulted in a unique film that I think and hope will be enjoyed by people beyond a niche audience. Just when I thought the film couldn’t get better, we are treated to a wonderful song Happiness written by Pablo Pico and performed by Isabel Sorling during the end credits. I highly recommend this film.

Of course, I enjoyed other films through Laemmle’s Virtual Cinema, particularly Levan Akin’s And Then We Danced, Christophe Honoré’s On a Magical Night, and Benjamin Ree’s The Painter and the Thief.

Which upcoming releases are you most excited about (virtual or otherwise)?

I am most excited for Zoé Wittock’s Jumbo which is her feature directorial debut and stars Noémie Merlant from Portrait of a Lady on Fire. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year and was recently released on July 1^st in theatres in France. I am intrigued by its unique love story that is sure to stir up many different emotions in its audience. Hopefully Jumbo will be distributed in the United States sometime this year. Other upcoming releases that I am looking forward to seeing are First Cow by Kelly Reichardt, Wonder Woman 1984 by Patty Jenkins, The Green Knight by David Lowery, and Soul by Pete Docter.

What’s your best piece of advice on getting through the pandemic?

My best piece of advice on getting through the pandemic is to try to stay positive.  These are difficult times for many, if not most, people.  How could people not feel anxious at a time like this?  Empathy is sorely needed now, perhaps more than ever in recent times.  Whether it be helping a friend or family member who became unemployed or supporting a local theatre to help keep it alive, such acts of generosity, however little they may seem, can make a huge difference in others’ lives.  I sincerely hope that good things come to those who are struggling right now, physically, emotionally, or financially.  If we all take a moment to remember that “it’s not about me”, I think we could make great progress on positively getting through the pandemic together.