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Dear Laemmle Fans,

Moviegoing in Los Angeles County has returned! We’re hard at work getting Laemmle Theatres ready to open again, and we hope to publicize an official date soon – make sure to check our website often and stay tuned for further emails, so  you don’t miss the big announcement.

In the meantime, we’ve updated our Awards Season collection to reflect the recent Oscar nominations, so there’s no shortage of excellent virtual options to choose from. Of special note is a surprise Best International Feature nod for last week’s new release Quo Vadis, Aida? (from Serbia). Other nominees from the same category also available on Laemmle Virtual Cinema include the Danish entry Another Round, and the Romanian entry Collective (also nominated for Best Feature Documentary). We expect to add The Mole Agent, another Best Documentary Feature nominee, beginning next Friday, March 26.

New releases this week are no less exciting, leading off with the critically acclaimed French comedy Perfumes. Other foreign offerings include the thrilling Brazilian drama The Fever, and the finely-crafted British drama Rose Plays Julie (I said foreign, not foreign language).

From this side of the pond, there’s the genre-bending festival favorite The Five Rules of Success, as well as the thoughtfully-produced (albeit controversially-titled) documentary Wojnarowicz: F*ck You F*ggot F*cker. Lastly, four more titles from our previously advertised Culture Vulture collection are now available as well.

All the best,

Greg Laemmle

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Dear Laemmle Fans,

Earlier this week I recorded a State of the Arthouse Address, in which I give thanks for Laemmle Theatres having survived a difficult year, and proudly reaffirm our commitment to reopen as soon as it’s deemed safe to do so. Although I’m unable to provide an exact timeline in the video, much has changed in the few days since, and I’m now overjoyed to share that we expect to be open for business on the big screen in as little as four or five weeks!

Details are still being finalized regarding exactly which locations will open first and what percentage capacities will be allowed, so make sure to stay tuned for further updates. In the meantime, you can help by remaining diligent with your Covid safety protocols and best practices. We’ve spotted land on the horizon – now is no time to jump ship.

On the virtual side, today’s new lineup features the stirring art history documentary Still Life in Lodz, about a lost Polish painting and its connection to the local Jewish community, and Martha: A Picture Story, about prolific New York City graffiti photographer Martha Cooper. There’s also two music-themed documentaries – Women Composers and Long Live Rock… Celebrate the Chaos – as well as two short film compilations – the Women’s Adventure Film Tour and Five (presented by Mastercard). Last up for documentaries is a re-release of the chess-themed Brooklyn Castle, which we showed back when it debuted in 2012. Fans of the Netflix series The Queen’s Gambit (a show that I greatly enjoyed) should appreciate the entertaining mix of personal drama and chess strategy.

Narrative releases include the Norwegian thriller The Tunnel, and the Irish drama The Last Right, with Brian Cox. There’s also the Black-socialist political comedy The Inheritance, and the well-reviewed indie horror Honeydew, starring the very talented young actors Malin Barr and Sawyer Spielberg (son of Steven, whose work you may be more familiar with).

Before signing off, I’d also like to note that Laemmle Theatres plans to continue offering films virtually as we resume our theatrical operations. Some titles may be exclusively in-person, and others may be exclusively online, but we’ll do our best to ensure side-by-side availability whenever possible. Lastly, make sure to check out our new Culture Vulture collection on Laemmle Virtual Cinema, and keep an eye out for Oscar nominations this Monday, March 15.

All the best,

Greg Laemmle

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CLICK HERE TO WATCH A RECORDED VERSION ON YOUTUBE

Greetings Laemmle Fans,

As of March 16, it has been exactly one full year since movie theatres in Los Angeles were asked to close their doors. At the time, I remember thinking that we’d be open again within a few months. But as we all know, nothing went according to plan.

I also thought, at the time, that Laemmle Theatres would not be able to survive being closed for more than a few months. And yet, exactly one full year later, we’re still here. We’ve received support from government stimulus programs, and more importantly from you, our patrons, through your gift and Premiere Card purchases, and your rentals on Laemmle Virtual Cinema.

Even so, some difficult decisions had to be made. We sold two properties in order to raise capital, and we may have to sell more to shore up our finances. But to be clear, the plan is to reopen as a tenant and maintain operations as a movie theatre, even where we no longer own the property.

Thanks to these actions, I’m confident that Laemmle Theatres will be prepared to open again, once it is deemed safe to do so. And as of now, it seems like that day may be coming soon.

This isn’t the first time our family business has faced an existential crisis. Seventy years ago, the advent of television reduced Laemmle Theatres to a single location. But Grandpa Max didn’t give up, and three generations and several decades later, the business had grown in ways he never would have believed possible. These closures may leave a mark, but there is nothing Laemmle Theatres has lost over the past year that we cannot regain in the days ahead.

We all love sharing the joy of cinema with others. We all relish the uniquely profound experience that only moviegoing can offer. And I believe that with your support, there will always be a place at Laemmle Theatres for customers to fulfill exactly that purpose.

Please stay safe. Keep wearing a mask. Get a vaccine shot as soon as you can. And we look forward to seeing you very soon, at the movies. All the best, Greg Laemmle

All the best,

Greg Laemmle

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Dear Laemmle Fans,

I know that many of you have sorely missed attending our weekly Culture Vulture screenings. The series, offered on Monday evenings and Tuesday afternoons, has been a fixture of our programming for several years. Culture Vulture provides an opportunity for Laemmle Theatres to showcase the best in live concerts, stage plays, and museum visits from around the world.

Now, we’re bringing the series one step closer to you by featuring it as our newest collection on Laemmle Virtual Cinema. Although you may recognize many of the films from their prior Culture Vulture theatrical engagements, others are new releases, including the classical music documentary Women Composers (which opened on March 8 to coincide with International Women’s Day) and the art history profile Easter in Art, analyzing depictions of Christ over time. We’re also offering several virtual films that are new to Laemmle Theatres, but feature notable content you’re likely already familiar with – examples include live stage recordings of Verdi’s La Traviata as well as Puccini’s Madama Butterfly.

We all look forward to the day when Laemmle Theatres can resume our Culture Vulture series on the big screen, but I hope these virtual releases suffice in the meantime. Lastly, please be aware that many of the titles included in today’s newsletter are not yet available, so make sure to note the opening date and plan your personal screening schedules accordingly. And as always, thank you for your support.

All the best,

Greg Laemmle

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Dear Laemmle Fans,

Hope for the imminent return of moviegoing is growing stronger. There’s widespread excitement in the industry over today’s reopening of movie theatres in New York City, and last week saw the most successful major theatrical release since the start of the pandemic.

Though mixed, the news regarding the virus is also largely positive. The mutant variants are troubling, but vaccine efficacy appears strong, and the rollout is gaining momentum. A lot hangs in the balance… but what’s clear for now is that Los Angeles County is on the verge of crossing into a lower risk tier that should, in theory, allow for the safe reopening of our doors.

Alas, Laemmle Theatres is still virtual this week, but we do have an excellent new lineup of films available online. Let’s begin with another drama shortlisted for the Best International Feature Oscar, Quo Vadis, Aida? The “incendiary, furiously committed” film (Times UK), submitted as Bosnia’s entry to the Academy Awards and recently acquired by NEON following its shortlist nod, concerns a UN translator navigating her family’s safety while their home village is massacred during the Bosnian war.

The historical dramas continue with The Good Traitor, concerning the true story of Danish ambassador Henrik Kauffmann and his daring role in the Second World War. There’s also Amundsen, about the titular North Pole explorer, and Fukushima 50, about the recovery workers who risked their personal safety and lives following the Japanese tsunami of 2011.

We’re also opening a few historically-relevant films on the documentary side: there’s the aptly named Vietnamese investigation The People Vs. Agent Orange, the turn-of-the-century artist profile Gustav Stickley: American Craftsman, and the legendary anti-war show F.T.A. (starring an effervescent young Jane Fonda and Donald Sutherland). Other documentaries on more contemporary subjects include the Chinese political analysis Lost Course, the experimental meta-fiction film Truth or Consequences, and the street-dog focused Stray. It’s like Kedi, but… you know… for dogs.

Rounding out the list with a few more fiction films, there’s the wildly creative indie thriller Sister Tempest, the Moroccan drama Adam, the thoughtful coming-of-age story Sophie Jones, and the absurd French dark-comedy Keep an Eye Out. Fourteen new titles may seem like a lot of content to filter through, but rest assured – there are no wrong choices to be had. Make sure to stay tuned over the coming weeks, as Laemmle Theatres will continue to provide updates on our reopening timeline.

All the best,

Greg Laemmle

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Dear Laemmle Fans,

As you may have seen on the news, movie theaters in New York City will be allowed to reopen again beginning March 5. While we still don’t have any clear sense of when Laemmle Theatres may follow suit, the update from across the country is still an encouraging one. Moviegoing has now been deemed safe in our nation’s largest city – it’s only a matter of time before the same is true of Los Angeles.

Until then, you can satisfy your arthouse cravings with our virtual offerings, including today’s top-billed new release Night of the Kings. The immersive film, which follows a young Ivorian prisoner who must rely on his storytelling skills in order to survive the night, is a strong contender in this year’s Oscar race for Best International Feature. Also contending for an Oscar this year is the documentary The Painter and the Thief, a title from last summer that Laemmle Theatres is proud to re-introduce.

Other new documentary releases include the intimate labor-relations study My Darling Supermarket, the experimental French school-project Un Film Dramatique, and the timely analysis ’Til Kingdom Come, focusing on the link between Israel and American Evangelism. There’s also the short-film collection Eremita (Anthologies), featuring work from a variety of up-and-coming young cinematographers.

On the fictional side, there’s the lighthearted meta-comedy Alberto and the Concrete Jungle, alongside the thoughtful indie effort The Independents, starring the real-life rock band The Sweet Remains. Next up is the tender Xinjiang-based coming-of-age story A First Farewell, followed lastly by two re-releases: the 1986 Brazilian epic Quilombo, and the 2002 neo-noir thriller Demonlover, from noted French director Olivier Assayas.

All the best,

Greg Laemmle

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Dear Laemmle Fans,

I’m eagerly awaiting my father’s second Covid vaccination shot, which he’s set to receive later this week. It’s oddly thrilling that I might actually be able to see one of my parents again – a simple goal, yet one that’s been all but unobtainable for many of us during this past year. That should change soon, so long as case rates and vaccinations stay headed in the right direction.

Another trend in the right direction is that the news seems to be getting less dramatic. The second impeachment trial is over, and there’s only so much we can say about the stark weather before it too passes in a few days. I hope that you’ll take the window of opportunity to turn off the news, and instead enjoy some of the great films we’re offering on Laemmle Virtual Cinema.

Leading off is the critically-acclaimed film Twilight’s Kiss, a “uniquely profound” drama about two aging gay men in Hong Kong (LA Times). After that is the intimate documentary 17 Blocks, a title you may recognize from its featured placement in our Black History Month collection. Other newly released films from our BHM collection include the African comedy Two Weeks in Lagos and the relationship-based drama Test Pattern.

Fans of quirky comedies shouldn’t miss Days of the Bagnold Summer, which we’re opening alongside another offbeat British film, All at Sea, a newly released title from 2010 featuring Laemmle favorite Brian Cox. There’s also the Belgian adult-fantasy film Jumbo, the George Bernard Shaw re-interpretation The Billionaire, the Michelangelo-themed historical epic Sin, and the French-Canadian crime thriller Mafia Inc (from director Podz).

Our sole new offering in the documentary category is Truth to Power, about a heavy metal vocalist’s efforts to raise awareness for the Armenian democracy movement. Also note a new collection we’re offering on our platform: Awards Season. Make sure to check that category often over the next few months as more nominations and awards come in.

All the best,

Greg Laemmle

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Dear Laemmle Fans,

Almost exactly one year ago, I celebrated the historic moment when Parasite became the first foreign-language film to win the Oscar for Best Picture. There was change in the air, and a shared understanding that the industry was headed in a positive direction. We were aware of the bad news coming out of Wuhan, but we had no reason to believe the virus would be any more impactful than previous scares (so much for wishful thinking).

Here we stand a year later, with the Academy once again preparing to hand out its hallowed awards. While the nomination of mostly non-theatrical films serves as a painful reminder of how long Laemmle Theatres has been closed, I’m nevertheless astonished by the quality of the selection. These Oscars are best understood not as a “substitute” for a missed year, but rather, as an affirmation of the film industry’s collective artistry, determination, and capability, even during a pandemic.

Speaking of artistry… we’ve got an excellent new round of virtual releases for you this week, beginning with the finely-crafted Danish comedy Food Club. The film concerns three retired women searching for the opportunity to redefine themselves, while on a culinary tour of Italy. Other foreign-language features include Leona, about a young Jewish woman who falls in love with a man in Mexico City, and the animated Croatian film The Accidental Luxuriance of the Translucent Watery Rebus.

Anglophone audiences should check out Lapsis, a thrilling sci-fi comedy set in an alternate present, or Young Hearts, a high-school coming-of-age drama made for these modern times. There’s also the Sia-directed Music, starring Kate Hudson as an adoptive mother to her autistic half-sister, alongside the experimental hip-hop-themed fantasy Crestone. Next up, we have two indie dramedies: the black-and-white Show Me What You Got, and Weekenders, from director Erik Bloomquist.

On the documentary side, we’re excited to be opening Everything – The Real Thing Story, about the 1970’s band dubbed the “Black Beatles” by British music reviewers. Other new documentaries include Ruth – Justice Ginsburg in Her Own Words, analyzing the judge’s historic career, and Our Right to Gaze, a collection of shorts from leading African American filmmakers.

All the best,

Greg Laemmle

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