Opened in May of 1996 in a commercial district near Goryokaku, Cinema Iris is a cozy theater with seating capacity of only 71. Sugawara Kazuhiro, representative of this theater, is an avid fan of movies. He also runs a cafe for cinema lovers. "Independent movies rarely come to Hakodate. So a group of friends who shared the same interest in movies formed an organization called Alice In and rented a theater to view special films. But the theater soon closed down; thus we decided to build our own."
One-year Anniversary a success
The film group searched for sponsors and found 470 contributors who each donated at a unit of 10,000 yen. The Movie Theater of Hakodate Residents was made possible by the residents themselves. "Some of the people contributed several units of donations. And the theater staff are made up of young volunteers. Our operation is run by such dedicated people. Perhaps this is the only theater in Japan that is managed purely by residents of its city," remarks Sugawara. In May of 1997, the theater's one-year anniversary was successfully celebrated in a form of a film festival. Each movie is played 1 - 2 weeks, and the theater's upcoming movies and feature scenes are disclosed in a monthly issue of Cinema Iris Press. For an annual fee of 2,500 yen, members can enjoy various perks.
The Hakodate version of New Cinema Paradise
"When I select the films, I do not dwell on the type of movie, but I choose what I would like to see," says Sugawara. Cinema Iris resembles the film New Cinema Paradise. Hundreds of people united by a single common interest: cinema. "For the fall season, we are planning a Classic Film Festival during which great films from the past (such as Roman Holiday) will be played in appreciation of the solemn season." As he comments, Sugawara Kazuhiro does not show any trace of drudgery over juggling two major roles. Perhaps the dedication comes from his passion that led to a big success.
Cinema Iris Home Page
http://www.linkclub.or.jp/~norioh/cinemairis/
