Globe Cinema sale could signal a cultural shift in Calgary’s developing film industry
Many in Calgary’s film industry are worried about the potential sale of another iconic downtown theatre, and what it could mean for the local arts scene.
Owners of the Globe Cinema are currently trying to find a buyer.
The venue, which has for decades hosted more independent and small-scale films, is seen as a cultural hub and the last of its kind in Calgary.
“We’ve basically made the Globe our home,” said Calgary Underground Film Festival (CUFF) head Brenda Lieberman. “We just can’t visualize where and how the festival would look if it wasn’t here.”
That could eventually be a conversation that’s had.
Lieberman believes a sale isn’t imminent, but eventually, the Globe will be flipped. And if it is, it wouldn’t be the first loss of an independent cinema space in Calgary.
Some old theatres — like the one in Eau Claire — are being torn down for housing and transit. Others — like the Grand or Palace Theatre — were turned from exclusively-cinema spots into multi-use event spaces.
Some old theatres — like the one in Eau Claire — are being torn down for housing and transit. Others — like the Grand or Palace Theatre — were turned from exclusively-cinema spots into multi-use event spaces.
That’s left the film industry somewhat behind.
“These spaces leave and they don’t come back,” Calgary International Film Festival acting executive director Katherine Penhale said. “Without these spaces, we’re going to have a tough time promoting content in Alberta and Alberta content.”
CIFF has also utilized the Globe chairs for a long time.
Next year, it’ll be moving venues to a to-be-announced location. Penhale says the fest will miss the atmosphere of the Globe.
“Overall, downtown screening capacity in Calgary is facing a pretty existential risk,” she told CTV News. “Whoever buys it — be it an angel investor or a private corporation — unless they have a mandate of creating accessibility for local creators and local festivals, we’re going to be a bit hamstrung. Right now, all our cinematic-ready spaces are exclusively privately owned, so that means we’re at the whims of business.”
The good news? Both CUFF and CIFF representatives believe the current building owner isn’t in a rush to sell the still-profitable building.
CTV News reached out to Riley’s Enterprise Solutions for more information about the sale.
As of publishing, we haven’t heard back.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING House of Commons Speaker Greg Fergus survives vote calling for his ouster
Greg Fergus survived a vote to oust him as House of Commons Speaker on Tuesday, but with close to half of MPs expressing a loss of confidence in him, he faces a precarious path forward in maintaining order in Parliament.
'It was hell': Israeli mother held hostage with her children describes 51 days in captivity
Hagar Brodutch, her three children and four-year-old neighbour were kidnapped by Hamas-led militants from their home in Kfar Aza, Israel on Oct. 7 and held for 51 days. They were released in November, but Brodutch says her thoughts are never far from those still being held in Gaza.
'Unruly passenger' forces WestJet flight to make emergency landing in B.C.
A WestJet flight heading to Calgary had to make an emergency landing in northern B.C. Monday due to an incident involving an 'unruly passenger,' Mounties say.
P.E.I. kiteboarder 'lucky to be alive' after shark attack in Turks and Caicos
A professional kiteboarder from P.E.I. says he has been seriously injured in a shark attack that occurred while he was snorkelling in the Turks and Caicos Islands last week.
BREAKING Teen dies after being hit by train in N.W. Calgary
A teenager has died after being hit by a train in northwest Calgary on Tuesday afternoon.
Black bear kebabs make family sick with parasitic worms
It was supposed to be a celebration, but one family’s unique meal of black bear meat sent several members to the hospital instead.
'It's his vacation too': Jimmy the baby goat joins 2-week road trip across Canada
After Jimmy the baby goat was shunned by his mother, a New Brunswick man took the kid on a two-week road trip across Canada.
The double-level airplane seat is back. This time, there’s a first-class version
It’s the airplane seat design that launched a thousand memes and kickstarted a media storm. And now the double-level seat is back – only this time, with a twist.
New COVID-19 subvariants become the dominant strains in Canada
More than four years after COVID-19 effectively shut down the world, two new variants of COVID-19 have become the dominant strains of the novel coronavirus in Canada.