The Mayfair may close down and we need to save it.
Ottawa has two independent theatres left — the ByTowne on Rideau and the Mayfair in Old Ottawa South. While both are historically significant, they offer alternative programming, and films that stimulate discussion.
Major movie studios are ditching traditional 35mm film in favour of a digital medium, which is cheaper and helps independent filmmakers create low-budget flicks. These filmmakers often stop by the Mayfair, like the team who made Ghosts with Shit Jobs and screened it at the historic theatre in September. But where will these filmmakers go if the only venue that screens their work ceases to exist?
In an interview with Centretown News published Oct. 26, programmer Lee Demarbre said the Mayfair “isn’t in a position to pay back a bank loan.” He said it is “scary” that while fundraising began earlier this year, they have only accrued half of the $55,000 necessary to buy a digital projector.
While the Mayfair is appreciated for its artistic merit, it is implicitly used as a news source and vehicle for issues that people would not otherwise hear about. Not everyone reads the news, or watches cult films online. The theatre often screens films about social justice, and engages viewers in issues they may have never been privy to.
If the Carleton, Ottawa, and film-loving community can’t help with donations, then social media can help. A simple tweet or Facebook post goes a long way in salvaging what is one of Canada’s last cinematic treasures.
