Yellowknife looks for alternatives as credits roll for its only movie theatre

Growing up, the world was a bit of an isolating place for Mica Prazak who had speech and hearing issues. But the movies were somewhere he could escape or learn or laugh or cry.

So when he found out that it was curtains down for Yellowknife’s only movie theatre, Capitol Theatre, Prazak said he was saddened but not surprised because entertainment has become “personalized.”

“We took music and we made it personal in our earbuds. We took movie theatres and then put them on our couch,” he said.  

“One thing I'm realizing is, I'm a realist. I know I view the movie theatre different from [how] my daughter views it. We'll both have fun there, but she won't fight for it like I would maybe.”

Earlier this month, Capitol Theatre’s owner said the business had been struggling, and the lease was not renewed. The theatre's last day of operation is scheduled for March 31.

On Sunday, Prazak joined about two dozen other Yellowknifers who gathered for a meeting at the Weledeh Catholic School gym to talk about the importance of the space for the community, see if they could get more information about the theatre's closure and discuss next steps.

One of the frustrations expressed was the lack of transparency regarding future plans.

Aidan Charpentier, organizer of the meeting, said the next step is to write to the theatre’s management asking about their plans for the space. “Right now we know nothing,” he said.

Further steps can be decided once it is clear what is happening with the space that is now home to Capitol Theatre — and whether it will remain a movie theatre, he said. Det’on Cho, the building's owner, previously said that its "focus is on moving forward with a new leaseholder who will continue to use the space for a similar purpose."

The consensus at Sunday's meeting was that the city needs a dedicated screening space. Whether that space would be managed by a non-profit, a cooperative or another group still had to be discussed. Ideas ranged from forming partnerships with local schools to pop-up screenings, although some noted that it would perhaps not be possible to show new movies. 

Charpentier said he had contacted other theatre chains and is waiting to hear back. But Cineplex declined the offer to bring its franchise to Yellowknife, he added.

At the meeting, people talked about how Capitol Theatre was more than just a place to watch movies.

They talked about how the theatre was a safe space for a date, where soccer teams could unwind at the end of a tournament, families could have a night out, or simply where the magic of cinema came alive on the big screen, sharing emotions with a roomful of people, just the way movies are meant to be.

Prazak, who is a school teacher, said it is not just a bonding moment when people come together during epic movie moments, but also the “powerful” connection that comes with watching a foreign film and spending time discussing it afterward.