It's not just a movie

The pleasures of cinema-going have long been a part of Trinidad and Tobago culture. But throughout history, cinemas have also played a not insubstantial role in our economy.

Despite the deleterious impact of the pandemic, that looks set to continue.

From their beginnings at the London Electric Theatre in Woodbrook in 1911 to the eventual establishment of giant multiplexes, these businesses have not only provided entertainment to generations over the decades, but they have also provided employment, acted as a key distribution point for various vendors and sparked the imagination of countless people dreaming of themselves going into business.

Cinemas have also helped to shape our understanding of the local market. During the early era of movie-going, the country was saturated with American and European films. Indian movies arrived in 1935, and with them came the reinforcement of the potential growth that can be achieved by simply catering to what segments of the local population want and need.

The recent decision of the management of CinemaOne to expand its movie theatre experience into Chaguanas and La Romaine harks to this long history.

CinemaOne will open one of its Gemstone theatres at Gulf City Mall, which once housed two theatres managed by East Indian movie distributor Raj Maharaj, and will also make its way to Price Plaza in a new venture with Endeavour Holdings Ltd.

CinemaOne and Endeavour Holdings are both among the first companies listed in the small-to-medium tier of the TT stock exchange.

But the path forward for such businesses is far from straightforward.

Long before the pandemic, the rise of streaming services began to eat into the potential revenue streams of movie theatres.

Cinemas all over the world have responded to this challenge by placing greater emphasis on the movie-going experience. They have offered films that are arguably better appreciated on the big screen. And they have sought to up the ante when it comes to things like concession stand offerings and seating.

The pandemic, however, swooped in like a giant meteor that might feature in a sci-fi movie and all but eviscerated movie-going.

Even with the easing of restrictions, new rules and practices have reduced seating capacity and put greater strains on staffing. There are still a lot of people who are afraid to leave their house to see a movie.

CinemaOne and its partners are banking on all of that changing, tapping into the longstanding trends in the market and positioning themselves as having something unique to offer audiences.

The move to Gulf City, though it involves smaller, more luxurious theatres, is actually a form of going back to basics, given assumptions about what customers in that part of the country might want.

If the local film production industry, which by some accounts could one day contribute to a more diversified economy, is truly to have a chance, local cinema chains must also do well to act as distributors.

Clearly, much like a comic-book movie series, the story of cinema in TT is not at an end.