Watching a film at home is convenient, but a cinema offers something a streaming menu cannot: a shared room, a fixed time, and an audience reacting together.
Why it matters
Independent screenings and small festivals can give older venues a clearer identity. The programme matters, but so do affordability, transport, accessibility, and whether people feel welcome before the lights go down.
The future of a screen may depend on what happens around it.
A cinema survives when it becomes part of a community's cultural routine instead of relying on an occasional blockbuster.