The Rep - A Documentary (2012)

A heartbreaking documentary about how difficult it is to run a repertory cinema in this day and age.

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As a cinephile of some distinction, I've watched more than my fair share of movie docs. Most of them amount to little more than glorified clip-reels that coast on the nostalgia you have for the films under discussion. Some of the better ones at least have fascinating anecdotes to glom onto. This doc is something else entirely.

Aside from brief glimpses of the films being screened in various rep houses, this film focuses exclusively on the cinephilic dreamers insane enough to open a theater in this age of streaming video. Their passion alone is what pulls you in. And once you're in, you're in. As a result, your heart breaks at every shuttered or demolished cinema you see on screen. In the end this is really an advocacy doc more than anything else. It's a cinematic rallying cry. Will you heed the call?

Now playing nightly at The Frida Cinema through June 26th!