Once Upon a Time in a Cinema

Saturday's 2:00 show will have Open Captions.
Dir: David Gleeson, Ireland, 2026, Comedy/Drama.
Colin Morgan, Calam Lynch, Niamh Cusack, Clara Crichton.
Sponsored by The Benevolent Irish Society.
“Burst pipes, rats and financial pressure torment a Limerick theatre owner in 1984 in David Gleeson's heartwarming love letter to cinemas. The business model of having groups of people convene in a large room to watch a feature length film is one that’s been under constant threat. Television, pandemics and streaming services have all taken shots... but cinema lives on, audiences still find their way back to their seats… And nobody understands that like a cinema owner in the midst of the VHS revolution in the 80s. Earl Clancy is running a local single-screen theatre handed down from his father. Despite the building being the centre of the community, the financial woes are intense, and Earl’s brother Gerald is eager for him to sell to local businessman and politician Harry. At the same time, Earl is dealing with a strained relationship with his daughter, a handyman demanding payment, a recent cash theft, and the demands of the projection room. The story plays out in real time, and, due to the lack of a projectionist, the slowly mounting tension is punctuated by reel changes every 15 minutes for tonight’s performance of Breathless… Support your local cinema and go see this gem.” – Bren Murphy, RTE Ireland

Genre: Drama

Runtime: 93 min

Rating: PG