In an industry experiencing rapid change due to the rise in streaming, a first-run movie theater is showing exclusive films. As one of two independent theaters in Tompkins County, Cinemapolis’ longevity is its strength, staffers say.
“This is our 40th anniversary, so a lot of people have memories of coming to Cinemapolis, and they continue to come back and bring their friends and their kids,” said Kate Donahue, executive director of Cinemapolis. “It really becomes an important part of their lives.”
Why is Cinemapolis unique?
With a focus on independent, foreign, and locally produced films, this nonprofit theater creates a welcoming, community-focused approach that keeps residents coming back for more, according to the theater’s website.
“We take customer service really seriously. We want people to come in and feel like we recognize them, maybe we remember their popcorn order. Those kinds of interpersonal interactions are part of what makes going to the movies special,” said Donahue.
The culture of movie viewing dramatically shifted during the COVID-19 pandemic, yet the question remains whether theaters have since recovered to previous numbers.
National Correlation
According to the Associated Press, around three-quarters of adults stated they opted to stream a movie from a subscription service rather than going to the theater at least once in the previous year. In the same study, only 16 percent of Americans said they went to the theater at least once a month.
The decision to stream rather than go to a theater, consumers say, is due to convenience and cost. For Cinemapolis, its strengths counter Americans’ decisions to stay home, staffers say.
Serving as a local nonprofit theater, one of Cinemapolis’ driving values is accessibility to all Ithaca residents. The theater is primarily grant and donation-supported, meaning its main goal is not solely to generate revenue and ticket sales, but to focus instead on fostering a pleasant movie-going experience and beneficial relationships with its customers.
Cinemapolis’ Success
This strategy has seen dramatic positive effects through the theater’s success in the last 40 years, Donahue said. The changing global film industry is not slowing its accomplishments, she added.
“We are thriving in lots of ways, and I think that’s an important message to get across. We’ve been really busy, and we continue to attract donations from people who want to see this institution thrive, and want to see downtown Ithaca thrive,” said Donahue.
Fulfilling the theater’s goal to engage with its community, Cinemapolis presents a variety of locally focused programming, holding different events and festivals for niche film communities.
These events encompass many genres of film and relate to a variety of cultures and groups in Ithaca. This programming includes free family showings monthly, the Finger Lakes Environmental Film Festival, the Global Lens series that showcases films from different cultures, and the Ithaca College thesis film screening.
“Exclusive films have always been a really big thing that Cinemapolis markets towards everybody. I know there’s a Palestinian film coming out soon that’s only being shown for one day, and they don’t do that at Regal Cinemas,” said moviegoer Lucca Bane.
With Cinemapolis’ wide range of programming, the theater appeals to all Ithaca residents, regardless of culture, age, or demographic. Whether this is through viewing the recent release Wuthering Heights or studying the 2026 Oscar-nominated short films before the ceremony in March, this theater has options for everyone.
“The media landscape is always changing. The fact that this industry faces challenges does not equate to the idea that people still don’t love going to the movies. It’s still a really vibrant place,” said Donahue.
“I think the movies have a bright future, and I also think that Cinemapolis has a bright future,” she said.
