Nov 29, 2023

Hurry Up & Wait: Monarch Documentary

I can sum up my rollercoaster of a year in just a few headlines, despite being pretty quiet about the Monarch Theatre and my documentary over the last few months. Spurred on again by today's story in the newspaper about the cinema, I realized that this game of "hurry up and wait" is causing some confusion about what's happening. 


Make no mistake, I'd love nothing more than to finally have news to share about the premiere, when it's happening, and how you can get your tickets to see the film. A year ago the expectation that this would be out in 2023 was not only incredibly realistic, I was also committed to that plan as contractually I knew it's when the film would be delivered. 


Unfortunately, a lot of the activity surrounding the Monarch Theatre and its reopening has taken considerably longer than expected, and contrary to some popular belief, this activity doesn't involve me at all. I'm watching from the sidelines just like everyone else. 

The 2 hour and 15 minute documentary about this historic, largely unknown movie house, "Your Cinema Needs You" was completed this summer following the long-anticipated news that the Monarch Theatre was finally going to be purchased. This was the final piece of the narrative puzzle that I had been waiting for. The film was then finalized, delivered to await distribution, and the plans were set in motion for a premiere that would reopen the cinema. 

This was roughly 3 months ago. 

I know better than anyone how unpredictable a timeline can become when a story is still unfolding. It's also why the wider distribution / streaming of the documentary has been put on hold until it can play in the Monarch Theatre first. The overwhelming local support to see this outcome is now seemingly shared by everyone connected to the documentary, including the new owners / operators of the Monarch. So, here we are. 

Put simply, I know it's taking longer than everyone thought, but as soon as the Monarch is able to confirm a timeline, I'll be shouting it from the rooftops.

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