Atlanta filmmaker David Fortune’s journey with the Plaza Theatre began in 2014 when he volunteered at the Atlanta Film Festival as a film student at Morehouse College.
Fortune, who snuck into a screening of “Dear White People,” discovered his passion for directing during that festival.
This year’s 49th Atlanta Film Festival opened with a screening of “Color Book,” a film written and directed by Fortune himself.
While the fate of movie theaters is increasingly uncertain, independent cinemas like the Plaza are finding ways to prosper.
In fact, Atlanta’s independently owned theaters—including the Tara Theatre, Starlight Drive-In, The Springs Cinema & Taphouse in Sandy Springs, and Aurora Cineplex in Roswell—are witnessing an upswing in their business.
As large chains shutter across the metro area, these indie theaters are not just surviving but thriving, cultivating a robust relationship with the local film community.
Christopher Escobar, who became executive director of the Atlanta Film Society in 2011, played a pivotal role in securing the Plaza’s future.
By establishing a partnership with the Plaza, Escobar helped avert its closure, allowing it to serve as a primary venue for the festival while improving its social media presence and access to independent films.
When the theater was put up for sale in 2017 by then-owner Michael Furlinger, Escobar purchased it, expanding it from one screen to three, leading to an increase in programming and ticket sales.
In 2023, he further extended his reach by rescuing Tara Theatre from Regal Cinemas after its abrupt closure, integrating it into the Atlanta Film Festival as well.
Similarly, Brandt Gully found himself confronted with an unexpected opportunity to revitalize the Lefont Sandy Springs theater in 2017 after George Lefont decided to sell it.
Although Gully had not envisioned himself running a theater, personal circumstances prompted him to reevaluate his path and embrace the chance to engage with the community through cinema.
Gully transformed the theater into The Springs Cinema & Taphouse, focusing on creating a communal atmosphere rather than just a standard movie-going experience.
What sets independent theaters apart is their willingness to take creative risks with their programming.
The Plaza and Tara theaters offer not only new releases but also repertory films, meaning screenings of titles that have moved beyond their initial release.
In contrast to commercial cineplexes, which might have multiple screens but show a limited selection of films, the Plaza and Tara manage to present about 500 films each year across seven screens.
Richard Martin oversees the lineup of films shown, often collaborating with local businesses and organizations to engage uniquely diverse audiences.
This collaboration extends to local production companies like Reel Friends, which hosts screenings accompanied by live music, enhancing the cinema experience.
“Independent theaters curate series and challenge audiences in ways a mainline theater can’t,” says Rocco Shapiro of Reel Friends, who emphasizes the unique educational experiences available through these screenings.
The support between these local partnerships is reciprocal, as screening co-producers benefit from increased brand awareness and a percentage of ticket sales.
In 2018, when Videodrome, a Poncey-Highland DVD rental store, faced declining revenue, it proposed a cult classic screening series at the Plaza, leading to the creation of the “Plazadrome” series, which quickly garnered a loyal following.
The series kicked off with the 1977 Japanese horror film “House” and has since evolved into a staple community event, expanding to include art-house screenings at Tara with merchandise sales and guest Q&As.
Matt Booth, the owner of Videodrome, highlights the significant difference between watching a classic film at home and experiencing it with a crowd on the big screen, cultivating a vibrant film community.
As the pandemic initially struck the movie theater industry hard, independently-owned cinemas adapted more effectively than their corporate counterparts by implementing innovative strategies.
In 2020, both the Springs and the Plaza repurposed their parking lots into drive-in theaters, screening older films when new releases were scarce, strengthening their positions as community hubs.
These proactive measures have borne fruit; the Plaza’s revenue, which was $180,000 in 2011, soared to over $2 million last year, marking two consecutive years of doubling its business and positioning it as an outlier among independent theaters.
Though much of this profit is now allocated to rising rents, Escobar notes that Tara is gradually improving financially, though it has yet to recover to pre-pandemic levels.
“The movie theater business is way less profitable than restaurants because there are far more strings attached,” Escobar explains, likening studio restrictions to limited food suppliers in the restaurant industry.
He admits that concessions, particularly popcorn sales, have become essential to maintain profitability as Tara works to attract a larger audience.
Meanwhile, Gully reports that the Springs has proven to be profitable, supplementing admission sales with a full restaurant and bar installed within the theater.
He reflected on being new to theater management, revealing his personal growth through tackling substantial construction projects to create a distinct space.
Marketing occupies a significant portion of Gully’s focus, exemplified by his creative promotional strategy linking the release of “Barbie” with an elaborate life-size toy box in his garage, attracting patrons from across the city.
Such innovative marketing strategies have become common at Springs, allowing the theater to engage customers through tailored events that distinguish it from chain venues.
Despite these successful adaptations, independent cinemas face ongoing competition from home streaming services, which pose a significant threat by making films immediately accessible in the comfort of one’s living room.
However, Escobar emphasizes that streaming cannot replicate the communal experience of watching films with others and sharing that collective excitement.
“It’s not just about having great films and surround sound in a dark room, but about enjoying movies with a crowd and focusing your attention,” he asserts.
For industry professionals like Shapiro, the vibrancy of independent theaters rekindles their passion for filmmaking and cinema.
“Working at a corporate theater drained my love for films, but independent theaters revitalized that passion,” he reflects on the difference in atmosphere and audience engagement.
The article appears in the July 2025 issue, showcasing the resilience of Atlanta’s independent cinemas in a challenging landscape.
image source from：atlantamagazine
