A historic movie theater known for helping launch the career of filmmaker Ang Lee is set to close, at least temporarily, as years of financial losses catch up with it.
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00:00For 75 years, if you wanted to see a movie for cheap in the city of Tainan, this is where
00:07you would come.
00:08The family-owned Quanmei Theatre has outlasted much of its competition, weathering the rise
00:13of VHS, DVDs and streaming, as well as the punishing years of COVID.
00:19And though it never shows the newest releases, you can still see an old-school double feature
00:23for less than five US dollars.
00:26It's become a sort of local institution, a landmark and a place of memories.
00:31It's even known for inspiring one regular patron, the famed director Ang Lee, to go
00:36into filmmaking.
00:38But it's been losing 30,000 US dollars a year for some time, and now the financial crunch
00:43is catching up with it.
00:45It's set to close March 2nd.
00:48But that may not be the end for Quanmei.
00:50The owner says he'll find a way to get back into business with new partnerships and a
00:55new strategy.
00:56We've done independent musicals, and most of them have been a success.
01:01Last time, there was a talk show.
01:05In recent years, I've been to Inner Bay and Honglou to see how old theatres have transformed.
01:11They put the image of old theatres in one direction, combining catering and literature.
01:18Of course, there are infinite possibilities in theatres.
01:20A theatre is a space of imagination.
01:24But when this comeback might happen is uncertain.
01:27And for now, locals passing by say they feel a mix of sadness and nostalgia.
01:55For now, the theatre celebrates its 75th year in operation, with at least a few more
02:03weeks of bringing the joys of film to the people of Tainan.
02:07Eason Chen and John Van Triest for Taiwan Plus.