Boxoffice-June.1989

THEATRE PROFILE
Film Forum
The House That Art Built
THE
By Fern Siegel
1970, has made a business out of art.
Awarded Brandeis University's prestigious
Citation in Films in 1983 (the only
cinema so honored), Film Forum is
among the city's most successful avantgarde
institutions, boasting 160,000 admissions
annually. These days, however.
Film Forum and its innovative director,
Karen Cooper, are pre-occupied
with demolition, not daring praise.
Late last year. Cooper received notification
from her landlord. Trinity Realty,
that Film Fonmi's days were numbered.
What was once an outpost of downtown
denizens — 57 Watts Street, west of
SoHo and north of Tribeca — has
become valued commercial property.
New York Times calls it "the
most consistently rewarding
showcase for foreign and independent
films in New York," while Van-
Trinity Church in New York, informed
Trinity Realty, an arm of the Parish of
ity Fair dubbed it Manhattan's "most Cooper that Minskoff Equities is now
nourishing cinema " It is Film Forum, a scheduled to construct a 20-story office
nonprofit twin cinema which, since tower housing city unions on the theatre
Its exterior may be a bit
site. Cutting edge art houses are out,
skyscrapers are in. But when the going
gets tough, the tough get going.
"Initially we were devastated by the
news, but after meeting wth the Minskoff
people, we believe that their good
will, professional expertise and financial
support will go a long way toward
making a new Film Fonmi a reality,"
says Cooper. She notes that the "sky-
sparse, but the current site of New York's
Film Forum has played host to acclaimed films from around the world.
rocketing cost of Manhattan real estate
has already driven a great many arts
organizations from the city." Determined
to not be among them. Film
Forum has shifted into high gear.
Cooper, with the help of MinskofPs
realtor, is conducting an all-out search
for a long-term lease on a high-ceiling
space that is at least 5,600 square feet,
with unencumbered views and access to
ground floor entry. She would prefer to
keep Film Forum dovmtown and to that
end, has already made bids on two properties
— a few blocks north and west of
the theatre's present location.
"Celebrities like Martin Scorsese,
Robert Redford and Woody Allen have
been enomiously helpful, writing letters
to Minskoff Equities and rallying behind
our cause," Cooper says. "Our original
lease wath Trinity was for 21 years, with
one catch — a demolition clause. If that
occurred, they were obligated to pay us
S275,000. Minskoff Equities has absorbed
that responsibility and agreed to
commit additional monies in return for
our vacating the premises this August.
"It's our intention to keep Film Fonim
dark for no more than three months. At
present, public and private fimding for
construction is being actively sought,
and a capital campaign among New
York's movie lovers and our 3,800
'Friends of Film Forum' will be
launched this spring." The price tag of
rebuilding? "When we moved to our
present location in 1981, it cost us
$550,000," Cooper smiles ruefully. "Now
the same move will run a minimimi of
M million."
It sounds like a daimting proposal, but
1
hallenges are nothing new to Karen
( ooper. Indeed, the history' of Film
1 onim is a history of turning chance
into opportunity. From its humble beginnings
in 1970, as a theatre with .50
wooden folding chairs in a loft that doubl(!d
as a day care center on the Upper
West Side, Film Fomm has grouTi into a
year-rotmd operation, capable of 16mm
and 35mm projection.
The theatre comprises the 150-seat
Film Forum I, which prerrieres Ameri-
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