Reconstruction of the Varšava cinema in Liberec is likely to start in the spring

Liberec - The reconstruction of the dilapidated Varšava cinema in the center of Liberec, costing 20 million crowns, is expected to start in March next year. The association Save the Varšava Cinema has already sent all the documents for European funding approval to the Regional Council of Northeast Bohemia and has also announced a competition for a project designer. They plan to announce a tender for the company that will repair the cinema in January. Jiří Žid told ČTK today on behalf of the association. "We would like to have it finished by next summer," he stated.
The building, located just a few dozen meters from the town hall, is planned by the association members to be transformed into a multifunctional cultural center, where not only films will be screened but also concerts and other events should take place. Therefore, the project plans to acquire digital and theatrical equipment for the cinema. All internal installations, windows, and doors also need to be completely replaced, and the building needs to be insulated. "The layout should remain as it is now," Žid said.
The former cinema has been temporarily open since summer, and the association has leased it from the city. Approximately 40 to 50 people attend the performances. "We consider this a success; we have almost no advertising," Žid noted. Additionally, the cinema is not heated, and the temperature today during the premiere of Filip Remunda's film God's Mills for Sale was around ten degrees. "We cannot heat it. The cinema will be in operation as long as the weather conditions allow," Žid stated. The last planned event is the documentary festival of short Austrian films on December 6.
The cinema regularly screens films on Thursdays and Fridays, and other events are held occasionally. "Next weekend we will have a two-day festival Po.hlavě," said another member of the association, Petr Hubáček. They will screen films from the International Documentary Film Festival in Jihlava, which started today.
The Varšava cinema is the oldest permanent cinema in Liberec, having opened in 1908. However, since the original ground-floor building did not meet capacity requirements, it was expanded in 1922 and 1923. It then acquired its current form in the art deco style. Shortly after celebrating its centenary, the cinema was closed. The city hall lacked the promised funds for reconstruction, and in recent years, two multiplex cinemas were created in Liberec, leading to the end of all single-screen cinemas in the city. Nevertheless, the municipality will contribute 1.8 million crowns to its restoration. The region is expected to add another 1.2 million, while the rest will be financed by EU grants.