Westdale building community magic

“I bonded with this theatre that was falling down,” admits Fred Fuchs, the Hollywood producer whose credits include Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Don Juan De Marco and John Grisham’s The Rainmaker. Now living in Dundas, Ontario, Fuchs jumped to action when he learned the Westdale was for sale in December 2016. In January 2017, he started a non-profit organization called Westdale Cinema Group that enabled them to make an offer to purchase the theatre. Beating out a developer’s bid, it was the first step of many to transform the Westdale into a cultural hub for arts, cinema, talks and special events.

Raising the funds to restore the theatre came exclusively from the Hamilton community. This was no small feat considering the total cost to purchase the building and complete the restoration was $4.5 million dollars. Fuchs credits the extraordinary spirit of Hamilton for bringing the vision of the Westdale to life in less than two years.

“Over 500 individuals donated to the theatre, not just a few wealthy people,” explains Fuchs. “This is now going to be a cultural landmark that is a beautiful historical restoration with state-of-the-art technology inside.” As a film producer, he understands better than most, the satisfaction in watching great films on the big screen. Those great movies are not necessarily the blockbusters, however, With more independent films being made than ever before, movie houses like the Westdale are increasingly relevant to provide the opportunity to see these films as they are meant to be seen.

He cites the movie, Roma, as a perfect example of a great cinematic masterpiece that was never shown in Hamilton and could only be appreciated on Netflix—until now. It will be played at the Westdale February 22, 23 and 24.

As Hamilton cultural renaissance continues to bloom, the Westdale is a perfect addition, opening the door to more creativity, arts and popcorn.