Silent running
When film buffs think of the world’s great cinema centres, they probably think of Los Angeles, Cannes and Berlin. It is unlikely that Austria’s capital Vienna would spring to mind.
But in a quiet suburb of the imperial city, one of the world’s oldest cinemas has been running since 1909 on a shoestring budget. Its licence dates back to 1905, when founders Theresia and Eduard Guggenberger first started showing moving pictures in a tent.
The Breitenseer Lichtspiele cinema was the place to go to watch silent movie classics such as A Woman Of Affairs with Greta Garbo in the 1920s. It got its first sound system in 1930. Over the years, the cinema’s technical equipment has been updated several times but current proprietor Anna Nitsch-Fitz, an 80-year-old who has been running the business for 48 years, has never been able to earn enough to switch to a digital movie system.
The former teacher would have had to close the cinema long ago were it not for a small cultural grant from the state and if she had not put in a good cut of her pension. She invested in DVD and Bluray players and in a digital beamer. She borrows films from small, independent distributors instead of the expensive big ones. She also still uses the old 35mm projector to show silent movies.
People keen on old Laurel & Hardy movies, Karl May’s Winnetou westerns or kids’ classics from the 1970s can indulge their passions at the Breitenseer Lichtspiele (located on Breitenseer Strasse). There is a good chance they will have the cinema all to themselves, as the old interior and programme selection do not attract many visitors.
“I have been coming here for over 30 years once or twice a month,” said Axel Walde, 47. He said he always came alone as most of his friends are not interested. “I prefer old movie theatres. They are quaint.”
Nitsch-Fitz plans to run the cinema for two more years until she celebrates her 50th anniversary. Then she wants to hand it over to her niece.
“But she only wants to take over if I manage to break even,” she said. “So I am going to have to put in a lot of effort over the next two years.”
Nitsch-Fitz’s endurance and devotion is appreciated by many local artists who support her. A cult film event with singer-songwriter Voodoo Juergens taking place next Saturday has completely sold out.