The Gateway Film Center announced Nov. 16 that it will be temporarily closing in-person programming after an increase in COVID-19 cases in the area. Credit: Trevor Simpson | Copy Editor
The Gateway Film Center announced Monday that it will be putting a halt to all in-person programming after an increase in COVID-19 cases in the Columbus area. The theater will provide alternative streaming choices online to the public, according to its media release.
The theater is likely to remain closed until the number of COVID-19 cases declines, Grace Cole, director of marketing and communications, said.
“I think until the [trajectory] changes, it is going to be safest for us to be closed,” Cole said. “With the number of cases right now, there’s really no way to project when it might be.”
Chris Hamel, president of the Gateway Film Center, said it will be hard not being able to connect with the community in person.
“It’s sad when you have such an emotional connection to a community and you can’t offer the product and the services that they’re accustomed to receiving from you,” Hamel said.
In spite of this new change, Cole said the response to the announcement has been positive so far.
“I think there’s been a lot of people grateful for us making this decision, so that’s some validation,” Cole said.
The titles “Coded Bias” and “Born to Be” will be accessible online Wednesday. From then on, new titles will be added on a weekly basis, counting four new films — “Collective,” “Monsoon,” “The Twentieth Century” and “Lowdown Dirty Criminals” — to be released Friday, Cole said.
“We’ve got a pretty comparable selection to what you’d come to expect from the center,” Hamel said. “We’ll keep ensuring that we’re bringing those films to the virtual environment until we’re back together at the film center.”
Hamel said viewers can access the virtual screening room, located on the theater’s website, to view which films are available and coming soon.
The theater is accepting donations in support of their work and future reopening, according to a media release from Gateway.
“If an individual or an organization wants to support the work of the film center, that donation goes to cover operating costs, paying for staff, paying for utilities, and we invest that back into the work we do,” Cole said.
Hamel said he believes the film center is doing the right thing by suspending operations.
“We’re doing the responsible thing, and I’m just mostly anxious for when the pandemic has subsided and we can get back to bringing these great movies to Columbus,” Hamel said.
