Why Movie Lovers Are Flocking to Catskill NY

At the start of this decade, the state of movies in this country was undergoing a huge debate. Many thought that, after major blows to the world economy, a global pandemic, and subpar working conditions that led to union strikes, the future of movie theaters in America was in peril. While many of those issues still persist, one thing is clear: the movies are not dead. Two months ago, Art House Convergence’s National Audience Survey showed a rise in filmgoing at local independent theaters, particularly among audiences under 50 years of age. It makes sense, given that “third spaces” for people to congregate in are dwindling, and malls are dying (dead?), but going to the movies is still one of the only affordable activities one can do, especially since many local theaters provide weekday discounts. And as much as humans are distracted by their small screens, there are few things as luring as the neon glow emanating from a theater’s marquee. You can feel this energy evident in many towns, and Community Theater in Catskill, NY, is one of the top contenders. In less than a year, this newly restored movie palace has been home to some of the most diverse, exciting, and, as its name suggests, community-driven film programming in the Hudson Valley.

​According to Brian Whitney of Community Theater, “Our primary goal at uppercase-C, Community is building lowercase-c, community; not just turning the neon back on, but bringing people together through unique events and programming, and giving the people of Catskill and the surrounding area a place to experience films of all types. As we close in on our first anniversary of reopening, it’s safe to say that we’ve exceeded my expectations as to where we’d be at this point, and we’re so excited to continue developing and improving the theater into the future.”

​One of the key figures in this rise in popularity is filmmaker Jane Schoenbrun. Their feature debut, We’re All Going to the World’s Fair (shot in Saugerties and Middletown, NY), garnered such critical acclaim that it made them a name to know. By the time their second feature, I Saw the TV Glow, premiered, it made them someone to follow.

Schoenbrun’s talent for working through themes of queer/trans loneliness and belonging, done through the influences of filmmaking legends like Cronenberg, Lynch, and Carpenter, has made them one of the most beloved new directors of the decade. Needless to say, whatever Schoenbrun makes next would be a very big deal. That’s why it’s so important that Jane intentionally made Community Theater a press stop during the premiere of their latest film, Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma. Now a local to the area, Jane has been very vocal about supporting the theater and has been quite successful in bringing talent for special screenings that include post-show discussions with filmmakers.

In the months leading up to the premiere of Camp Miasma, Jane has hosted screenings of Sophy Romvari’s touching feature film debut Blue Heron, Annapurna Sriram’s saucy sex comedy Fucktoys, and John Early’s Lifetime melodrama-inspired/comedy hybrid Maddie’s Secret (which sold out their 500-seat main auditorium). Those are different movies spanning themes and genres, but they all had one thing in common – an audience of cinephiles in attendance who have been waiting for these types of events to be hosted locally. They happen multiple times per day just two hours downstate in New York City; so why not up here in the Catskills?

It’s safe to say that the wait is officially over. The premiere of Camp Miasma was another completely sold-out screening. The event, set to start at 5pm, had a line spanning several blocks on Catskill’s Main Street by 3pm. Many attendees dressed as camp counselors and campers, in line with the camp slasher movie theme. Friends, Ally and Mady, showed up soaked in fake blood inspired by the lead characters played by Gillian Anderson and Hannah Einbinder, the latter of whom was in attendance. Ally had already seen the movie twice before; she even went to the world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival. It was clearly a priority for fans of Schoenbrun’s work to be at this hometown premiere.

Upon entering the theater, guests were given collectible trading cards featuring artwork and “trivia” from the film’s fictional horror franchise. Clips of slasher films like Sleepaway Camp, Friday the 13th, and Camp Blood were shown on the screen as attendees waited for the pre-show. Many of the clips played were influences on Camp Miasma, adding to the highly curated experiential factor of the night. The pre-show was an ethereal ambient music set by Emily A. Sprague – a Catskills native and friend of Schoenbrun’s. It was the perfect lead-in to the main event: the actual screening of Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma, a movie that is draped in horror aesthetics but is much more about letting go of the intellectual and giving in to the corporeal.

The post-screening discussion with Jane Schoenbrun and Hannah Einbinder was moderated by filmmaker Avalon Fast, where Schoenbrun said this was their first movie completely written since moving to the area. Of course, the Catskills make a perfect muse for anyone attempting to make a horror-influenced, woodsy, summer camp movie. But this is particularly important, as Schoenbrun stated that they feel like they’ve finally found a home. Therefore, it’s no coincidence that Camp Miasma is Schoenbrun’s most optimistic movie, finding joy amidst the horror and gore. It’s the sort of joy that becomes apparent when one has found a place they belong in. Schoenbrun even referred to the movie theater as their “living room.”

Brian Whitney adds: “Something we really appreciate about our relationship with Jane is how organically it happened. This collaboration started because Jane started coming to see movies at the theater. We’re not a big corporate organization; we’re a few people who live in this area and care about the movies. In Jane, we found a kindred spirit. That makes collaborating with them really exciting for us.” It’s these organic connections that make what’s happening at Community Theater feel special.

On a personal note, I have a similar relationship to the theater. After moving to Saugerties NY, I yearned for the type of film community I was used to in my native New York City, and after connecting with Community, I soon found myself introducing movies like Moonstruck, Romeo + Juliet, and One From the Heart at the theater, as well as moderating a weekend of after-screening discussions with 20th Century Women and C’mon C’mon director Mike Mills. I’ve personally witnessed how fast this film community has grown, and how meaningful these events are to local film fans.

​

After Camp Miasma and the post-screening Q&A, an afterparty was held at the Hi-Way Drive-In Theater just ten minutes away in Coxsackie NY, where Jane programmed a night of horror films: Psycho (the notorious almost-shot-for-shot remake directed by Gus Van Sant), Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors, and Halloween II (Rob Zombie’s version). Although it was at a drive-in theater, most guests left their cars and spent the night by small bonfires, making s’mores and watching the movies while sitting cross-legged on blankets with friends. This included Jane. The laid-back, anti-fussy, genuine community-building of this event can not be understated.

Greg Mills, co-owner of both Community and Hi-Way Drive-In: “Since we reopened in September, we’ve dreamed of nights like this.”

During a time when many things seem bleak, it’s heartening to know that many people are continuing to find community through film, and it is especially thriving in Catskill, New York.

+ + +

Photos by Tiffany Vazquez

Follow/Connect with Community Theater via Website | Facebook | Instagram 

What to Do. Where to Go. Who to Know.
Start with INSIDE+OUT Upstate NY