Cinemas

A larger part of them (ca 85%) belong to the municipalities. One factor in the diminishing impact of cinema culture is the increase of television. The meaning of cinema has changed – it has primarily become a symbol of a social way of life, an opportunity to share emotions simultaneously with all the other people in the cinema hall. Culture (including cinema) is enjoyed more in towns than in rural areas.

The state does not directly interfere in managing the cinemas and there is no special law about them in Estonia. Cinemas are part of a more extensive state cultural policy, because they can be seen as an outlet of national film politics. There is not a great deal of money to develop cinemas in a country the size of Estonia where the number of people consuming culture in their own language is small. Cinemas based on private capital operate as entertainment establishments according to the free market principles. The state has no plans to build more cinemas in any near future.

There is no organisation that unites all cinemas in Estonia. Most cinemas are part-time multifunctional enterprises with one screen. Cinema halls are mostly used to encourage local culture in a community. Films are shown a few times a week or even less. Cinemas in rural areas cannot survive on ticket profit and must rely on the local government support.

The new cinemas naturally caused competition and one of the positive outcomes was the reduction of ticket prices, which makes films more available for many. Competition encourages adopting new technologies, such as digital cinemas.


Cinema halls

As a joint initiative of the Ministry of Culture and the Estonian Film Foundation, an art-house type film centre was established in 2005, with the aim of introducing the masterpieces of European and world film. Since 2009, the centre operates in the new, two-screen Artis. In order to avoid the dominance of entertainment programmes, both the Ministry of Culture and the Cultural Endowment are supporting the quality film centre.

The Cinema House by the Filmmakers’ Union, organises authors’ evenings, screenings of archive material, children’s mornings and other events. Thematic film weeks are also popular. The Cinema House has been organising the days of Estonian film for the past 12 years. Regular Showings of art-house films take place on a regular basis.

 The Festival of World Cinema is organised in Tartu, in the rooms of cinema Athena.

In addition there are the multiplexes Cinamon and Coca-Cola Plaza. The first projection based on digital technology was opened in Estonia in 2008 and 3D-film was launched in 2009.

Private companies rent rooms from local governments and use them for showing films. For example Rubiin in Viljandi and Diva  Kuressaare.

A new film project known as Cinema Bus was started in August 2001. It promotes and introduces Estonian films in areas without a cinema. The Bus organises events also in winter, showing Estonian film classics and programmes of new films. The summer workshops and showings are free. The aim of the workshops is to teach children and young adults to think visually and show/introduce a chance to get involved in visual media in Estonian rural areas.

The Cinema Bus is supported by the Ministry of Culture, Estonian Film Foundation and various sponsors. The Cinema Bus and the Emajõgi River Barge Society are both involved in film education and media teaching project Nature Education Through Film,with the aim of arranging relevant courses on board the Nature Barge. The project is supported by the National Foundation of Civil Society.


Financing

The state share in supporting the cinemas is about 60–70%, and the contribution of local governments is 30–40%.

The Ministry of Culture  supports various film events and distribution via a special council. Grants for restoring rural cinemas and producing international cooperation films are allocated by a special committee. The state funding priorities include art-house films and support for culturally significant programmes.

The Ministry of Culture has started a restoration programme of rural cinemas, aiming to update the technology of operating cinemas and open new cinemas in areas where they once were. Funding is shared with local governments and private capital. Local governments usually renovate the rooms and partially finance the purchase of technological equipment. The state offers additional support for acquiring and restoring the necessary equipment (film projector, screen, sound system).