Premiere Screenings of Your Cinema Needs You

What an incredible way to close out 2023! The premiere screenings of "Your Cinema Needs You" at the Monarch Theatre have been a resounding success with just over 1200 people passing through the cinema's doors for 3 nights of sold out shows.

It's been 3 days of laughs, cheers, tears, and a lot of nostalgia as the Monarch Theatre received the long-awaited reintroduction that she deserved, and the feature-length documentary finally got the climactic conclusion that we always dreamed would be possible after first learning of the theatre's closure back in 2021.

If I'm completely honest, I was never concerned that people wouldn't "like" the documentary. We'd done enough previews and test screenings along the way to know that even the casual movie-lover was likely to find something to sink their teeth into. What I hadn't prepared for though, was for quite this many people to actually LOVE it. And I mean, paragraphs long messages, tears in their eyes, personally recommending it to all of their friends, love it. That's something you really can't know until you're in the moment and you're seeing it unfold directly in front of you each night.

This was all a bit of lightning in a bottle. The timing of the production lining up with the closure of the Monarch was one thing, but then getting the opportunity to reintroduce Canada's oldest, surviving, purpose-built movie theatre by hosting the premiere screenings as part of the official reopening was all incredibly serendipitous. As I said in my premiere speeches each night, "I couldn't have scripted a better conclusion than this."

"Your Cinema Needs You" has the privilege of being the last screening at the Monarch in 2023, and will now also be the first screening of 2024 with the launch of the encore shows beginning on January 4th. I simply can't say it enough, but thank you to everyone who has made this possible. This has absolutely been a dream come true. Happy New Year!

History Was On Hand: Monarch Documentary

Thank you to the Medicine Hat News for being in attendance and sharing this story following the opening night of the Premiere Screenings of Your Cinema Needs You at the Monarch Theatre in Medicine Hat, Alberta. Read the full news story here. 

Opening Night of Your Cinema Needs You

Night 1 of the premiere screenings of "Your Cinema Needs You" took place in a sold out Monarch Theatre last night, and I'm still struggling to find the words to say something more profound than thank you. But, thank you all the same.

I didn't take a single picture (although the photographer I hired should have some great shots) so instead I was left to assemble a collage from some of the images that were shared on my socials last night when the screening ended. The kind words, excitement, and shared stories are so incredibly wholesome it's making my teeth hurt lol.

I can't really summarize this experience yet as there are still 5 more screenings to come, but one moment that sticks with me from last night was after the movie ended and the lights came up. This sweet little old lady approached me through a crowd of well wishers and grabbed my hand just to tell me, "It's made me fall in love with my childhood movie theatre all over again." It was so earnest, she uno-reversed me with the emotional feedback lol.

Thank you to everyone who was there. Thank you to everyone who made it possible. I'll never forget this. It was worth the wait to debut this in the Monarch first.

Monarch Theatre Turns 112 Years Old

Opened 112 years ago today, the Monarch Theatre in Medicine Hat, Alberta may just be the coolest little movie house you've never heard of. With roots stretching back to some of the very first widely released films ever made, and a series of lucky streaks that have kept it alive this entire time - this may now be Canada's oldest purpose-built movie theatre left standing.

Come experience this history from within the cinema at the centre of this story. New tickets for "Your Cinema Needs You" at the Monarch Theatre have just been released for January 4th, 5th, and 6th, 2024 at 7 PM. These encore screenings following the 3 night sold out premiere event in December will be the last opportunity to see this feature-length documentary before the Monarch once again goes dark for continued renovations.

Book your movie tickets here.

Encore Screenings of the Monarch Documentary

CLICK HERE to purchase tickets for the encore screenings of "Your Cinema Needs You" at the Monarch Theatre in Medicine Hat, Alberta at 7 PM on January 4th, 5th, and 6th, 2024.

After more than 2 years in production, the feature-length documentary about one of Canada's most underrated cinematic landmarks is finally ready to debut within the very cinema at the heart of this story, the Monarch Theatre in Medicine Hat, Alberta. 

Following the 3 night sold out premiere event in December 2023, the encore screenings in January are an exclusive opportunity to return to the Monarch Theatre for the first time since its closing, experience the largely untold history of one of Canada's last surviving cinemas of the silent era from within its auditorium, and be among the very first to see "Your Cinema Needs You" before its Canada-wide release later in 2024. 

Directed by Luke Fandrich, the 2 hour and 15 minute documentary traces the origins of the Monarch Theatre, the rise and fall of its direct competitors, and the cinema's evolution over 112 years since it first opened its doors on December 21, 1911. "Your Cinema Needs You" features newly uncovered images, artifacts, and exclusive interviews from individuals spanning the Monarch's history, including former usherettes, managers, projectionists, moviegoers, and more! 

This will be the final opportunity to view "Your Cinema Needs You" at the Monarch Theatre before the cinema once again goes dark for an extended time to continue with planned renovations.

Book your tickets now to experience the start of the Monarch Theatre's next chapter.

Monarch Documentary: Souvenir Premiere Tickets

If you have movie tickets to one of the sold out premiere screenings of "Your Cinema Needs You" at the Monarch Theatre later this month on December 28th, 29th, and 30th, remember to grab a FREE souvenir ticket stub when you attend.

I personally love having souvenirs from my experiences, but with everything moving online, you rarely get the memento anymore. I thought I'd create some vintage inspired tickets to give guests something to share, to take a picture for socials, or just to mark the occasion. I'll also have a hole punch on hand so we can punch the exact date you attended the screening (if you want to).

The souvenir tickets are purely aesthetic, so unfortunately they won't get you in the door. But, I'll probably be handing these out as people line up at the Monarch before the show.

And if you missed out on this first round of screenings at the Monarch, stay tuned for news to drop about additional screenings coming this Thursday (Dec. 21).

Premiere Posters at the Monarch Theatre

The exterior poster windows at the Monarch Theatre have now been restored - new lights, new plexiglass, and a fresh logo inspired by how these frames looked back in the forties.

We've also just installed the premiere edition posters for "Your Cinema Needs You" and they don't just pop - they glow! Lots of really cool little steps happening behind the scenes as we get closer to the premiere dates on December 28th, 29th, and 30th.

 

Your Cinema Needs You on the Monarch Marquee

Admittedly, I'm biased, but I think this looks way better on the Monarch Theatre's marquee than "CLOSED" did. Movie tickets for the premiere of "Your Cinema Needs You" are moving quickly. Purchase your tickets here for the screenings on December 28th, 29th, and 30th.

 

Monarch Theatre Premiere: Purchase Movie Tickets

CLICK HERE to get your movie tickets for the premiere of "Your Cinema Needs You" at the Monarch Theatre in Medicine Hat, Alberta at 7 PM on December 28th, 29th, and 30th, 2023. 

After more than 2 years in production, the feature-length documentary about one of Canada's most underrated cinematic landmarks is finally ready to premiere within the very cinema at the heart of this story, the Monarch Theatre in Medicine Hat, Alberta. 

This 3 day premiere event is an exclusive opportunity to return to the Monarch Theatre for the first time since its closing, experience the largely untold history of one of Canada's last surviving cinemas of the silent era from within its auditorium, and be among the very first to see "Your Cinema Needs You" before its Canada-wide release in 2024. 

Directed by Luke Fandrich, the 2 hour and 15 minute documentary traces the origins of the Monarch Theatre, the rise and fall of its direct competitors, and the cinema's evolution over 112 years since it first opened its doors on December 21, 1911. 

"Your Cinema Needs You" features newly uncovered images, artifacts, and exclusive interviews from individuals spanning the Monarch's history, including former usherettes, managers, projectionists, moviegoers, and more! 

Book your tickets now to experience the start of the Monarch Theatre's next chapter.

Monarch Documentary: Premiere Is A Go!

After last week's post about the seeming unlikelihood of Your Cinema Needs You premiering this year, I couldn't be more thrilled to announce that the Monarch documentary will officially premiere at the Monarch Theatre before the year is out! December 28, 29, and 30th to be exact. Now the real work begins to pull this together and rally the community.

Here was the teaser trailer from today's surprise announcement (see below). Tickets for the screenings will go on sale this Thursday with a direct link to the ticketing portal posted here on Editing Luke as well as on facebook.com/editingluke. I hope to see you there! 

One World Observatory at One World Trade Center

A few visuals from a trip to the top of One World Trade Center and an exploration of One World Observatory overlooking the incredible skyline of New York City.

Hurry Up & Wait: Monarch Documentary

I can sum up my rollercoaster of a year in just a few headlines, despite being pretty quiet about the Monarch Theatre and my documentary over the last few months. Spurred on again by today's story in the newspaper about the cinema, I realized that this game of "hurry up and wait" is causing some confusion about what's happening. 

First, no, you didn't miss the release of the movie. 

Make no mistake, I'd love nothing more than to finally have news to share about the premiere, when it's happening, and how you can get your tickets to see the film. A year ago the expectation that this would be out in 2023 was not only incredibly realistic, I was also committed to that plan as contractually I knew it's when the film would be delivered. 

Unfortunately, a lot of the activity surrounding the Monarch Theatre and its reopening has taken considerably longer than expected, and contrary to some popular belief, this activity doesn't involve me at all. I'm watching from the sidelines just like everyone else. 

The 2 hour and 15 minute documentary about this historic, largely unknown movie house, "Your Cinema Needs You" was completed this summer following the long-anticipated news that the Monarch Theatre was finally going to be purchased. This was the final piece of the narrative puzzle that I had been waiting for. The film was then finalized, delivered to await distribution, and the plans were set in motion for a premiere that would reopen the cinema. 

This was roughly 3 months ago. 

I know better than anyone how unpredictable a timeline can become when a story is still unfolding. It's also why the wider distribution / streaming of the documentary has been put on hold until it can play in the Monarch Theatre first. The overwhelming local support to see this outcome is now seemingly shared by everyone connected to the documentary, including the new owners / operators of the Monarch. So, here we are. 

Put simply, I know it's taking longer than everyone thought, but as soon as the Monarch is able to confirm a timeline, I'll be shouting it from the rooftops.

Bellagio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada

A few visuals from the Bellagio Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.