a new cinema paradiso is here
Female Singapore|December 2023
On November 28, one of the most unprecedented ventures in the local entertainment landscape opened in Cineleisure: Golden Village X The Projector, or GV X TP for short. Besides being mammoth in size (specifically, 41,000 sq ft covering six cinema halls and more), it's monumental in how it's a tie-up between essentially the David and Goliath of cinema. After all, compared to Golden Village - Singapore's largest cinema chain founded in the early 1990s - The Projector remains best known as the independently run, indie film-focused picture house that has captured the heart of the creative community here with not just its programming, but also its resilience and support for the arts. Keng Yang Shuen speaks with its co-founder Karen Tan and general manager Prashant Somosundram on what this new space means for The Projector, cinema-going and possibly Orchard Road.
a new cinema paradiso is here

WHEN THE PROJECTOR STARTED OUT IN 2014, STREAMING SERVICES SUCH AS NETFLIX WERE NOT YET AVAILABLE IN SINGAPORE. NOW, THERE’S AN OVERABUNDANCE OF STREAMING CHOICES. IS HAVING A GOOD ROSTER OF FILMS ENOUGH FOR MOVIE THEATRES TO SURVIVE THESE DAYS?

KAREN TAN (KT): “It’s not just streaming services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime and HBO. There are also social media channels such as TikTok, Instagram, Lemonade and X … What we’re up against is a fight for people’s time. With that, the big question is: What can we offer that these digital platforms can’t? For us, the answer is face‑to‑face experience with other human beings. As an independent cinema, we’re not just providing you with films. We’re also providing you with a great night out with friends or an experience watching something that’s interactive and maybe thought‑provoking. It always comes back to building community in what I hope is an authentic way.”

THE PROJECTOR TURNS NINE THIS MONTH. WHAT DO YOU THINK ACCOUNTS FOR YOUR LONGEVITY? 

This story is from the December 2023 edition of Female Singapore.

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This story is from the December 2023 edition of Female Singapore.

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