Cinema Falls brings daily art house films to West Mall 7

Nov. 6, 2020

An organization that brings independent films to Sioux Falls has started offering daily screenings at West Mall 7 Theatres.

Cinema Falls will bring in a new movie every week, founder Julie Anderson Friesen said.

“I love the fact that they reached out and wanted to figure out a way that I could continue to serve my patrons, and it would also help people see that they could come to a movie theater and that it would be a very reduced audience size and that they could do it safely.”

Anderson Friesen started Cinema Falls in 2012, offering art house films about twice a month from fall through spring. Moviegoers could buy passes for the fall and spring seasons or get tickets to each film. The spring 2020 season started in January but was suspended in March as the pandemic began to shut down Sioux Falls.

Anderson Friesen is excited about being able to give her Cinema Falls patrons and other independent film lovers the opportunity to see a different movie every week. She likes the flexibility weekly showings offer, allowing people to pick the day that works the best for them.

“I’m really excited about being able to essentially operated as a daily art house theater.”

She’s booking new content, continuing to handpick titles herself rather than using a service.

She started off with “On the Rocks,” starring Bill Murray and Rashida Jones. A documentary, “The Donut King,” kicks off today, which “has a lot of excellent, high ratings from critics,” she said. Up next is “The Climb,” a comedy that “is on a lot of film lovers’ lists and has been selected at a lot of festivals.”

The movies are shown at 4:30 p.m. daily, which Anderson Friesen said can work as sort of an alternative happy hour, especially now that the West Mall 7 sells beer, wine and hard seltzer starting at 4 p.m.

Cinema Falls films are in the 200-seat theater, and ticket buyers, who are encouraged to make purchases online, are assigned seats that are spaced out from other groups. Capacity is limited to 25 percent. Movie times also are staggered.

“It could be nine people; it could be 30,” she said. “Numbers are lower. People are distanced. You’re just not going to be elbow to elbow in a theater.”

Anderson Friesen said she understands that some people might not feel comfortable returning to movie theaters yet, and for those who do, she’s looking for feedback about the experience.

“I sent out a survey to ask people whether they would come back to the theater or not. They said: ‘We just really want Cinema Falls to continue. We want you to hang in there. We care about the films you select.’ And just that alone was so meaningful and makes me happy to serve the people who felt ready to come back.”

Trying to survive: West Mall 7 adds first-run movies, prepares for alcohol sales

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Cinema Falls brings daily art house films to West Mall 7

An organization that brings independent films to Sioux Falls has started offering daily screenings at West Mall 7 Theatres.

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