[spectre] about the lietuva cinema in vilnius [u]

[Geert Lovink [c]]

See also: http://www.vilma.cc/LIETUVA/

http://www.baltictimes.com/art.php?art_id=12887

VILNIUS - How do you measure, in a non-monetary sense, the value of a 
cinema to the community it serves?

How would you quantify its contribution toward the well-being and 
social development of a community and its positive knock-off effects to 
the economy? Such questions have always been fiendishly difficult to 
answer, but if there was ever a pressing need to do so, it is now.

By the end of the summer, if property developers get their way, the 
iconic Lietuva cinema will disappear from the Vilnius landscape 
altogether. In a city that has already lost 15 cinemas in recent years, 
the theater’s demolition will effectively signal the end of independent 
film screening in Vilnius. Not only does this mean that the viewing 
choices of thousands of filmgoers will be severely limited, but 
valuable cultural and economic benefits will also be lost to the 
so-called European Capital of Culture 2009.

Designed to “contribute to bringing the peoples of Europe together,” 
the European City of Culture project was launched by the Council of 
Ministers on June 13, 1985. Since its initiation, the prestigious name, 
granted to deserving EU member cities, has become ever more popular 
with the citizens of Europe, and has seen its cultural and 
socio-economic influence grow through the many visitors it has 
attracted.

The European Cities of Culture are decided each year by the Council on 
a commission recommendation, which takes into account the view of a 
jury comprising seven prominent independent members, each of them 
experts in the culture sector.

Lithuania has been elected to host the event in 2009 - thus the 
importance of keeping alive artistic venues such as the Lietuva cinema. 
If the cinema is lost, the heart of Vilnius’ film culture will go with 
it.

However, none of this is about to happen without a fight. At the core 
of this controversy is an initiative called Pro-Test LAB, a 
well-organized and articulate network of people representing all 
aspects of the arts and cultural community. Formed with the express aim 
of stimulating debate and positive action against the creeping loss of 
public spaces to private property development, they see the impending 
loss of the Lietuva cinema as particularly disturbing.

“Apart from everything else, this cinema has great symbolic 
significance for many people in Lithuania,” says Nomeda Marcenaite, a 
media artist and one of the initiators behind Pro-Test LAB. “When it 
was built in 1965, naming it Lietuva was an act of bravery and it’s 
still incredible to think that they managed to get away with it. When 
people said ‘Let’s meet in Lietuva’ it meant much more than ‘Let’s go 
to the movies.”’

Situated in the cinema’s former ticket office, Pro-Test LAB is working 
against the clock to initiate multiple protest actions in support of 
saving the movie theater and other public spaces.

“We are a production house of creative protest when it comes to the 
issue of losing public spaces,” says Marcenaite.

So how does this all relate to measuring the social and economic impact 
of such cultural institutions? In the modern world of networking, 
partnerships and cultural diversity, the Lietuva plays a significant 
role in the promotion of all three practices.

Through its partnership with Europa Cinema, the Lietuva networks 
extensively within Europe and internationally with independent 
film-makers, programmers, producers and directors. It provides a forum 
to explore and debate the world of film and culture, and through these 
networks, is able to schedule a culturally diverse program of films.

Indeed over the last three months, the Lietuva has successfully 
scheduled four international film festivals from Japan, Africa, Italy 
and the U.K., and is host to “Kino Pavasaris” (Spring Cinema) the 
biggest annual international film festival in Lithuania. Moreover, 
there is a clear demand for such films.

Vida Ramaskiene, director of the Lietuva, has seen the demand for 
mainstream films drop significantly over the last five years. So much 
so, that the scheduling program is now equally balanced between 
independent and mainstream films.

“For 15 years now, I’ve been coping with the threat against the 
Lietuva,” says Ramaskiene. “In previous years, we underwent several 
other initiatives to close down the cinema. I feel terribly exhausted 
from the theater’s undetermined status, it makes it very difficult to 
plan ahead when arranging film events.”

The other detail worth mentioning is that the ticket price at the 
Lietuva is half the price of a ticket elsewhere in Vilnius, thereby 
making it more accessible to more people.

“We sense tremendous support from Vilnius residents - dozens of 
filmgoers approach me personally offering help in every possible way, 
and some 5,000 people have voluntarily signed a book of protest,” the 
cinema’s director adds. “All of this leaves us optimistic and gives us 
the strength to continue fighting for the Lietuva.”

Of equal importance but much harder to quantify, are the knock-off 
economic benefits of such a cinema and the value of its network on the 
Vilnius community. There is little doubt that such relationships help 
to raise Lithuania’s profile in the European business and cultural 
community as an independent, progressive, creative and culturally 
tolerant society. Such traits are now widely used by investors as 
positive economic indicators.

It is also now widely accepted in the business community that a city 
rich in artistic diversity and supportive enough to encourage the 
emergence of diverse artistic talent will bring investment. More 
importantly, it has been proven that a population stimulated and 
challenged through art and culture is happier, more motivated and 
creative, and has a better sense of pride in their city.

This is a different kind of bottom line. It is one that has to be 
measured beyond the short-term financial gain of a few private 
individuals. It is an issue that requires long-term vision and 
imaginative thinking because ultimately, the benefits to Lithuania will 
be incalculable.