Following a new five-year lease arrangement, Toronto's landmark Revue Cinema will stay operating
A last-minute court injunction temporarily halted the eviction, but the cinema's future remained uncertain until now.
After a summer filled with legal battles and negotiations, Toronto's historic Revue Cinema has secured its future.
The Revue Film Society announced on Tuesday that it has reached a new five-year lease agreement with the building's owners, Danny and Letty Mullin.
This deal comes as a relief after the cinema, which first opened at 400 Roncesvalles Ave. in 1912 and is designated as a heritage site, faced potential closure when its previous lease ended in June without a renewal agreement.
A last-minute court injunction temporarily halted the eviction, but the cinema's future remained uncertain until now.
Cinema enthusiasts can now breathe easy, as the Revue has already released its September programming schedule.
The new agreement will also see the restoration of the heritage façade of the building begin later this year, along with other facility enhancements.
Grant Oyston, Chair of the Revue Film Society, commented, “Patrons can look forward to exciting new programming and upcoming facility enhancements, including restoration of the heritage façade set to commence this year.”
Despite a contentious start to the negotiations, both parties have managed to find common ground. “Negotiations, even between longstanding partners, can often lead to misunderstandings, but the length and strength of our partnership with the Mullins and good faith on all sides allowed us to end up in a good place,” the Revue Film Society stated in their release.
As part of the new lease terms, the Mullins requested that the Revue Film Society contribute significantly to St. Joseph’s Health Centre.
In response, the Society will donate advertising space valued at over $62,000 to the St. Joseph’s Health Centre Foundation over the duration of the lease and will host an annual fundraising event at the theatre to support the hospital.
Described on its website as a “unique Toronto cultural treasure with a vibrant historic past and an unwavering community commitment,” the cinema remains dedicated to presenting diverse programs that reflect the evolving local community and Greater Toronto Area.
The Revue Cinema continues to offer over a thousand screenings annually.
