At the movies

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CORSO, Lugano, 1956, 550 seats Oliver Lang

LEUZINGER, Altdorf, 1963, 285 seats Oliver Lang

LICHTSPIEL, Bern, 2012, 80 seats Oliver Lang

GSTAAD, Gstaad, 1955, 203 seats Oliver Lang

FILMPODIUM, Zürich, 1949 (Renovation 1983 and 2003), 263 seats Oliver Lang

SIL PLAZ, Illanz, 2010, 52 seats Oliver Lang

CAMERA, Basel, 1963 (Renovation 1977), 66 and 142 seats Oliver Lang

COLISEE, Couvet, 1956 (Renovation 2003), 207 seats Oliver Lang

ROXY, Romanshorn, 1920 (Renovation 1960 and 2003), 147 seats Oliver Lang

APOLLO, Chur, 1956, 334 seats Oliver Lang

CITYCLUB, Pully, 1958 (Renovation 2011), 200 seats Oliver Lang

MUOTATHAL, Muotathal, 1950s, 200 seats Oliver Lang

CINE-LUCARNE, Le Noirmont, 1957 (Renovation 1974), 110 seats Oliver Lang

IRIDE, Lugano, 1940 (Renovation 1987), 118 seats Oliver Lang

GRÜNEGG, Konolfingen, 1958, 117 seats Oliver Lang

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Going to the movies is still a beloved pastime in Switzerland, which has more than 270 cinemas. A new book, “Rex, Roxy, Royal”, takes us inside a few of them.

Sandra Walti, one of the book’s publishers, has long worked behind the scenes at an independent cinema in the town of Aarau. The idea of creating a photo book featuring movie theatre interiors came to her over the years, while cleaning her cinema after a screening or creating the programme for the following month. The project finally came into being about a year ago, with her co-publisher Tina Schmid.

Ten collaborators from across Switzerland scoured archives and conducted historic research for the book. Photographer Olivier Lang travelled throughout Switzerland and documented cinemas in big cities and small towns, from mini-to-multiplexes. 

The resulting bookExternal link takes readers across the country and brings them closer to the history of the cinemas, at a time of declining ticket sales. The switch from analog to digital is an added challenge for small theatres, and some have had to close their doors forever as a result.

Still, sitting in the dark surrounded by strangers, and entering another world through a giant screen, continues to be an attractive experience. Walti says she was surprised to discover how many theatres across Switzerland have opened or re-opened, often a result of efforts by a community that doesn’t want to lose its local cinema.

(Photos: Oliver Lang; Text: Thomas Kern, swissinfo.ch)