Black Maria Cinema to enter local micro-cinema market in a big way

If there’s any major step-up to say about our local film industry for the past few years, it’s the fact that micro-cinemas are slowly entering the market. Serving as a new venue to screen Filipino independent films that are either axed off major cinema chains or weren’t even given the opportunity in the first place, the shift of demand among moviegoers to patronize such content is quite monumental.

Black Maria Cinema of production company Black Maria Pictures, is the latest to enter the roster of theaters with clear vision of cultivating the importance of cinephilia in the Philippines. It is built on the grounds of SQ Film Laboratories, a 16/35mm motion picture film laboratory and production outfits which served local and foreign film productions since the ‘70s. It was only 20 years after they decided to rename it as Black Maria Pictures, and then expanded their services to advertising and print needs, and eventually the cinema that is about to open this year.

It had its soft opening in the last quarter of 2017 and has screened a fair share of local and international movies such as Loving Vincent, Respeto, Wonder, and Smaller and Smaller Circles. It even simultaneously participated in the run of last year’s Cinema One Originals.

On that basis alone, the cinema promises to “not just focus on just Philippine cinema, but global cinema itself.”

They are currently slated to host filmmaking workshops, seminars, and partnerships with film groups such as the ABS-CBN Film Restoration Team to host screenings of classic Filipino films, even eyeing to bring rare award-winning foreign films here.

The cinema itself will be the first micro-cinema in the Philippines to be equipped with a 2K digital projection system and 7.1 Dolby Digital Surround Sound. It houses 22 cinema seats, but can accommodate over 40 people in events where the place is filled up than usual.

Currently closed, Black Maria Cinema will finally be unveiled very soon.

Black Maria Cinema is located on 779 San Rafael St., Mandaluyong, 1550 Metro Manila.