NewEnglandFilm.com

Since its opening 34 years ago, Railroad Square Cinema of Waterville, Maine, has become famous for supporting lesser known documentaries and independent films in their modest three-screen theater. They have teamed up with the Maine Film Center for various projects over the years, including the renowned Maine International Film Festival, which will celebrate its 16th anniversary this July. Under new ownership the theater will update to digital projectors, expand programming, and officially become a nonprofit organization.

The unique Railroad Square Cinema was first opened in October of 1978 by five film enthusiasts; Ken Eisen, Gail Chase, Lea Girardin, Stu Silverstein, Sandra Sanborn and Alan Sanborn, all of whom are still actively involved in some form.

“We started this movie theater not as a business,” explains founder Alan Sanborn. “It was really to feed our love of films. The only way we could see as many films as we wanted was to show them ourselves.”

The group cannibalized various army surplus projectors and transformed an abandoned beverage warehouse into a film mecca that doubled as a local hot spot.

“We became a kind of community center. At that time people were moving out of the cities and back to the land,” said Sanborn. “A lot of people were moving to Maine and a lot of them were film freaks. These people were attending regularly and some of them have been coming for the entire life of the theater.”

The concept of five friends creating a movie theater in 1970‘s rural Maine sounds like the plot of a movie, but their candid plan has paid off. In 2005 Railroad Square Cinema was named one of New England’s five best cinemas by Yankee Magazine. It was also one of the first twelve theaters to be honored by the Sundance Film Institute in its Art House Project: a prestigious program that brings independent theater operators together from around the country to discuss their practices.

The cinema has always maintained a strong relationship to its hometown, frequently hosting local artist exhibitions in their lobby. In addition to supporting the arts, Railroad Square is a huge community resource, explained Shannon Haines, Executive Director of the Maine Film Center.

“When the larger employers like the colleges or hospitals are in town trying to recruit new employees, they always tell Railroad Square. It’s one of our biggest cultural assets and it definitely adds to the quality of place in Waterville,” said Haines.

The bond was certainly tested in 1994 when the original theater burned down in an assumed electrical fire, devastating the owners as well as the community.

“We weren’t sure if we were even going to rebuild until a bookstore across the street put out a donation box for us. Someone left a $1000 check and that’s when we thought, we gotta do this,” said Sanborn.

The community came together and through various fundraisers, donations, and bake sales, raised an estimated $125,000 to reopen Railroad Square.

“It was a measure of how much we were appreciated … it was a very humbling pipe dream,” said Sanborn.

The theater reopened in July of 1995 and maintained their original mission: to show quality films over Hollywood blockbusters. They never felt competition from surrounding multiplexes as they had their own niche; their focus was always on the films.

The Railroad Square founders even went on to open Shadow Distribution, a film distribution company for unique features and documentaries. In 2004 they attended the Academy Award ceremony for their film Weather Underground, nominated for Best Documentary.

“It was really wonderful, we were all so excited. We got to walk the red carpet … although nobody saw us on TV,” said Sanborn.

Being among Hollywood’s greats was a special experience for Sanborn, who developed a passion for film at a young age. He remembers saving up his pennies to buy films and would project them onto his refrigerator for all the neighborhood kids.

The newest venture for Railroad Square has long since been in the works, explained Haines. The Maine Film Center is a non-profit organization whose mission is to enrich, educate, and entertain the community through film and art. They are the driving force behind the Maine International Film Festival, a major source of revenue for Railroad Square.

One of the final deciding points in purchasing Railroad Square Cinema was the recent conversion to digital projection. Both organizations would have struggled to afford the costly advancement had they been on they’re own.

“Neither one could really exist without the other,” said Haines. “Both organizations struggled to remain sustainable being in a small central Maine community. We thought there were opportunities to share staff and resources if we combined the two.”

Railroad Square will also gain official nonprofit status, an important development that will allow them to apply for grants for the first time. Haines estimates that about 80 percent of art house theaters are not for profit, and for good reason.

“They are mission driven organizations presenting programming for the community not based on commercial success, but the integrity of the programming and are offering something different than the multiplexes down the street,” she said.

Haines has many ideas for the future of Railroad Square Cinema, but also plans on keeping its rich history alive.

“The founders are still working there and will be for as long as they want to. They’re vision is really our vision. We aren’t planning to change anything for the worst. If anything well have more opportunity,” said Haines.

Some of these opportunities include introducing special events such as a cult classic series and features geared toward children. She also plans to incorporate film education to the theater and is excited about the prospect of collaborating with Colby College, as they recently created a film studies program.

“I have a lot of ideas, I’m just trying not to get too excited,” said Haines

Meanwhile Sanborn is getting used to the idea of having a boss for the first time. He hopes that the future of Railroad Square Cinema will be vibrant, and that they’ll continue to take risks with their programming as they have in the past.

“About three times a day I find myself saying that line from the old Greatful Dead song,” said Sanborn. “What a long strange trip its been.”