For those who are not interested in seeing a Robocop remake or the latest installment in the Captain America series, the Laramie Film Society may have an alternative: the Wyo Theater will kick off its 8-week Independent Film Series Sunday at 7 p.m. The spring series will run regardless of advance ticket sales, unlike the past fall series that was cancelled.
Film journalist and Laramie Film Society co-founder and board member Robert Roten said he expects the spring series to go over well of the Academy Awards causing hype over some of the films in the series.
The eight films in the line up are the following: “Dallas Buyers Club,” “Nebraska,” “All Is Lost,” “Philomina,” “12 Years a Slave,” “Inside Llewyn Davis,” “August: Osage County” and “Labor Day.”
Roten said that most of the films and actors in the films were nominated for awards and won awards at the Academy Awards.
“With the publicity surrounding the Academy Awards more people have heard of the films in the Spring Series,” said Roten. “[Rocky Mountain Resort Cinemas] is pretty confident they can make a profit on this series.”
The spring and fall film series have been around since the 1980s, said Roten. Rocky Mounty Resort Cinemas (RMRC) was not bringing in enough money and cancelled the series for one season until the Laramie Film Society volunteered to sell tickets for each of the films.
Pre-sale tickets packages are on sale at businesses including The Pedal House, Big Hollow Food Coop and Turtle Rock Coffee and Café. These packages are $20 a piece and include 3 tickets to the film series and a Wyo Film Society card that will discount additional film series tickets to $5 a piece. These packages are also available for purchase at the Wyo Theater every night 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Tickets will be sold at the door for the series at $6.50 per ticket.
Roten said the Laramie Film Society engages the community in various ways throughout the year.
“Promoting the Wyo Theater and the film series isn’t the only thing we do,” said Roten.
The Laramie Film Society holds its own film series in the summer at the Albany County Public Library in conjunction with the Wyo. Peace and Justice Corps. Free drinks and popcorn are at that film series that lasts 13 to 14 weeks.
“We set up 16 millimeter silent projectors and shoot them on to the wall,” said Roten. “We run them during the street dance at Jubilee Days.”
Roten said that the film society expects to have another outdoor film at Undine Park this coming summer.
The Laramie Film Society does have a desire to keep the Wyo Theater running, Roten said.
According to the Laramie Film Society’s website, the single-screen theater was built around 1928 and is one of the oldest continuously operating theaters in Wyo.
“It dates back to the silent era,” said Roten. “It should be possible that we can get some grant money to help repair the marquee.”
Roten said that the roof needs some repair as well.
According to the Laramie Film Society’s website, the Wyo Theater has brought over 450 independent, art, and foreign films to Laramie.
Roten said that more information about the film series, the Laramie Film Society and the Wyo Theater can be found at film.laramie.wy.us.
