By Hawa Sheikh-Adam
Arts and Entertainment Editor
“The goal is a well-rounded film diet.” Andy Smith
Gray Duck Theater, a 66-seat microcinema, is located at 619 Sixth Ave. NW in Rochester. (Photo courtesy of Gray Duck Theater)
Everyone is always down to watch a good film.
Whether that be an adaptation of their favorite book, graphic novel or maybe something that can just cheer them up. Yet there is no theater that could screen small indie films, documentaries, retrospective series and more for film buffs.
One thing that people need to realize is that itís not always either watching a movie at home or going to the movies and spending $6 or more on a medium popcorn. There is now a third option: the Gray Duck Theater.
With the hope of establishing a place for microcinema in Rochester, Andy Smith and his projectionist, Jacob Speckhard, are working hard to make their wish come true.
With the Post Bulletin explaining that Smith’s dream of opening a cinema started in the sixth grade, when he watched hours and hours of behind-the-scenes footage in the extended versions of the Lord of the Rings movies, it was showing how he genuinely enjoyed films like other movies buffs and planned to set his idea in motion to create this microcinema.
Smith also came to the realization that while looking for a location that there wasn’t a community that surrounded the film scene like there was when he lived in Los Angeles.
ìRochester seems to be lacking a community around film, Smith told the Post Bulletin. We’re thinking that the market is ready for it. We’re all about cinema, conversation and community.
Smith brought up many points on how that there were a few independent films that didnít get many showings in larger theaters but would have a better chance in the Gray Duck Theater.
They will be playing classics, and Smith is hoping that his theater’s first series of films will be Audrey Hepburn movies.
The theater is scheduled to open in February before the Oscar nominations are announced. In the meantime, he has focused on going out and gathering information and opinions on what people are.