Nice to be niche, but financial reality bites

Indie cinema The Projector was cool, but that factor could not help it escape cruel economics

- John Lui Senior Film Correspondent

It is heartbreaking. From its founding in 2014, I have reported on indie cinema The Projector.

Its sudden closure on Aug 19, with no warning, proves one more rule about the leisure business in Singapore: Hipster credibility is not enough.

The loss of the cinema at Golden Mile Tower does not just mean the loss of a screening venue. It is also the loss of a cultural hub that brought musicians, deejays, comedians and performers of every stripe closer to audiences.

Through its film festivals and other events, it championed causes, from LGBTQ+ to European film to various charities.

It is the loss of a venue that tried to make cinema-going a full night out, complete with a compelling food selection, live music and a bar, with the menu often matched to the films.

Over its 11-year history, The Projector became a brand synonymous with these qualities: cosmopolitan, tasteful, eclectic, cool.

As it turns out, being cool in Singapore—whether the business is noodles, doughnuts, fashion or film screenings—is no guarantee of long-term success. Such is the brutal reality of the leisure industry in Singapore. Being cool or hip means being in a niche.

Having a mainstream audience is tough enough. In the past few years, veteran cinema operators like Filmgarde and Eng Wah have exited the business. Cathay Cineplexes has closed outlets in West Mall, Jem, AMK Hub and others as it tries to pay debts, despite having access to the same blockbusters made available to the industry's biggest players, Golden Village and Shaw.

What is interesting about The Projector's immediate closure on Aug 19—the same day that it announced it was closing—is how sudden and unexpected it was. Film distributors I spoke to had no idea, and were told only hours before the media statement was sent at noon on Aug 19.