Warsaw. The operator of the Luna cinema said goodbye to the audience

On Saturday, a farewell post appeared on the Luna Cinema website on social media. The current operator Projekt Kino officially announced the termination of its operations.

“Currently, the cinema has been handed over to the owner, the Masovian Institute of Culture, a cultural institution of the Masovian Voivodeship Self-Government, and the further fate of Luna is in his hands,” we read in the entry.

Projekt Kino representatives noted that currently running a cinema is a huge challenge. “Maintaining a space that simultaneously serves as a cultural center and copes with economic realities was a difficult but fulfilling task. We believed that Luna was more than just a screen and armchairs. It was a place where each screening had its own magic, and every meeting with you was a source of inspiration for us. It was your support, passion and love for cinema that gave Luna its soul – without you this atmosphere would not exist,” they wrote in the statement.

The operator thanked the viewers and employees for 10 years together.

In the statement, the operator also explained why it would not continue operating at the Luna Cinema.

“Pursuant to the current contract, we had the opportunity to extend it for another 5 years on the same terms. We took advantage of this provision and in December 2023 we submitted an offer, but it was rejected by the owner of the facility, the Masovian Institute of Culture. In April 2024, a competition was announced for the lease of the Luna facility for another 5 years. We were the only bidder in this competition and won. Unfortunately, the new contract was significantly different from the previous one and was unfavorable for the tenant,” we read.

The Kino Project indicated that “activities other than cinema activities have been completely excluded, including, for example, the organization of theater performances and conferences.” In addition, “there were a number of contractual penalties and the possibility of terminating the contract without notice and without compensation for reasons beyond the tenant's control.”

“Additionally, the new tenant was obliged to carry out an expensive renovation. We were aware that signing such a contract would not allow us to maintain the facility, but we assumed that it would be possible to negotiate it and remove or mitigate the most critical parts. Unfortunately, the organizer of the competition rejected the possibility of negotiations” – written by Projekt Kino.

“Having experience in running Luna, knowing the costs and estimating potential revenues, we knew that it was not possible to make a living solely on ticket and bar revenues,” emphasized the current cinema operator.

He also informed that in July, when MIK repeated the tender, but there were no interested parties to run the cinema under these conditions. “During the competition questions, we again proposed changes to the contract, which were rejected by the organizer,” the operator's representatives said.

“Although our cooperation with Luna has ended, we believe that it is not the end. We hope that the cinema will reopen its rooms and continue its mission,” Projekt Kino summarized in the entry.

At the beginning of the week, the director of the Masovian Institute of Culture, Magdalena Ulejczyk, announced in a statement that The competition for a cinematographer was intended to ensure that cinema activities would be conducted in the facility and would popularize knowledge about film. Under its terms, the possibility of conducting commercial activities unrelated to the film industry was excluded

However, “broadly understood cinema activities” were allowed, i.e. activities related to the screening of films with particular emphasis on artistic cinema, organizing film festivals, film premieres, conducting classes, lectures, workshops on the history of film, promoting books related to film culture, meetings with actors and creators. film industry meetings, organization of exhibitions and vernissages of film posters, film music concerts and other events related to the dissemination of film culture in various aspects.

Kino Luna was closed before the holidays. The official reason was supposed to be renovation. Ulejczyk assured that Luna had been “renovated to meet the current, most urgent needs.” “The necessary electrical and sanitary works were also carried out in the facility. During the summer period, approximately PLN 170,000 was spent on renovation works in the cinema building,” she explained in the statement.

Magdalena Ulejczyk also admitted that “despite the systematic renovations and repairs carried out by the Institute, the cinema requires significant modernization, which would involve very large expenditures.”

Aldona Machnowska-Góra, vice president of Warsaw responsible for culture, reacted to the situation at the Luna cinema. “Talks are currently underway between the Marshal's Office and the capital of Warsaw regarding the continued operation of the Luna cinema. The aim of these talks is to find the best possible solution – so that the Luna cinema can serve arthouse cinema lovers and residents as long as possible and in the best possible way,” she wrote in the media Machnowska-Góra social media. “I cannot imagine it disappearing from the map of Warsaw or turning into a shop or conducting activities other than cultural activities. We will inform you about further steps,” she emphasized.

The first screening at the Luna cinema was shown on July 22, 1962. The inspiration for the name was the Soviet space program “Luna”, under which unmanned probes were sent to explore the Moon.

Luna Cinema has two halls with 266 and 329 seats. It is a member of the Network of Arthouse and Local Cinemas, Art. Cinema CICAE and the Europa Cinemas network. Luna is an arthouse cinema promoting non-commercial productions. For over 60 years of operation, the building at Marszałkowska 28 has hosted many festivals and cultural events.

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