The film industry is facing an unexpectedly slow recovery from the pandemic, with box office revenues still significantly below pre-pandemic levels. The country has lost thousands of theatre screens, including in Denver, where the historic Esquire and Chez Artiste shuttered in 2024.
Meanwhile, independent cinema is bucking the trend. Denver’s only independent movie theatre, the SIE Film Center, has not just survived but surpassed its strong 2019 performance.
Denver Film CEO Kevin Smith says the independent cinema organization’s success lies in a strong emphasis on community engagement, curated programming, and partnerships with local organizations, because people are hungry for connection and in-person experiences.
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NICKY REDL: The past five years haven’t been kind to the film industry. Moviegoers are slowly returning, but last year, annual box office revenue was still down by nearly a quarter compared to 2019.
In Denver alone, two iconic Landmark movie theatres have closed just months apart: the Esquire and Chez Artiste.
But independent cinema appears to be bucking the trend.
The SIE Film Center on Colfax Avenue is owned by nonprofit Denver Film, and the city’s only independent movie theatre.
Denver Film CEO Kevin Smith says their box office sales haven’t just recovered, they are doing better than before the lockdowns.
KEVIN SMITH: I think it’s different for different types of theatres. Our theater last year, in 2025, had the best year we’ve ever had. We’ve bounced back. We’re above our pre-pandemic numbers of 2019, which was an incredible year. I think that what we’re seeing is that multiplexes are having a harder time because of the types of films, blockbuster films that are being released, and the marketing behind them, and how they’re creating those.
But in terms of independent cinema, while it’s great to have access to so many different films at your fingertips at home, it’s also nice to have our amazing programming team pick some of the best films that maybe you don’t know exist and be able to share those screenings with someone in the theatre that maybe you don’t know.
NICKY REDL: Kevin Smith believes a focus on community building sets Denver Film apart. Their membership program offers perks but, more importantly, a space to connect with others.
Kevin Smith: In terms of benefits, obviously, they have early access to films. We do a lot of promo screenings. So they’re seeing movies before they’re even released, with the Denver Film Festival, they’re getting to the front of the line in almost every single way to be able to see the best films of the year. But I think one of the unique things is that the staff that is here at the Film Center, they know a majority of the members. And so when you’re a member, it’s like you get to come in here and say hi to your friends. Um, and I think that in a communal space makes a very big difference.
NICKY REDL: Denver Film CEO Kevin Smith. Josh Eliot is one of the staff members working at the Sie Film Center box office.
JOSH ELIOT: I actually ran a little competition with a bunch of other staff members to see who could name the most members. The box officers are the people who have to know the members by name so that we can type their membership in to give them their discounts. And so through that, I end up getting to know a lot of the members by name and by personality as well. There’s absolutely a strong sense of connection. We have very loyal, devoted members, and are very supportive and excited about all of the new things that we’re doing at the theater, all the little changes we do month to month, all of our festivals. This is very community-based, very social-based, very event-based, very festival-based.
NICKY REDL: Josh Eliot. Denver Film also collaborates with about 150 community partners every year and screens movies at locations like Red Rocks and the Botanic Gardens. One of those partners is Colorado Dragon Boat, a celebration of Asian American heritage and culture. Together, they organize the Dragon Boat film festival each year in March. Denver Film CEO Kevin Smith says the collaboration has been a great success for both organizations.
KEVIN SMITH: Colorado Dragon Boat is the largest dragon boat festival in the country. I believe it’s been 6 or 7 years now that we’ve partnered. The last year that they produced the festival without us, they had about 300 tickets sold. Now we have over 2000 people who come every year. So it’s grown exponentially. And for us to be able to have like the community saying, these are the types of films, these are the types of experiences, and us just be able to help facilitate making those things happen is a perfect partnership in my mind, and really the big core piece of our mission.
NICKY REDL: Kevin Smith, CEO of Denver Film. Another community-focused event at the SIE independent cinema is the CinemaQ film festival, held from the 29th to the 31st of this year. The founder is SIE Film Center artistic director Keith Garcia.
KEITH GARCIA: Cinema Q is our queer film festival, which is the only queer film festival in Colorado, and this year will be our 18th year of operating. CinemaQ started with an effort to play at least one queer film a month at the film center. And this started building an audience of its own, which at the time was very hungry for queer film. Essentially, it’s just kind of snowballed since we hit the community immediately, we got the community used to the idea that year we’d have the best selection of new queer film for that year. And, um, it’s become sort of the big, the big party that it is now.
NICKY REDL: SIE artistic director Keith Garcia. Local meetups have also noticed a growing desire for shared experiences. The Denver Cinema club started over 20 years ago as a meetup for people to watch movies together and afterwards meet for discussion over drinks. In the past year or two, the club has seen a strong influx of people of all ages. Aurora Hunt is one of the organizers of the Denver Cinema Club and also a member of the Sie FilmCenter.
AURORA HUNT: Some movies that are just meant to be communally experienced, you know, just that energy in the room and everyone experiencing the same thing. And I had the occasion to sit next to a movie the other day with my friend Dina, and she was just gasping. And it was so, it was such a different movie for having her next to me and kind of experiencing her experience along with my experience. So, in these very fractured times, these very electronic times, being in a room with people is really important, both to watch the movie and, I would say, even more importantly, to be together afterwards.
This radio story about the Denver independent cinema scene aired on KGNU’s Morning Magazine on March 27, 2026. KGNU is an independent, noncommercial community radio station serving Boulder and Denver, Colorado.