Spotlight: Getting to Know ‘The Movie Man’

Amid a global pandemic, an entrepreneur looks back on his life’s work owning and operating an idiosyncratic cinema in the forest of northern Ontario.

The Movie Man

Deep in the woods near Kinmount, Ontario, we find movie theatre that can be described as any cinephile’s toy box. Its eccentric but creative owner Keith Stata decided the town needed a cinema in 1979.

Since its opening in 1979, the Highlands Cinemas has become a five-screen building full of movie paraphernalia, memorabilia, and vintage projectors collected from theatres all over the U.S. and Canada that were forced to close down.

The Movie Man is director’s Matt Finlin‘s personal and caring effort to document the Highlands Cinema’s legacy. The film also serves as a caring portrait of Stata, the man, the collector, whose passion keeps the cinema culture alive in this small town and its neighbouring towns.

Over five years of filming, what began as a short film idea, evolved into a story about a man determined to salvage this beloved cinema during the COVID-19 pandemic. Stata’s ups and downs during this time tell us of the great efforts required to run the cinema complex. In the middle of the good and not-so-good moments, we see Stata’s determination to cinema and the community at large. We also see how the community appreciates his efforts as well as the cultural impact the cinema has on a larger scale.

I also should mention the cinema complex houses about 50 cats as well. This cat sanctuary of sorts is an extension of Stata as a person, and adds another interesting layer to the already charming location.

A few days ago, I was part of a group who had the privilege to screen The Movie Man at the Highlands Cinema with Stata in attendance along with director Matt Finlin, executive producer Ed Robertson and other production team members. Below is a brief chat with Stata, Finlin and Robertson where they share their passion for movies, the movie-going experience, working on this film and making new memories.