HONG KONG: Where is the place in Hong Kong to see alternative foreign films? Cine-Art House, a quaint two-theater complex built in 1988 in Sun Hung Kai Centre, once was a haven for cinemaphiles in search of alternative and foreign films from Europe, Asia and the West. The operators couldn't make a go of it, and the theater succumbed to financial difficulties in 2006.

The re-opening of the much-loved theater in Amoy Plaza means film enthusiasts have another place to catch the latest flicks.

But alternative cinemaphiles probably are in for a disappointment. The theater is focusing on big-budget Tinseltown productions in preference to small indie flicks. The only foreign screening this week is the Spanish-made "Crimen Ferpecto" scheduled on Thursday.

"We were losing a lot of money towards the end of 2006 before we closed," said Chui Hin-wai, director of Sil-Metropole Organisation, the theater's owner. "The target audience of foreign films is small."

"Surviving is top priority for us. We do not want to fall back into the situation we were in 2006. Screening commercial films helps us stay afloat because the audience for mainstream movies is larger."

Indeed, art house theaters are struggling to survive today, as multiplex theaters are becoming a fixture of the city's landscape. Small theaters struggle to compete with cinemas that have state-of-the-art wide-screens and surround-sound technology.

Cine Art is trying to lure audiences with extra-low prices. "Ticket prices range from just HK$10 to HK$50. Morning shows are HK$30 and just HK$10 for the elderly. Student tickets cost HK$40"

"This is a very competitive business," said Chui. "We are doing what we can to stay alive. We've invested HK$6 million in refurbishing this theater, so audiences can have a more pleasant movie experience."

Renowned Hong Kong cultural and political critic Leung Man-tao said, "The reason why art films are not doing so well in theaters is that movie-goers no longer crave the really strong plot. Instead they want a rich visual and audio experience. Big-budget Hollywood films have explosions, car chases - all giving impressive audio and visual graphics. In addition, with so many affordable DVDs in the market these days, art film lovers might opt to watch films in the comfort of their homes."

(HK Edition 07/28/2009 page1)