Harlem’s Soul Cinema
Magic Johnson’s 9 screen theater has been the only functioning movie house in Harlem since 2000. That will change with the arrival of Imagenation’s Soul Cinema which plans to be operational by the end of 2007. Imagenation plans to open an independent 3 screen art house cinema with a cafe in the new Kalahari development on 116th Street between Fifth and Lenox Avenues. Although the theater will not be in the prime foot traffic heavy 125th Street corridor, the Kalahari will offer a custom designed, state-of-the-art facility with the added bonus of eliminating the headache of bidding for space in the historic Loews Victoria 5 Theatre.
Established in 1997 by Moikgantsi Kgama and Gregory Gates, Imagenation has actively promoted independent black films through screenings, film festivals and most recently the Revolution Awards. This year’s awards were part of an effort help raise $1 million towards the new cinema tentatively called the Micheaux Film Center. Oscar Micheaux, for whom the center is named, is known in film circles as the founding father of independent black cinema.
Business and marriage partners, Kgama and Gates have envisioned this project since they started Imagenation almost 10 years ago. They promoted their vision through community events and poety readings, hosted by Gates, throughout New York. Within the last few years they have been responsible for organizing a successful film festival that is now an integral part of Harlem Week.
Unlike the Magic Johnson Theaters, Imagenation will not focus on blockbuster hits like the recent Mission Impossible 3 premiere. Instead their mission is to "counteract negative images and stereotypes that are propagated about people of color, through mass media; and, to establish a chain of independent art-house cinemas dedicated to cinema of the African Diaspora." With the support of grassroots artists including Erykah Badu, Chuck D, India.Arie, Dead Prez, Roger Guenveur Smith, Talib Kweli, Malik Yoba and Dream Hampton, their mission is definitely possible.
Related: Allhiphop.com :: Imagenation :: Hollywood Reporter :: NY1 ::
- General, Theatre, New, Notes from the Editor | Time: 11:32 am (UTC+8)
It’ll be a great addition to our neighborhood–whenever it actually opens. But that’s not going to be summer 2006 as ballyhooed in what I assume is a press release straight from the publicist’s hand. The building is barely started; they have 10 more floors of structure to build and then many months to finish the building. I wish these PR people wouldn’t hype about stuff, or at least be honest about when it will open–somewhere in late 2007, at the earliest.
Furthermore, the press release, compares the Kalahari with the Victoria Theatre building development. That’s like comparing apples and oranges and makes no sense in this context.
Comment by flip — June 13, 2006 @ 3:26 pm
Well let me say that this is not true. There has been another movie theater in Harlem and it was a art house as well. Someone had concerted their brownstone into a working movie theather. I saw Marget Cho’s Neotrious CHO there and also saw a movie featuring Nicole Ari Parker. But this theater has vanished due to lack of community support. If they have a good marketing plan and a good stream of movies it could work…however there haven’t been to many ‘quality” black art houe films that I have seen in the recent years. So I’m fearful that while their mission is to support without a steady stream of traffic they might seriously suffer.
If you can provide a source that would great. We weren’t aware of any other public theaters that have been fully operational in Harlem since 2000 when the Johnson theater opened.
Comment by GreasyGuide — June 13, 2006 @ 3:45 pm
Wow, Flip…I think you misread the article (not press release). It doesn’t in any way compare the two developments other than to say that it was easier to secure space in the Kalahari, though less trafficked, then on 125th Street which is currently tied up in a political tug of war. Reference the February 1 New York Times article about the Victoria, which states that one of the companies bidding for the Victoria was Full Spectrum. They are the developers of the Kalahari and 1400 Fifth. They are also the ones who offered the space to Imagenation. Trust me, we do our research here on UPTOWN flavor. Thanks for the correction concerning the date however. There were conflicting dates in the sources that we used so we decided to go with the one that estimates a completion date towards the end of 2007. Thanks you for your comments as always.
Comment by uptownflavor — June 13, 2006 @ 3:47 pm
I went to films screened at a brownstone, and they were Imagenation’s events.
Comment by anonymous — June 14, 2006 @ 3:55 pm