He chalks up his early struggles to the difficulty of persuading lenders to believe in him, and a longtime reluctance by financial institutions to back major developments in working-class communities. He is also working on opening a theater in Compton, but the project faces challenges, he said, because of limited land available for parking. He now estimates Maya Cinemas’ circuit will include 10 theaters within the next two years, including locations in Phoenix and Las Vegas. In a 2010 interview, he told The Times he expected to eventually open 40 locations with a total of 500 screens around the country. Maya has struggled to expand as fast as Esparza hoped after he opened his first theater in Salinas in 2005. Johnson sold his theater chain in 2004, and the Baldwin Hills theater was closed, renovated and reopened as a Rave Cinemas. Former Los Angeles Lakers star Earvin “Magic” Johnson advocated for more entertainment options in largely black communities, opening the Magic Johnson Crenshaw 15 in Baldwin Hills in the mid-1990s. “It’s a community that really goes to movies.”Įsparza is not the first person to try to build a business putting theaters in locations neglected by the major chains. “The market is underserved, and it’s the market that contributes more than any other to the bottom line of Hollywood,” Pozo said. Santiago Pozo, founder of the Los Angeles-based, Latino-focused marketing firm Arenas Entertainment, said Esparza’s plans make sense. (The MPAA defines frequent moviegoers as people who go to the cinema once a month or more.) Latinos accounted for 24% of frequent moviegoers in 2017, though they represented 18% of the total population, according to a recent report by the Motion Picture Assn. And Maya’s expansion to date has fallen far short of Esparza’s initial goals.īut Esparza says he can succeed because his target audience has a voracious appetite for movies. Independent cinema operators have struggled to compete with the major chains that are consolidating the industry. “The Help,” a drama based off Kathryn Stockett’s 2009 novel, recounts the story of aspiring journalist Eugenia “Skeeter” Phelan, who writes a book from the point of view of the maids and the racism they are faced with as they work for white families.Īdmission is free for all three shows while supplies last.Building a chain of multiplexes in relatively small markets is risky at a time when Hollywood is contending with long-term declines in attendance. The third film that inspired change is “The Help” (2011), to be shown Feb. Directed by Steven Spielberg and featuring Danny Glover and Whoopi Goldberg in lead roles, the film highlights the issues and struggles black women went through in the early 20th century, including domestic violence, poverty and racism. 17 at noon is 1985 film “The Color Purple,” based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Alice Walker. A biographical sports film, “42” tells the story about the racial integration of legendary baseball player Jackie Robinson, the first African-American to play in the majors. The first movie, “42: The Jackie Robinson Story” (2013), will be shown Saturday, Feb. When it comes to inspiring positive ideas and change, that’s what we’re all about.” “That’s a big thing at Maya because we focus on diversity. ![]() “Maya Cinemas is very community oriented, so we look at things that are meaningful like Black History Month,” said Michael Hendon, Promotions & Special Projects Manager at Maya Cinemas. Maya Cinemas at Campus Pointe is celebrating Black History Month by showing three films that inspire change. Maya Cinemas near Fresno State is showing three films free of cost this February in honor of Black History Month.
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