FILM lovers in the heart of Hunter cinema are fighting to save one of the region’s most notable cinemas.
A petition has been launched calling for the state government to keep the historic James Theatre in Dungog afloat as an operating cinema.
The Upper Hunter township’s landmark, a centrepiece of the annual Dungog Film Festival, has struggled due to costs associated with digital film.
In a foreword to the online petition, posted on September 5, petition creator David Smith outlines the difficulties faced by the cinema.
‘‘The recent closure of the commercial cinema business [in the James Theatre] is as a direct result of the film distribution change to the specific ... digital format,’’ the petition reads.
The petition indicates it will be submitted to NSW Minister for Tourism and Upper Hunter MP George Souris.
More than 80 supporters had signed the petition by yesterday afternoon.
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