Torontonians are sharing their appreciation for Mayor Olivia Chow after she showed her support for Revue Cinema amid its pending closure.
On Tuesday evening, the mayor visited the west-end cinema and worked behind the scenes serving popcorn for customers.
“I remember taking out a membership to the non-profit @RevueCinema back in 1975 and going with friends to see Ingmar Bergman’s films. Last night, I returned to show my continued support… and serve some popcorn! Hopefully, I’ll be able to return for years to come,” Chow said in a tweet on X.
In response to her visit, the cinema says it is grateful to have her help.
“We were honoured to have Mayor Chow visit and show her support to the management, staff and board of the Revue Film Society as we launched our ‘Project Into The Future’ fundraiser to support our legal fees and ongoing renovation plans,” Revue Film Society Chair Grant Oyston said in a statement to Now Toronto on Friday.
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Following her visit, some locals were impressed at the mayor’s commitment to attending many community events throughout the past year since she was sworn into office.
“Damn say what you will about Olivia Chow, she freakin loves this city and is EVERYWHERE all the time, full of energy and enthusiasm. It’s a good quality for a mayor!” one Reddit user said.
“As someone who had his debut short film play at the Revue in April, I kinda love this. Props to Livvy Chow,” another user said.
“She’s a real one for doing this. I love Revue, long live Revue!!” another comment read.
“Well done, Olivia! You just scored major points. Even more points for wearing the Canadian Football kit. The Revue has the best popcorn btw,” another user commented.
Last month, Revue Cinema received an injunction allowing the cinema to remain open until at least the end of October and halting its pending eviction. This came after the cinema shared a post revealing it was unable to secure a renewal for its lease past June 30.
The cinema has recently launched a fundraising campaign in hopes of raising money from community members, film lovers and local businesses to continue its operations.
“The “Projecting into the Future” campaign aims to raise funds for future expenses, including potential legal fees, so that we can keep the magic of cinema alive in Roncesvalles,” a press release read.
“By contributing to our campaign, donors are giving more than money—donors are investing in the future of film culture in Toronto,” Oyston said in a statement.
The Revue Film Society has operated the Revue Cinema since 2007. The historic theatre, located at 400 Roncesvalles Ave., is known as Canada’s oldest operating cinema.
