Some of the final businesses at the Boulevard Mall are closing their doors at the end of the month, which includes a centerpiece for the Buffalo film community. The Screening Room Café has brought filmmakers, movie buffs and other creatives together for years.
When Bob Golibersuch started the Screening Room Café 30 years ago, finding the perfect location was a goal, and ten years ago with their move to the Boulevard Mall, he found it.
"We were able to kind of create the venue that we had envisioned, and it's worked fantastic for the movies, for comedy, for poetry, and it's been a fantastic spot for private events."
But with the news of the Boulevard Mall’s closure, for Golibersuch, or as many local filmmakers call him, “Screening Room Bob,” it’s been a time of reflection.
"We've been contacted by so many people, and it's kind of been heartfelt," Golibersuch said, seated in the lobby of his business. "Just to see how many people that it really did mean something to."
Those people include Jordan Lema of Lemur Studios, which puts on the Buffalo 48 Hour Film Challenge. To Lema, the Screening Room has been so much more than just a movie theater.
"As early as I can remember being involved in media production, the Screening Room has been a staple in the production world for a place for people to get together and watch things they've created," Lema said. "They have a huge, awesome, big screen and really have a cinema feel, but it's like a living room, right? Like there's couches and there's beer and wine and snacks."
Golibersuch got his start at General Cinema, a traditional multiplex movie theater chain, but he felt like there was something missing.
"I got experience there, managing theaters and doing the marketing. But the concept here was to open more of a social, intimate type cinema," Golibersuch said. "Where you could kind of come hang out before the movie; talk about the movie. More of an interactive, third space type location that people could just kind of come to and create a community of local film lovers [and] local filmmakers."
And that it did. Film producer Greg Lamberson said he’s held personal film screenings there, organized film festivals but most importantly, felt the sense of connection through movies at the Screening Room.
"The audience that came in were older people, and there were college students, and there was a couple that brought their kids," Lamberson said of a recent visit to the Screening Room for a showing of 'Lady Vanishes.' "And unlike, say, when Fathom Events has a special screening of an old movie like 'Casablanca' at a Regal or an AMC, just know looking around the room that all of those people are there because they love movies, and they know this is a place for people who love them. It's a different vibe."
Two of Lamberson’s films will screen at the café for its “final weekend,” tonight, Thursday, February 26 at 7 p.m.
"People have seen them to death, but I did just want to be part of it," he said. "And you know, the place holds a special place for my family. My wife and daughter’s festival, Valkyrie International Film Festival, started out there and ran there for three years. Because they've closed, we have to find a new venue."
Big or small, Golibersuch believes filmmakers deserve a home for their creations, and he’s seen the growth in the Buffalo movie scene.
"Every month we're hosting an independent film that's doing a cast party or a preview Night," Golibersuch said. "Going back in the years, "Buffalo 66," they did some of their events here while they were filming in the area. It's really just been great to see all the community of filmmakers that are in Buffalo. It's bigger than you would think."
To those filmmakers, movie buffs, poets, comedians and musicians it’s not goodbye, it’s a “see you later.” Golibersuch said while they’ll have to move out of the Boulevard Mall at the end of February, he’s already planning pop-up events and eyeing a new permanent space for the fall.
