Catalan Film Academy pays homage to 13 cinemas still going after 100 years

The Catalan Film Acadamy has paid homage to thirteen cinemas that began screening films over 100 years ago and are still going today.

The cinemas, which are spread across Catalonia, each received a special commemorative plaque, which are on public display from this Tuesday.

The Academy's president, Isona Passola, warned against despairing over the impact the pandemic has had on cinemas and says that they are "the best way to see films," providing the ideal conditions in terms of sound and image reproduction to "capture the excitement of cinematic art."

As part of the tribute from the Academy, journalist Toni Vall has made a digital catalogue documenting the history of the thirteen cinemas to have celebrated their centenary.

Maresme county, on the coast north of Barcelona is home to four of the cinemas that were founded over a century ago: the Centre Parroquial in Argentona, the Sala Mozart in Calella, Foment Mataroní in Mataró, and Cinema La Calàndria in El Masnou.

Sitges, which hosts a famous film festival in October, is home to two cinemas on the list, namely Casino Prado and El Retiro, and is the only town to bear such an accolade.

Barcelona is home to Cinema Bosque, while the oldest cinema is Cinema Catalunya in Ribes de Freser in the Pyrenees. It was founded in 1900.

The remaining cinemas that were honored on Tuesday by the Catalan Film Acadamy are Casal Camprodoní in Camprodon, Teatre Mundial in La Bisbal d’Empordà, Teatre Cinema Comtal in Ripoll, Cinemes Imperial in Sabadell, and Cinema Catalunya in Terrassa.