100 years of Verdi Cinemas: "If we do our job well, movie theaters will not die"

The 100th anniversary of the Verdi cinemas deserves a grand celebration. And what better way to celebrate than by expanding the cinemas? Sounds like a joke, right? Well, it's not, no need to rub your eyes. Within a packed program of events, the most noteworthy is that the supermarket next door to the Verdi will be converted into two new screens. This means the beloved cinema in the Gràcia neighborhood will go from nine screens to eleven. This development is striking, as it's the exact opposite of what has been happening for the last two decades: cinemas closing and being converted into supermarkets. Examples? Well, Urgell, perhaps the most painful closure of all. But also the ABC on Balmes Street and the back of the Lauren Universitat (formerly Pelayo). And if they aren't supermarkets, they become franchises; the list is endless: Alexandra, Fantasio, Publi, Paris... "It's an act of poetic justice!" exclaims an enthusiastic Adolfo Blanco, founder and driving force behind A Contracorriente, which has owned the Verdi supermarket since 2019. The entire building that houses it, in fact. That's why the expansion will be possible. They would have taken this step sooner, but COVID-19 was destructive in many ways, derailing many plans, including this one. And now, coinciding with the centenary, the moment has arrived. A commemorative book, a documentary, an exhibition, and special screenings and programs will also be part of the events planned for the centenary, whose official date is February 11.

One hundred years of history that are actually more. Josep Maria Contel, historian, photographer, and film buff, but above all, a native of Gràcia, knows this very well. He has spent many years documenting the history of his neighborhood, researching tirelessly. Verdi has been one of his main areas of interest. In fact, he is the curator of the exhibition on the history of cinemas that will be on display at the Jaume Fuster Library and is also responsible for the historical section of the book published especially for the occasion. Contel explains that it is necessary to trace the origins of the Verdi to the end of the 19th century when the Fomento Protector de la Vila de Gràcia (Protective Development Society of the Town of Gràcia) was founded on Encarnació Street. Its rapid growth led them to acquire a space at number 32 on what was then Ample Street. In the garden, they built a small theater which they named Moratín. By the beginning of the first decade of the 20th century, film screenings were already documented. Throughout the first decades of the century, there were successive name changes—Ateneo and Trebol—until it finally became Verdi in the early 1930s, adopting the name of the street that had borne the composer's name since 1907. As with so many cinemas and entertainment venues in general, the Civil War brought about a major upheaval. Collectivization and management by the Republican Generalitat resulted in a particularly significant use: a children's dining hall. Film screenings and variety shows were also offered after meals, of course.

Contel, like so many residents of Gràcia and legions of Barcelonans and Catalans, loves Verdi as if it were his own home. "The day I was born, my mother was listening to Verdi's orchestra," he recounts. He's referring to the weekend musical events held in the Verdi's ballroom, back when there was only one screening room and the upstairs area, where theaters 4 and 5 are today, housed the ballroom. Those were decades of neighborhood cinema, double features, and revival screenings. This was the essence of the theater until the arrival of a key figure: businessman Enric Pérez, who took over in early 1983 and, together with the distribution company Cooper Films, launched a rethinking of the cinema's identity, always keeping it close to the residents and the heart of the neighborhood, but with new programming approaches. One particularly interesting and successful idea stood out: the permanent re-release of classic films. The list is staggering: The Man from the East, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, Desire, Written on the Wind, Rebel Without a Cause, The Brides of Dracula, Gilda, First Victory, Embrace of Death... A true luxury and a pleasure for film lovers. Enric Pérez, with his company Espectarama, took over Verdi and embarked on his grand project: its conversion into a multiplex. First, three screens, and then, in 1992, five.

The definitive embrace of films in their original language with subtitles was a non-negotiable decision and has been a masterful and essential formula for the Verdi's personality and its deep roots in the community ever since. A risky bet, undoubtedly, for a venue that was still a neighborhood cinema, a popular venue embarking on a new phase with an undeniable ambition for growth. In 1995, even greater growth arrived with the opening of Verdi Park, the four screens on the parallel Torrijos Street.

"The roots we have are precious"

The story of the Verdi is one of cinephilia, commitment, risk, loyalty, and connection with people. A story that Barcelona saw teeter on the brink in early 2015 when all the alarm bells started ringing. Was the Verdi at risk of closing? That same summer, the hope vanished; it was announced that A Contracorriente would take over the cinema, and four years later, in 2019, they bought the entire building, a move that guaranteed its continued existence. "The overall result is very positive; we've been very lucky and also had the patience to do things slowly," emphasizes Adolfo Blanco. In this latest phase, the cinema has undergone several updates, renovations—including the installation of an elevator—and an essential modernization to adapt to the new dynamics of film exhibition. This involves a more meticulous approach to programming, being open to new audiences and participating in film festivals, and never losing sight of the unique character that has made the Verdi so successful. "We are very loyal to independent cinema, and we also open the door to more commercial films. What is non-negotiable is our commitment to the audience and to Gràcia; the deep roots we have here are precious." And this is coming from someone who came from Aranda de Duero in the mid-80s and quickly discovered and fell in love with the cinema he has visited more times than any other in his life. "It has already nourished several generations of film lovers, and we have the precious responsibility of not disappointing them—past, present, or future film lovers." It seems like a fairy tale with a happy ending, of course, a cinema that not only doesn't close but expands its theaters. "Movie theaters aren't going to die as long as we do our job well, as long as exhibitors support all kinds of films, not just American ones. We need regulations that allow us more freedom."

Josep Maria Contel has lived his entire life in Gràcia, just a few meters from his beloved Verdi cinema. This year he's been very busy and he's delighted. He offers another important insight into why the centennial cinema we're celebrating this year is so significant. Not just from an emotional perspective. "Do you know how much neighborhood and commercial activity it generates? Do you know how much the surrounding area depends on the cinema?" He's talking about the shops and restaurants, of course, that benefit from the human energy generated by the Verdi, especially on weekends, but also on weekdays. Anna lives on Virgen de los Desamparados street, right next door, and shares this assessment of the importance of these kinds of establishments. She's also very interested in the comprehensive renovation of the Abaceria Market, where she's even closer to home. But she's also a lifelong regular at the Verdi. "For us, the people of Gràcia who love cinema and neighborhood life, it's like an extension of our own home."

Long live Verdi! Long live Verdi!