Like a film diva in a rollercoaster of emotions: That’s how it is for the cinema operator Matthias Helwig from Gilching. He received a disappointing rebuff once again from Gauting, whom he had been courted so often in vain, but he received a level of support from his customers that, as he himself said, felt like a “hug” for the wide-screen operator.
It is a kind of cinema flat rate that Helwig is currently trying out. He sells half-year and annual tickets and calls this sponsorships. Schoolchildren, students and apprentices, for example, can watch any number of films for a year for 120 euros. For real movie buffs among the young people this could actually be profitable. A partner sponsorship for two people then costs 750 euros. There is a similar model at the Fünfseen-Filmfestival (FSFF): free entry to all events for 250 euros, plus extras such as invitations to the opening ceremony and award ceremonies. The FSFF Gold accreditation is also available at a price of 160 euros.
Before the start of the current advertising campaign, Helwig had named at least a hundred sponsorships as a goal. He’s already over there. “We have great feedback. It is really wonderful,” he said on Wednesday. He has not yet been able to give an exact amount, especially since reports are still rolling in. In any case, with the financial basis he can go into a year “that will be very difficult” much more relaxed.
Helwig operates the three wide screen cinemas in Starnberg, Gauting and Seefeld Castle, but the lights have been off there for more than three months due to the corona lockdown. The sponsorships apply from the first visit to the cinema. If there is another lockdown after the corona rules have been relaxed, the validity will be extended accordingly.
At the same time, Helwig is in the process of raising money for the 15th edition of the Fünfseen Film Festival, which this time is to take place from August 25th to September 5th. The total budget is almost 360,000 euros; For the financing, the organizer expects various subsidies, from the Free State about the largest chunk of 55,000 euros, from the city of Starnberg 35,000 and from the district 25,000 euros, which have already been promised. The festival organizer has applied for 20,000 euros this year from the municipality of Gauting. That’s five times what he got last year. And it is too much, in the opinion of most of the local councils in the finance committee that debated the budget for this year on Tuesday. “I do not find an increase to that extent appropriate,” said CSU councilor Stephan Ebner, and his parliamentary group colleague Michael Vilgertshofer said it would be the “wrong signal” to approve so much money. The significantly higher festival subsidy was up for debate, while the Gauting team cut subsidies in many areas, including culture. According to the draft budget, the Klassikforum, for example, will receive 700 euros less than last year, and the Jazzforum 200 euros less.
Other councilors such as Jens Rindermann from the Greens advertised in vain for the higher subsidy for the film festival. After all, it is a “project that has a nationwide broadcast.” A 7: 6 majority voted in the committee to approve 4,000 euros, as last year. The local council votes on the budget on February 23.
“That would be very disappointing if the local council also decided so,” says Helwig. In his calculation, 16,000 euros were missing that he would have to save somewhere; with staff, for example, or with inviting guests. As the festival’s headquarters, Gauting has not made an adequate contribution for years. In his opinion, the community should even pay more than the city of Starnberg.
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