“Operating a cinema is a very specialist skill,” said Sawtell Cinema chair, Jill Nash. “We recognised early on that we needed professional cinema managers with relationships with distributors to ensure that the cinema could deliver the experience we are all expecting.”

The challenge was to find these professional skills, without sacrificing the community feel of Sawtell’s small local cinema.

“An extensive search was undertaken to find the right fit, and Majestic Cinemas fit the bill perfectly,” Jill said.

Majestic Cinemas currently operates five regional cinemas in NSW, including the one at the Nambucca Plaza, and Jill said they have the experience and film distributor relationships needed.

“And they are locals at heart, who recognise the significance of this cinema to Sawtell and the Coffs Coast,” she said.

Majestic Cinemas CEO Kieren Dell said he was delighted to bring the iconic Sawtell Cinema into the fold.

“Our business started on the Mid North Coast and most of our team live in this area,” Kieren said.

“We are just thrilled to be able to bring a high quality cinema experience to this community.”

Kieren said Sawtell Cinema would focus on quality and art house film, combined with access to major releases and family friendly films during the holiday periods.

He quickly quashed any concerns that Sawtell might end up showing all the same films as Nambucca Heads.

“Quite the opposite - with Nambucca’s three screens and two in Sawtell the community can now enjoy the variety made possible with five screens,” Kieren said.

Majestic also plans to run a number of film festivals through the year and will be introducing their ‘Select Series’ of hand-picked, high quality international and Australian films to the Sawtell Cinema.

The Majestic Movie Club will be opened to Sawtell patrons, entitling members to discounts at all six Majestic cinemas, as well as entry to special members-only events planned locally.

“This community has stood up to save Sawtell Cinema,” Jill said. “Now that the building itself is underway, we are thrilled and relieved to have found a team with Majestic’s experience and love of film to shepherd our cinema into the future.”