Movies in English

I was shocked to read yesterday that the Renoir Cinema is closing its doors next month ending our regular supply of top films in English. I am old enough to remember the old “Movies in English” cinema in the Terreno which closed down in the early 1980s, blaming the rise of the video recorder for its demise. So why is the Renoir closing its doors? Well the sad truth is that not enough people were supporting it eventhough it was showing all the latest films in English. I and hundreds of others like me are to blame because this year I have only been to the Renoir once despite the fact that it has shown all the top films. A shortage of time by would-be cinema goers and the rise of internet download are one of the principle excuses why the Renoir remained half empty. I accept that I have played a very small part in its downfall and there are hundreds of others like me. But the expatriate community will miss the Renoir this winter. Porto Pi Cinema is promising to show films in English but I sincerely doubt that it will be on the scale of the Renoir. Out of the five films showing at any one time, four were in English. But looking on the bright we do have a promise of more films in English. But this time, and this is also a note to myself, we must support them! Living abroad you can´t take anything for granted and in these hard times we must remember that we must support any business or association which provides a useful service. Otherwise you know what happens.