We screen such things as documentaries and local films that might not otherwise be screened publicly. People’s Cinema is an experiment in using the form of a cinema to put various radical elements into a productive relationship. One aspect of this is experimenting with constructing relationships not based on money, in order to foster community not mediated by cash, but also as part of a common project of putting the power of the commons to work against the power of capital. People’s Cinema’s premises, a large piece of vacant retail space in central Wellington owned by the Wellington Company, has been brokered for use free of charge by Urban Dream Brokerage. In April of 2013 People’s Cinema received a $3,000 grant from the Wellington City Council/Creative NZ Creative Communities scheme, which made it possible to pay our first 6 months of power bills, and run all events as free/koha. In October of 2013 People’s Cinema received a $2,500 grant from the Creative Communities scheme, enabling us to pay power bills for another 6 months, and continue to run as free/koha.
