In the spring, Kai Cinema, previously part of Sõprus Cinema, began operating independently, while at the beginning of the summer, Cinamon, which had operated at T1 in Ülemiste, relocated to Kosmos.

Kai Cinema, which is part of the Kai Art Center, has now been operating independently for approximately six months. Program Manager Katariina Rebane said Kai Cinema does not compete directly with the capital's other arthouse movie theaters.

"If we think about what the market share of arthouse movie theaters is in general today, it is rather small. And Kai Cinema is also contributing to increasing the share of arthouse films and their audiences," Rebane said.

The cinema's program has become more extensive after the venue became independent, she added. There have been more special programs and screenings, benefiting both the art center and the local community. 

However, Rebane admitted the movie theater is not currently profitable and she does not support raising ticket prices.

"We would rather people could still come to the movies at a lower price, get out of their homes and watch a film together with other people. Taking the economic situation into account, we certainly do not want to raise ticket prices at the moment. We hope the situation improves, and for now we are running the movie theater out of a sense of mission and enthusiasm. We want there to continue to be a movie theater here," she added.

In June, Kosmos Cinema reopened its doors in the city center. As a mainstream movie theater, Cinamon competes directly with Apollo.

"We try to do things differently from Apollo. Our difference lies not only in the location, but perhaps also in the emotional significance of the place. We show various cultural films, such as Japanese and Indian films, and organize various events for children and families," said Cinamon CEO Andac Bagioglu.

The theater manager said attendance figures depend largely on which films are currently being released.

"One of the drawbacks of the movie industry is that you have no control whatsoever over what you sell. When good films, such as 'Spider-Man' or 'The Odyssey,' or a good animated film reach the screen, everyone comes to the movies. But when it comes to average or lower-quality films that can also be watched on streaming services, people do not come to the movies," he acknowledged.

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