Kino Máj

Kino Máj is a single-screen cinema in the town of Doksy, in the Česká Lípa District of the Liberec Region, Czech Republic. It occupies an architecturally notable building at Máchova 542, on the road between the railway station and the main square. The building was designed by Karel Hubáček, a founding member of the architectural studio SIAL, together with his collaborators František Dvořák and Vlastimil Kolář. The project and construction took place between 1957 and 1963, and the cinema was ceremonially opened on 9 March 1963 with the premiere of Karel Kachyňa's Czech film Závrať. The interiors of the vestibule and the first-floor café were created by architects Lidmila Švarcová and Otakar Binar. The building is a multi-purpose structure that, in addition to one cinema hall and technical facilities, originally included a café on the upper floor. Its style has been compared by some critics to Alpine architecture, while others see inspiration in the shapes of boats and waves on nearby Lake Mácha. The lightness and airiness of the construction were made possible primarily by reinforced concrete, including a shell roof structure, which allowed the building to be founded on a slope with unstable subsoil and aggressive groundwater. At the time of opening, the cinema was equipped with the most modern film technology of the day, including widescreen projection and stereophonic speakers, although this equipment ceased to be used from the 1980s because films for it were no longer produced for financial reasons. After 1992, changing economic conditions led to a decline in audiences, caused by rising ticket prices, the spread of DVD and video rental shops, the availability of home cinemas, and a perceived decline in the quality of films in distribution. The rapid development of film technology also threatened the cinema, which lacked digital projection equipment. Thanks to the initiative of local residents, the Antonín Bennewitz Endowment Fund was established, and its project "History and Future of the Doksy Cinema Máj," prepared in cooperation with the Doksy Municipal Cultural Centre and under the auspices of the Via Foundation, received financial support from the ČSOB and Postal Savings Bank program for regional support. The total investment in digitalization amounted to roughly CZK 3 million, with a subsidy of CZK 600,000 from the State Fund for the Support and Development of Czech Cinematography. Work planned from 2011 was carried out by ALTEI spol. s r.o., and on 20 March 2012 the cinema was ceremonially reopened after digitalization with the film Four Suns by director Bohdan Sláma. The maximum capacity of the single-screen cinema is 320 seats. The town's intention is to turn Kino Máj into a multifunctional cultural centre, using its spaces for small-scale theatre performances, concerts, thematic film programmes, and exhibitions in the vestibule. After the reconstruction of the cinema's sanitary facilities in 2008, a gradual overall reconstruction was to begin in 2013, the 50th anniversary of the cinema, at a cost of CZK 11 million, aimed at reducing the building's energy consumption. The work was divided into four stages: roof and building insulation, new electrical wiring, spatial modifications, and interior reconstruction. The delayed reconstruction began in June 2014, and repairs of this stage for CZK 8 million were completed in early November 2014, after which the cinema immediately resumed screenings. The cinema screens year-round, except for a regular monthly shutdown in the winter months. Outside the season there are usually two to three screenings per week, while in the summer season it screens every day. On 19 April 2008 it hosted the Echoes of the Febiofest film festival, and since 2011 it has hosted the Expediční kamera travel film festival. In 2008 the cinema hosted the ceremonial pre-premiere of director F. A.

The beginnings of film projection in the North Bohemian spa town of Doksy, located in the recreational area of Lake Mácha, date back to the 1920s. The original Heller Cinema was located in the rear wing of the Bezděz restaurant, in today's Komenského Street. In 1953 it burned down, and the Grand Hotel temporarily provided substitute screening space. At the same time, it was decided to build a new cinema building. During excavation work for the foundation according to the existing design, groundwater was encountered and construction was halted. The Liberec architect Karel Hubáček was commissioned to prepare new project documentation. Together with his collaborators, he created a design for a multi-purpose building that, in addition to one cinema hall and technical facilities, also included a café on the upper floor. The author designed a building unlike the usual structures of this kind built at that time. According to some expert critics, the style of the building resembles Alpine architecture; according to others, the designer was inspired by the shapes of boats and waves on nearby Lake Mácha. The lightness and airiness of the structure were made possible primarily by the building material used, reinforced concrete, from which the shell roof structure was also made. Technically, it was thus possible to manage the construction on a slope, on unstable subsoil with aggressive groundwater. Karel Hubáček also served as construction supervisor, and on 9 March 1963 the Kino Máj was ceremonially opened with the premiere of the Czech film Závrať by director Karel Kachyňa. The impressive interiors of the vestibule and café on the first floor were created by architects Lidmila Švarcová and Otakar Binar. The cinema was equipped, for its time, with the most modern film technology with the possibility of widescreen projection and stereophonic speakers. However, this technology was no longer used from the 1980s, because films for this equipment ceased to be produced due to financial demands. In the mid-1980s, the first major reconstruction of the building took place, giving the Kino Máj the appearance it has to this day. Until 1992, the cinema still screened at least once a day even when, in the summer season, two summer cinemas were operating, in Doksy and in nearby Staré Splavy. With the changing economic conditions in the 1990s, however, there was an increasing decline in audiences, as a result of rising ticket prices, the expansion of the DVD and video rental network, the possibility of buying home cinemas, and the declining quality of films in the distribution network. Added to this was the rapid development of film technology, and the cinema, which was not equipped with digital projection technology, faced extinction. Thanks to the initiative of the town's residents, the Antonín Bennewitz Endowment Fund was established, whose project "History and Future of the Doksy Cinema Máj," prepared in cooperation with the Doksy Municipal Cultural Centre and under the auspices of the Via Foundation, received a financial contribution from the ČSOB and Postal Savings Bank program for regional support. The total investment in the digitalization of the cinema required roughly CZK 3 million; a subsidy of CZK 600,000 was provided by the State Fund for the Support and Development of Czech Cinematography. The work planned from 2011 was carried out by the company ALTEI spol. s r.o., and on 20 March 2012 the cinema was ceremonially reopened after digitalization with the film Four Suns by director Bohdan Sláma. The maximum capacity of the single-screen cinema is 320 seats. The town's intention is to create a multifunctional cultural centre from the Kino Máj and to use its spaces also for small-scale theatre performances, concerts, thematic film programmes, exhibitions in the vestibule, etc. After the reconstruction of the sanitary facilities in the cinema in 2008, in 2013, the 50th anniversary of the cinema's existence, its gradual overall reconstruction at a cost of CZK 11 million was to begin, with the aim of reducing the energy consumption of the building. The work is divided into 4 stages: roof and building insulation, new electrical wiring, spatial modifications of the building, and interior reconstruction. The result should be the preservation of this cultural and architectural monument for the future. The delayed reconstruction began in June 2014, repairs of this stage for CZK 8 million were completed in early November 2014, and the cinema immediately resumed screening. The cinema screens year-round, with the exception of a regular monthly shutdown in the winter months. Outside the season, there are usually two to three screenings per week; in the summer season, it screens every day. On 19 April 2008, the Echoes of the Febiofest film festival took place here. Since 2011, the cinema has also hosted the Expediční kamera travel film festival. In addition, thematically focused film and non-film events (ceremonies, theatre performances, or council meetings) are held in the cinema. In 2008, the ceremonial pre-premiere of the film Máj by director F. A. Brabec took place in the cinema; in January 2013, the pre-premiere of the animated film Čtyřlístek ve službách krále was also to be held here. Due to technical problems, the screening was moved to 2 March 2013, two days after the nationwide premiere.

• 2014

  Delayed reconstruction began in June; stage completed in November for CZK 8 million.

• 2013

  50th anniversary; planned overall reconstruction at CZK 11 million was to begin.

• 2012

  Cinema reopened after digitalization on 20 March with film Four Suns.

• 2011

  Digitalization work began; cinema began hosting Expediční kamera festival.

• 2008

  Sanitary facilities reconstructed; hosted Echoes of Febiofest and pre-premiere of film Máj.

• 1992

  Cinema still screened at least once daily until this year.

• 1985

  First major reconstruction of the building completed.

• 1980

  Widescreen and stereophonic equipment ceased to be used.

• 1963

  Kino Máj ceremonially opened on 9 March with premiere of Závrať.

• 1957

  Design and construction of new cinema by Karel Hubáček and collaborators began.

• 1953

  Original Heller Cinema burned down; temporary screenings at Hotel Grand.

A historically and architecturally significant local cinema, now a multifunctional cultural centre for the town of Doksy.

• Film screenings

• Widescreen projection (historical)

• Stereophonic sound (historical)

• Café (historical)

• Cultural events (theatre, concerts, exhibitions)

1. 1Kino Máj Doksy official websitekinomajdoksy.cz
2. 2Kino Máj (Doksy) - Wikipediacs.wikipedia.org
3. 3Kino Máj - Wikidatawikidata.org