Even with most student organizations required to meet online for the month of January, Campus Cinema has been given permission to host in-person movie showings throughout the semester. After an email sent to the student body requiring all student organizations to meet virtually through the month of January, Campus Cinema president, Luke Tschumperlin, sent the administration a letter asking for Campus Cinema to be an expectation to the ‘no organization meetings in person’ rule.

The letter included information about Campus Cinema’s movie contracts and the difficulties of moving their movie line-up to a completely virtual format on such short notice. 

“The movies that you show virtually are different. They have different requirements for what they can be so we’d have to change most of them,” Tschumperlin said. “We already signed the contract to do in-person ones so we would also have to amend the contract. It’s not so easy to just be like, ‘Oh, just make them virtual.’ [Administration] didn’t understand that until I wrote the letter so that was nice that they re-thought that decision.”

With the decision to let Campus Cinema movies be in-person came COVID-19 safety requirements as well. No more than 100 people are allowed to attend a showing and masks and social distancing procedures are enforced. Campus Cinema also uses the Hub to collect attendance at the movies and conduct contact tracing if necessary.  

The topic of how concessions will work this semester is still being debated, but Tschumperlin thinks concessions at movie showings will be limited to boxed candy and pre-packaged foods for the remainder of the semester. 

Campus Cinema has a total of 14 movie showings lined up for the Winter 2022 semester, including “Shang Chi” on Jan. 22 and “Dune” on Jan. 29. Their future showings will likely include “Sing 2,” “Spiderman: No Way Home” and “Encanto.”

Some of the movies will be shown in partnership with other student organizations on campus. The movies will be themed to fit with the organization co-hosting the film and hopefully increase turn-out at the showings. 

For one of their first partnerships, Campus Cinema and Queers and Allies will both promote the movie “Imitation Game” which will be screened on Feb. 9. They will also be working with the Black Student Union to show “Detroit” on Feb. 12. Future partnerships include Radio X, the Special Events Committee and Wild Pups throughout the semester. 

“We are really excited about all of our collaborations this semester,” said Tschumperlin. 

Having a social outlet for students that is relatively COVID-19 safe is important, especially with many other forms of social gatherings being relegated to online formats or feeling overcrowded to some students, according to Tschumperlin. He is looking forward to continuing to provide free movies to the NMU community this semester.

“Since hockey games are still happening, it’s good to have something on campus too for students who maybe aren’t interested in that or want to do something else,” Tschumperlin said. “For them to still have something to do in-person and get involved as well while still being safety conscious.”