How Tucson Saved the Loft Cinema

The The Loft Cinema has been part of Tucson’s film culture for more than 50 years.But it almost didn’t survive.In this episode of Two-Lane Tucson, Elaine sits down with Jeff Yanc, program director at the Loft, to talk about how an independent theater stays alive when the movie industry keeps changing.They talk about the early days of the Loft in the 1970s, the moment it nearly closed before becoming a nonprofit in 2002, and how the theater survived the pandemic by turning its parking lot into an outdoor cinema.Jeff also explains how the Loft decides what films belong on its screens, why art-house theaters rely on community support, and how Tucson’s audience helped turn a small theater into a hub for film culture.This conversation is about more than movies.It’s about what it takes for a local institution to survive.If you care about Tucson businesses and the people building them, this story is for you.Two-Lane Tucson is where we share the stories of the people building Tucson’s local businesses.