The stories told by cinemas are often more incredible than those of the films they project. This is the case for Cinema Maldà, the only one left in the entire district of Ciutat Vella and the Gòtic neighborhood, previously occupied by emblems such as Pelayo or París, in Portal de l'Àngel. It also has the honor of being the oldest single-screen cinema in Barcelona, inaugurated in 1945.
With almost 80 years, Cinema Maldà, recently awarded as Ramblista d'Honor, has had episodes for all tastes, starring robberies, thunderous noises, Bollywoodian inspirations... Even a pandemic, although now that seems the most commonplace. "Everything has happened to us," summarizes its manager and programmer, Xavier Escrivà, in his small office full of movie posters, located at the same box office where he sells his tickets, which allow, for the price of one, to spend the afternoon watching re-releases in original version.
The narrative frenzy behind the trajectory of this Barcelona cinema begins with Escrivà, who also does not fall short in terms of cinematic twists and fortunate coincidences. Before ending up in the cinema, Escrivà worked as a porter very close to the theater, at Mobles Maldà, where he did everything, from cleaning windows to going from one store to another. Among the many tasks he performed, when he finished work on Fridays, he would go to Cinema Maldà to watch its art-house and independent films. "This type of cinema hooked me," he recalls.
One day, the person in charge of letting spectators in and seating them in the armchairs said goodbye to Cinema Maldà. It was 1987. Escrivà became the new entrance boy, but that was not the end of it. Some time later, the operator retired and Escrivà wasted no time in getting his license and starting to project films. "Like in Cinema Paradiso," he declares with a smile.
As in any plot, difficulties always end up arriving. In 2003, the cinema had to close for safety reasons and four of its workers invested to make the necessary reforms, including Escrivà, but it was not possible. The license was sold to an Indian businessman, Hankar Kishnani, who wanted to exclusively project Bollywood films, with 14 screenings a week. When it opened, the project did not quite work out and ended up closing again.
It was in 2010 when Escrivà became the manager of Cinema Maldà, which recovered its programming away from commercial titles and its single entry to see more than one film, a very popular formula in re-release cinemas since the 60s, although it adapted to new times. If before two films were offered every afternoon, it went on to include four or five.
The new stage did not start with the best context either, in the midst of a global economic crisis. "Every year, we suffered," Escrivà explains. In 2014, they had to launch a rescue campaign to find friends of the cinema to prevent its closure. From that search for support, which has been maintained ever since, between 100 and 150 patrons have been added who, with an annual contribution of 100 euros, help cover costs and keep the venue afloat.
But the 2008 crisis, amplified by the blow already caused by the change of model that digitalization brought and the VAT increase of 2012, is not all that this Barcelona cinema has had to face. Works on the floor directly above the cinema hindered its operation in 2018, with hammering as a new soundtrack and a considerable drop in turnover.
But it doesn't stop there. Cinema Maldà has been robbed twice. The first was in March 2019, taking all the money they had in the box office and the safe. Such was the scare that even Juan Antonio Bayona decided to lend a hand with the screening of Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom and a subsequent discussion, assuming the costs and donating the proceeds to the cinema. The "sold out" sign was hung and there were even people who were left outside. For Bayona, Cinema Maldà is where he has discovered some of the best films he has ever seen and, despite not having been there for a long time, as he admitted to Escrivà on the day of the event, he has been seen more often since then. The robbery with a heroic director to the rescue was followed by another in September 2020, this time with less impact.
Cinema Maldà has been robbed twice, with a heroic director to the rescue in betweenAfter all this came the pandemic, which is still here and still making itself felt.The cinema withstood the first lockdown well with the savings it had from a good box office at the beginning of the year, thanks to titles such asParasitesand that in winter, when it's really cold, people are more encouraged to go see movies. The support of the owners and initiatives such as discount packs and their cultural basket for Christmas also helped them weather the storm. The problem was reopening, with the usual expenses and without the pre-pandemic audience.
With ups and downs, now, with the return of the capacity limit to 70%, Cinema Maldà sees it as complicated again, with many of its regulars staying home. They are also affected by the rise in electricity prices, with bills that increased by 800 euros per month in summer, forcing them to reduce the number of films scheduled each afternoon and to close some days. With all this, Cinema Maldà turned 75 in December 2020. It could not celebrate the anniversary as it deserved, but it also cannot deny that all these years have given it a history that many films would wish for.