The subject of this ‘Review’ by the Chungdae Post’s Culture Department is ‘Cine Indie U,’ an independent movie theater in Daejeon. Before we get to Know Cine Indie U, let us look at what independent films are first.

What is an independent film? It is a film produced according to the intention of the creator without relying on commercial capital. They are also called indie movies. Independent films are differentiated from mainstream films in terms of themes, forms, and production methods because the creator's intentions are prioritized, unlike general commercial films that aim to secure profits first. There are two main meanings of independence in independent films. The first is independence from capital. A film is produced by the director's own production company or by non-commercial capital. Sometimes, they raise money directly from the audience or use public funds. Director Byeon Young-joo's documentary The Murmuring (1995) and Park Kwang-soo’s A Single Spark (1995) are examples of films that raised some of the production costs through audience fundraising. The second is independence from the dominant narrative of commercial films. Whereas commercial films inevitably develop film content that is advantageous from a marketing point of view to recover production costs and make profits, independent films contain alternative contents and forms, expressing the subject consciousness of producers or directors. While commercial films make narrative customary, independent films make narrative independent.

So, what kind of place is Cine Indie U?

Cine Indie U is an independent movie theater located on the first floor of the Christian Union Volunteer Center, 1712, Gyebaek-ro, Jung-gu, Daejeon. The name Cine Indie U has an interesting meaning, combining cine, which means movie, indie, which means independence, and U (you), which is Chungcheong-do dialect. In addition, U is said to be an ambiguous expression that also includes the meaning of underground and ubiquitous. Cine Indie U is the first and only movie theater in Daejeon to screen solely independent movies, unlike other independent movie theaters that screen both independent films and art films made using commercial capital. Cine Indie U opened on April 23, last year. The price is 7,000 won for adults, 6,000 won for youths (under 18 years of age), 6,000 won for seniors (over 70 years old), and 6,000won for the disabled, which is relatively cheap compared to commercial movie theaters. Also, for groups of 10 or more, tickets are 1,000 won cheaper. Reservations are available on-site and online reservations can be made using
websites such as Yes24, Interpark, Naver, and Daum. There is a separate fee (about 500–1000 won per person) for online reservations. Every Thursday, a weekly screening timetable is posted on the Cine Indie U blog. The last movie is always at 20:00, but it is said that it closes at 20:00 if there are no visitors by 20:00. Inside the movie theater, there are chairs and tables where you can relax, and there is also a bookshelf where movie-related materials are kept. It has a screening hall, a ticket office, a multipurpose room, a community room, and a conference room. In addition to screening movies, the theater also holds special events such as Dialogue with the Audience (GV). This is the time for film directors, actors, and audiences to have a conversation through a Q&A session. Currently, the number of participants is limited to 52 due to covid-19. Although Cine Indie U was built as a space for culture and arts, it is facing a difficult reality. Due to the prolonged pandemic, movie theater sales across the country have plummeted, and Cine Indie U, which is bound to suffer more than commercial movie theaters, is said to be experiencing more severe management difficulties. Due to covid-19, the number of visitors on weekdays decreased sharply last year, and there were many days without any visitors. Considering the ongoing challenges faced by various cultural and arts industries due to covid-19, how about paying more attention to the independent film industry, which is going to face even greater difficulties in the foreseeable future?

<Directions>

- Location: 1st floor of the Christian Union Volunteer enter, 1712, Gyebaek-ro, Jung-gu, Daejeon

- Number of screening halls and seating: 72 seats in one hall

- Contact: TEL. 042: 331-1895, 042: 864-1895 / E-mail: ineindie_u@naver.com

- Blog: https://cafe.naver.com/cineindieu

*Chungnam National University -> ‘Cine Indie U’

- Bus 108(CNU Cooperation Center for Industry-Daego Ogeori)-> Bus 311(Daego Ogeori-Seo Daejeon Negeori)-> 4 minutes’ walk

- Bus 105(CNU-Yuseung Inc.)->Bus 618(Yuseung Inc.-Seo Daeojeon Negeori Exit 3)-> 4 minutes’ walk

- Bus 119(CNU- Seo Daeojeon Negeori Exit 2)