365 days in Vilnius: Day 52. Legends of Vilnius: The Cinema Lietuva

As I've mentioned in the beggining of a year, I would like to talk about the cinema Lietuva. Actually, Lietuva is the former cinema and now - the building which will be destroyed in November this year.

Lietuva (in LT) is the cinema in Vilnius, on Pylimo street just opposite Traku street constructed in 1965 by architect Jonas Kasperavicius, closed in 2002 and sold to a private company by Vilnius City Minicipality.

All the information below will be translated from the text from wikipedia where it is stated that the information presented could be subjective and disputive.

History

Lietuva, opened in 1965, was showing the latest and the most popular films. In 1965 - 1985 the cinema was busy 85% all the time and the numer of visitors reached 1,4 million per year, income from sold tickets was over 1 million rubles per year.

Lietuva on its opening day in 1965

In 1997 Lietuva has undergone a significant reconstruction. The sound and video technology conforming the world cinema standarts was installed in the cinema. Since 1994 the Lietuva was in the system of EU association Europa cinemas.

In the years of independence in the Lietuva such film festivals as Vilnius International Film Festival (Vilniaus kino pavasaris) were organised.

Big Hall and Hall 88

Since 1997 reconstruction the cinema had 2 halls: Big Hall and Hall 88. The Big Hall had 983 seats and one of the hugest screens in Europe ( it was 200 square meters) and Dolby sound system (Dolby Digital, Dolby A, Dolby SR) and the newest cinema projection systems were installed. The Hall 88 was opened in 1998 and it had 88 seats. Here also Dolby sound system and the newest cinema projection systems were instaled.

Long story of Privatization

In 1990-1991 the State Cinema Lietuva was reorgnized into private company UAB Lietuvos kino teatras, 93% shares of which belonged to Vilnius City Minicipality and the rest 7% to the employees of the cinema. In 1997 UAB Lietuvos kino teatras with an agreement of the Minicipality took 1,9 million litas loan for a renovation from Zemes ukio bankas. The loan was paid in several years from the income from tickets sales. In 1998 one more loan of 2,5 million litas was taken for further renavoation. In 2002 UAB Lietuvos kino teatras has 1 mln litas of still unpaid loan.

In May 2002 the first auction was organized. The winner a company of Vilnius Prekyba group - UAB Regiono investicijos refused to buy the cinema. Half a year later - UAB Regiono investicijos bought it for twise or triple lower price than it was in May - for 2 mln litas.

Three years later UAB Regiono investicijos sold the cinema to a company M2Invest who was the shareholder of UAB Rojaus apartamentai for much higher prise than it had bought Lietuva in autumn 2002.

Meanwhile in 2005 on August 25 the Lietuva was officialy closed. on that day it was showing two movies: One flew over cookoo nest and The Idiots.

Few protest actions were organized. More you can find here (in LT).

In 2010 UAB Rojaus apartamentai declared bancrupcy.

In the beginning of 2012 SEB bank company Litecus bought Lietuva for 9 mln litas.

In June 2014 it was announced that a joint company of the fund Lord LB Opportunity Fund II and VsI Modernaus meno centras called UAB LKT Projektai is negotiating about purchasing the cinema.

In March 2014 Lithuanian Architects' Association and UAB LKT Projektai organized architectural contest for Modern Art Centre and office building which didn't succseed. The fund Lord LB Opportunity Fund II left the project.

In 2015 a new company UAB MMC projektai formed by VsI Modern Art Centre and its partners presented a new project of Modern Art Centre building by Daniel Libeskind.

We do not agree

On the roof of the Lietuva somebody one day wrote HELP.

And sombody crossed out the letter P and wrote the second L and one got HELL.

See here: the Lietuva is waiting for the help from Heaven.

Summer 2016

In the middle of July the Modern Art Centre announced that it organizes tours into the former cinema Lietuva (in LT).

The Lietuva was opening its door for the very last time.

How the former cinema looks in July 2016 after 11 years of neglecting you can see in the article above ( click the link above).

I was inside the Lietuva on 28 July. Admission - 3,5 EUR.

Our guide was MAC employee - Migle.

I felt so sad for the whole history of that building. It's a bit pity that the tour inside the Lietuva took only 30 min, the rest 30 min Migle was telling us about the MAC - who they are and about their future.

Lietuva looks scary and terrifying.

Foje

Big Hall

the second floor - the floor of technicians

Famous corridor leading to Hall 88

Place where the screen of Hall 88 used to be

What future brings

The demolition works of the Lietuva will start in November 2016.

In the place of the Lietuva new MAC building will be constructed till 2017.

This is how MAC building will look like.

The End?

Yes, I guess that it is the end.

February 2017 - the beggining of the end

The Lietuva wasn't demolished in November 2016.
It was opened for the publicity for the very last time on February 1, 2017.
Some modern artist had their installation on that day there. Some free excursions took place.

These are some pictures from February, 2017