Kino Suka, an underground cinema for disruptive and culturally educative non-mainstream movies, commemorated half a year since its creation with a farewell exhibition. The works of art for sale were made by Kino Suka members and friends who contributed to film club operations. Students hoped sales would make up some of the money they had spent on the short-lived enterprise.
‘Some of us have put hundreds into this film club’, says Caitlyn, a Kino Suka member. ‘Although we managed to pay the rent with the donations at the screenings, there were a lot of additional things we needed to buy ourselves – for example, white board, projector, ingredients for tea and cookies.’
Debt
Chen, one of the students who made posters for the screenings, is 91 euro in debt. ‘I am selling my silk screen and other media posters. They are all handmade, I have put a lot of time and effort into them. I really hope someone will buy them.’
In an unlucky turn of events, another student received a 116 euro fine for distributing posters advertising the exhibition. ‘Ironically, we got into more debt while trying to get out of debt.’
Comeback
Caitlyn says no one knows if Kino Suka will make a comeback in September. ‘Our contract for the place at Oost is over. Also, most of the people from the team are leaving Groningen.’ And even though organising Kino Suka was a lot of fun sometimes it was too much. ‘It was twice a week and every time we had to come before the event to prepare everything and then stay after to clean up. I felt exhausted sometimes.’
Even though most of the team are leaving Groningen, they hope other students will take up the project and keep Kino Suka alive. ‘We really don’t want to spoil it. We hope that the few people who are staying here will continue with it’.