Local Theatre Takes Cinematic Risks in a Comfortable Environment

Meet Lynne Cohen and Rich Szanyi, the founders, former co-owners, and current executive directors of Cinemapolis. The pair is just as meek and mild as the façade. Cohen sits with a fresh cup of coffee, sitting quietly since the last customers entered the theater. Szanyi hunches toward her on his stool, even quieter. To be sure, it’s what’s on the inside that counts.

“Our goal is to create an excellent movie experience," says Cohen. "We like showing movies on their first run here, and we like running the best films for the town."
Rich Szanyi mans the front desk at Cinemapolis.
Though the two typify sexagenarians, with their salt-and-pepper hair, their spirits are much younger. They’d have to be with such movies as “Night Watch", “A Scanner Darkly", and “Caché".

"It’s a great business for us," says Szanyi. “The product is always changing. It’s really fun."

So what are two up-beat and young-at-heart film fanatics doing in Ithaca? It all started in New York City about 30 years ago with Cohen.

"I lived in New York City. I enjoyed going to the repertory theatres there. We’ve both always been into film, and we moved to Santa Fe, we started a movie theater, modeled on the ones in New York City."

After selling the place, they packed up and brought the idea of a new theater here in 1986.

“We like it here; it’s a college town," she pauses, “the atmosphere. And they have nice old houses."