Film exhibition and film consumption in the countryside

A transnational comparison

Abstract

This article examines the economics and socio-cultural dynamics of film exhibition and consumption in the European countryside from a transnational per- spective with a particular focus on the Netherlands, (West-)Germany and France. After a brief discussion of cinema’s widespread perception as an urban entertainment medium, the author addresses the question ‘what exactly is a cinema?’ in order to challenge the one-dimensional narrative of traditional film historiography, which has largely overlooked the continued importance of travelling cinema beyond the era of the fairground shows. For the three countries under consideration, the key developments in rural and small-town film exhibition are discussed with a strong focus on commercial screenings in multifunctional venues. The study shows that important factors in shaping film culture in the countryside were the close interrelationship between cinema and other leisure-time activities, limited choice and lack of access to recent films, the rhythms of agriculture and the influence of church, as well as growing mobility and economic prosperity.