Jay Schwartz, dedicated fan of the retro style of film projection (big reels on big screens), has been showing bits and pieces of his Secret Cinema for 30 years, writes Shaun Brady for The Philadelphia Inquirer.

He maintains a 1,000 square-foot workshop and warehouse in Kensington piled high with more than 4,000 canisters of unique films, commercials, and television shows.

He has a “Best of Secret Cinema Screening and Talk” coming up April 3 at Swarthmore College.

His programs are always projected on film, not digital or video, and can range from vintage cartoons, a two-reel musical comedy from the 1930s, industrial films, and TV commercials.

The focus is on the offbeat and obscure.

Much has changed since he started, with the immense popularity of home entertainment, streaming services, and brick-and-mortar theaters’ pandemic hit.

But Schwartz is determined to keep going. 

“It does get harder and harder to convince people that they should come and watch stuff. But I guess there are two things that I bring: a chance to see what real film looks like and a chance to see films with other people. It’s really a different experience watching weird stuff with a like-minded audience.”

Read more at The Philadelphia Inquirer about Jay Schwartz and his Secret Cinema.