SINGAPORE – In an apparent U-turn, indie cinema The Projector says it will return to its original location of Golden Mile Tower on Beach Road for daily screenings from August.

In a press statement sent on July 23, The Projector said it is “seizing the opportunity” to return to its original location because the latest round of en-bloc negotiations for Golden Mile Tower had concluded without a transaction.

In the statement, the cinema’s founder Karen Tan added : “As we reactivate Golden Mile Tower, our audiences can expect the same irreverent spirit and eclectic, culturally-driven programming they know and love, now with a refreshed energy and a deeper sense of community.”

The move comes as a surprise as on April 10, The Projector had announced that

daily screenings at Golden Mile Tower from May 5 would no longer be held

as it was pivoting towards using its Cineleisure location for screenings. The Golden Mile Tower site, where The Projector was founded in 2014, would focus on events.

The return to Golden Mile Tower comes amid speculation that it is getting ready to exit its Cineleisure premises, where it has operated three halls and other spaces since December 2023. It was a partnership with major cinema operator Golden Village, which also operates three halls in the building.

The Straits Times has learnt from sources that The Projector is not accepting bookings for screenings or other events at its Orchard Road location from late July.

Koh Jee Leong, 55, editor-in-chief of Gaudy Boy, a New York-based Singapore publisher, told ST he had booked The Projector’s event space No Spoilers Bar at Cineleisure for a book launch on July 23. 

In late April, he received a confirmation of the booking for the launch of Singapore poet Wahidah Tambee’s title Eke. Then on July 16, he received an e-mail from The Projector, telling him the event could not be held at the site.

There was an offer to host the launch at Golden Mile Tower, but on a different date as the space was already booked. 

“Our event involves a number of speakers, so it was not possible for us to change the date,” said Koh, whose event will now be held at indie bookstore Book Bar in Duxton Road.

Another source, who declined to be named, told ST that he was informed by The Projector a few days ago that his film event, confirmed in June and scheduled for July at Cineleisure, could still go ahead. However, it was uncertain if The Projector would remain as host of the event.

He was told the reason was that The Projector might be leaving Cineleisure and was offered Golden Mile Tower as an alternative, but he said he plans to hold back and consider all options before deciding.

Neither Golden Village nor The Projector have made a formal announcement about the ending of their partnership. When asked about the alleged departure, spokespersons from both organisations declined comment, stating that an official statement will be issued in the coming days. 

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