Rather than close the 60-year-old Cinema Leuzinger in Rapperswil-Jona, a charming town of 27,000 on the shores of Lake Zurich, new owner Kinoevent reopens its doors to the first event cinema screening, in English.

Company Name: Kinoevent GmbH, Rapperswil

Interviewee: Christian Meier

What’s the story behind Kinoevent? Willy Leuzinger, one of the pioneers of Swiss film and cinema, started things up here in Rapperswil more than a century ago. His granddaughter Marianne Hegi ran the two local cinemas over the last 30 years. With high investments to be made for digitalisation and no successors to take over she was forced to close the cinemas in early 2011.

I grew up in Rapperswil, without siblings nor television so I often went to the cinema. When I heard that the cinemas were going to be closed, I decided to help Mrs Hegi and to save film culture in our beautiful town. I bought the cinema business, remodelled and digitalised and learned how to run two cinemas alongside my day job. It was and still is an adventure for me and my family - my wife, three teenagers and the dog (he loves the popcorn).

Why start an English film night? I love it when chilled out people meet similar-minded people and have a chance to relax and chat to each other. In Switzerland, people usually just say hello and that’s about it! But imagine leaving the cinema with new friends? It is such a great opportunity and it happens naturally when people talk the same language and experience something unusual together.

After observing many English speaking couples at a film night, who were standing all alone in the middle of a Swiss-German speaking crowd, we created the idea of organising an English film night for native speakers.

Do you have English speaking staff? That used to be a problem. We didn't have any native English-speaking crew but recently Jay from Australia joined our team, just in time for our first event on Tuesday 11th December at 7.30pm. 

Where can I get information on film listings? 
Check out our page on English Forum Switzerland for current listings and the latest information on upcoming films and events. 

Contact: Kinobar Leuzinger, Obere Bahnhofstrasse 46, CH-8640 Rapperswil.
Reservations: +41(0)55 210 55 01 or email jay.stevens@kinoevent.ch