Search form

menu menu
  • Daily & Weekly newsletters
  • Buy & download The Bulletin
  • Comment on our articles

Decision on fate of historic ABC Cinema expected next month

14:11 30/03/2017

The Brussels Cineact foundation stated its case to the court of appeals this week with regard to the ABC Cinema, which it is trying to stop from being turned into a commercial space.

Cineact, a foundation made up of the people behind Cinema Nova, Marcel/Offscreen and La Retine de Plateau, had agreed to rent the cinema on Boulevard Adolphe Max and all related equipment from its owner in 2013. The owner had just shut the doors of the venue, which had been screening soft-core porn films since the 1970s.

Cineact raised more than €55,000 in crowdfunding for renovations to turn ABC into a unique event space. It was already carrying out works in the building when the owner died suddenly.

As no contract had yet been signed, the building went to the owner’s heirs, who quickly sold it to a real estate firm. The firm removed the equipment and began renovations of their own.

Cineact went to court to get its right to rent the space recognised, but lost and have now presented their case to a court of appeal. A decision is expected by 24 April.

“We have been fighting this passionately for so long, but have always come back empty-handed,” Dirk Van Extergem of Cineact told Het Nieuwsblad. “In the meantime, the current owner has already carried out works, and the building doesn’t look like it once did. But this remains a question of principle. We have told our funders that we would keep fighting, and that’s what we’re going to do.”

Written by Lisa Bradshaw