The Tara Theater is the only theater in the Southeast to screen the Academy Award winner for Best Picture ‘Anora’ on 35mm film, showcasing a unique way to watch the Oscar winning movie.

Kevin Kelley, the Director of Operations at the Tara Theater, located at Cheshire Bridge, said that 35mm presentations offer a better experience than most standard Digital Presentations.

“There is an inherent charm and nostalgia to a 35mm presentation,” Kelley said. “Along with being technically a higher resolution to most standard 2k Digital Presentations, 35mm film can present an image resolution equivalent of up to 5k. There is a warmness to film not present in digital presentations. The appeal for some also comes with the natural wear present in film that doesn’t appear on Digital. After repeated plays, 35mm film can be subject to dirt and scratch build up that adds a charm to the presentation. Viewers wanting to experience a more accurate presentation of how the filmmaker wanted their film to be seen will seek out a film print.”

Only a handful of film prints were released for Anora, and the Tara theater is one of the only ones to screen the film.

“The film was shot on 35mm film as opposed to Digital and only nine 35mm film prints were released into the theatrical market, so being the only location in the Southeast playing the film in the format is a source of great pride,” Kelley said.

Kelley believes that watching the film on 35mm is a unique way to create a different experience.

“Spontaneity can breed good results occasionally, but offering it in 35mm also makes screenings more special for those who haven’t seen it, or for those who only saw it at home,” Kelley said. “It gives them a chance to see it in a way that only a movie theatre can provide,”

Filming on 35mm is not as commonly released to theaters, so only Anora is being played in this print at the Tara.

“Although we did play Emilia Perez in 35mm prior to the Oscar broadcast, not all filmmakers/studios choose to make 35mm release prints available,” Kelley said.

The Plaza Theater as well as the Tara offer film presentations in 35mm, making them niche locations for movie lovers and it offers a unique experience to those who only watch more modern formats.

“The Tara and the Plaza are extremely proud of the fact that we are the only two theatres in Atlanta to offer film presentations in 35mm and 70mm,” Kelley said. “It sets us apart from the other theatres offering films the same as everyone else. It is the same as those special theatres that offer IMAX or IMAX film.”

After winning the Oscar, Anora increased in popularity, leading to the sudden rise of viewers.

“Our sister theatre, the Plaza, played Anora upon its initial release,” Kelley said. “When it won Best Picture, we reached out to the studio to see about adding a re-issue to the Tara’s lineup.”

Midtown students that are interested in film also feel an attraction to the Tara Theater.

“The film Anora absolutely attracts me to the Tara Theater because, as an aspiring director, it is important to me to watch Oscar winning films,” sophomore Lois Goldman said.

35mm film is known to be more nostalgic, giving the audience a different feel while watching movies.

“The 35mm film makes it the same as seeing a regular movie, but it also provides the aesthetic and nostalgic feel of going to the movies decades ago,” Goldman said.

Sophomore Noah Northcutt said showing the movie on 35mm film is the way the director intended it to be seen.

“This screening of Anora does attract me to the Tara as it is the sole theater in Atlanta with a true 35mm showing as Sean Baker [Anora’s director] intended,” Northcutt said.

Out of the 10 films nominated for the Best Picture Award, Anora was the only one filmed on 35mm. Northcutt said that in this case, the 35mm format was a benefit of watching the film at the Tara theater.

“A 35mm film can make or break a movie in my opinion,” Northcutt said. “In the case of Anora, I think that the use of 35mm film was genius and adds a lot of value and depth to the film, invoking forgotten human emotions in modern day film.”