Athena Cinema

Athena Cinema is a historic movie theater in downtown Athens, Ohio, with roots extending back to 1915. The venue originally opened as The Majestic and later operated under the name Schine's Athena before adopting its current identity. It has remained a continuous part of the Athens community for more than a century, making it one of the city's long-standing cultural and entertainment institutions. The theater began as a low-cost local cinema during the early years of motion-picture exhibition. Its opening presentation was Cinderella, starring Mary Pickford. In its early period, the venue emphasized popular first-run films at inexpensive prices, including five-cent admissions for longer films. This positioning made the theater accessible to local residents and distinguished it from more expensive opera-house entertainment. Like many cinemas of the period, it operated within a changing regulatory environment. Film censorship in Ohio affected the availability of controversial or sexually suggestive productions, and local exhibition decisions occasionally became subjects of public debate. The Athena also developed a close relationship with Ohio University and the broader Athens community. Student activity around the theater has included celebratory events, debates about ticket prices, and participation in discussions about its role in local cultural life. In 1968, students protested an increase in adult admission prices. The dispute led to a trial pricing arrangement offering discounted matinee admission before 5 p.m. and a higher evening price, illustrating the venue's sensitivity to its student audience and the importance of university patronage. By 2001, owner Bill Duerson had placed the theater on the market after financial difficulties affected its profitability. Ohio University subsequently contracted to take over the property and undertook restoration work. The theater reopened in February 2002 under an independent manager. As that operating arrangement approached the end of its lease, the university convened a committee to determine how the venue could better support the institution's educational and cultural mission. Business students contributed ideas concerning marketing, student engagement, connections with academic programs, cooperation with uptown businesses, and programming that would serve the wider community. The resulting direction retained the Athena as a cinema while giving it a stronger institutional role. The College of Fine Arts was selected to manage the venue, and the theater reopened under that management on September 19, 2008. Its programming expanded beyond mainstream commercial releases to include art-house and international films, creating a distinct niche within the local movie-theater market. The Athena therefore operates not only as an exhibition venue but also as a university-affiliated cultural resource and a platform for film education and community activity. Since 1973, the theater has hosted the annual Athens International Film + Video Festival, further strengthening its relationship with independent, experimental, and international cinema. The venue is staffed by more than 40 students paid through the Federal Work-Study program, giving Ohio University students practical experience while helping integrate the cinema into campus life. The current director identified in the available reference material is Alexandra Kamody, an Ohio University alumna and former student worker. The theater remains active in Athens under university ownership, with a mission combining film exhibition, student employment, cultural programming, and community service.

The building now identified with Athena Cinema began operating as a movie theater in 1915 under the name The Majestic. It was established after the Bethel grocery store was evicted from the premises, and its first reported screening was Cinderella, featuring Mary Pickford. The early theater served an audience that wanted affordable access to the rapidly expanding motion-picture medium. Admission for a four-reel film could be as low as five cents, making the cinema less expensive than the opera-house entertainment available in Athens and helping establish it as a popular local venue. During its early decades, the theater presented popular first-run pictures, including films such as Etta of the Footlights and A Good Little Devil. Its low-price strategy was central to its appeal, but its programming also brought it into contact with the censorship standards of early twentieth-century Ohio. The Birth of a Nation was not initially permitted to screen in the state and required a lengthy review process before it could be shown in Ohio. Other films, including Theda Bara's Sin, generated concern because of their subject matter. In that case, exhibition was framed as a cautionary depiction of sin and a study of human behavior in order to satisfy censorship concerns. The theater's relationship with Ohio University students became increasingly visible over time. In 1941, following an Ohio University basketball victory, students formed a conga line that entered the cinema, moved through the auditorium, crossed in front of the screen, and then continued onto Court Street. In 1968, students also became involved in an admission-price dispute. When the adult ticket price rose from $1.50 to $2, two students began picketing outside the theater. The protest grew to approximately twenty participants over the weekend. Management met with student representatives and agreed to test a split pricing arrangement: a $1 matinee before 5 p.m. and a $2 evening ticket. The trial was presented as a way to assess demand and ultimately satisfied both sides. The venue continued to face programming controversies during the 1970s. In 1972, complaints about Sexual Freedom in Denmark led the theater to substitute No Deposit, No Return. Athens mayor Donald Barrett asked police captain Charles Cochran to inspect the film in response to public complaints. In 1977, the screening of Fantasy Girls prompted two police officers to speak with management. Police chief Ted Jones called on the theater to stop showing X-rated movies, although he did not specify what enforcement action might follow. Manager Ben Geary defended the theater's right to screen monitored adult films and rejected the idea that the police should determine which films were obscene. Jones later acknowledged that he was uncomfortable with police officers making such decisions. The theater discontinued Fantasy Girls but continued to show some films considered sexually provocative, including A Clockwork Orange. The venue later became known as Schine's Athena before settling into its present name, Athena Cinema. By 2001, owner Bill Duerson sought a buyer because the theater was struggling to generate profits. Ohio University contracted to acquire or operate the venue and restored the building, which reopened in February 2002 under an independent manager. As the lease approached expiration, university and community stakeholders considered how the cinema could fit within Ohio University's broader mission. A committee consulted clusters of business students, who proposed stronger marketing, closer links to academic programs, greater student engagement, cooperation with uptown businesses, and programming designed to attract both university and community audiences. The review concluded that the theater should remain a cinema but should operate with a more clearly defined cultural and educational role. The College of Fine Arts assumed management, and the Athena reopened on September 19, 2008. Its programming expanded to include art-house and international films, giving it a differentiated position alongside other local movie houses. The venue also continued its association with the Athens International Film + Video Festival, which it has hosted since 1973. Under university ownership, Athena Cinema functions as a cultural institution as well as a commercial exhibition venue. Its workforce includes more than 40 students paid through Federal Work-Study, and its operations provide students with practical experience in cinema management, customer service, marketing, and programming. Alexandra Kamody, an Ohio University alumna and former student worker, is identified in the available reference material as the current director. The theater remains active in Athens, preserving a historic local cinema while presenting a mixture of commercial, art-house, international, independent, and festival films.

• 2008

  College of Fine Arts management begins

  [1]Athena Cinemaen.wikipedia.org

  The venue reopened on September 19 under Ohio University's College of Fine Arts with an expanded art-house and international-film focus.

• 2002

  The restored theater reopens

  [1]Athena Cinemaen.wikipedia.org

  Athena Cinema reopened in February under an independent manager following restoration work.

• 2001

  Ohio University contracts to take over the theater

  [1]Athena Cinemaen.wikipedia.org

  Owner Bill Duerson put the theater up for sale amid profitability problems, after which Ohio University contracted to take over the venue and restore it.

• 1977

  Dispute over X-rated film programming

  [1]Athena Cinemaen.wikipedia.org

  The screening of Fantasy Girls led to discussions between police and theater management about adult films, obscenity, and censorship.

• 1973

  Athens International Film + Video Festival association begins

  [1]Athena Cinemaen.wikipedia.org

  The theater becomes a host venue for the annual Athens International Film + Video Festival.

• 1972

  Controversial film is replaced after complaints

  [1]Athena Cinemaen.wikipedia.org

  Sexual Freedom in Denmark was replaced by No Deposit, No Return after complaints and local official interest in the film.

• 1968

  Student ticket-price protest produces trial pricing

  [1]Athena Cinemaen.wikipedia.org

  A student protest over an adult-ticket increase led to a trial arrangement offering lower-priced matinee admission and regular evening pricing.

• 1941

  Students stage a post-game celebration inside the theater

  [1]Athena Cinemaen.wikipedia.org

  Ohio University students formed a conga line after a basketball victory and moved through the theater and onto Court Street.

• 1915

  The Majestic opens

  [1]Athena Cinemaen.wikipedia.org

  The theater begins operating in Athens, Ohio, with Cinderella starring Mary Pickford reported as its opening film.

A university-owned community cinema that combines mainstream film exhibition with art-house, international, independent, experimental, and festival programming.

• Cinema exhibition · 1915

  Commercial feature-film screenings

  Athena Cinema presents feature films for local audiences, maintaining its historic function as a movie theater while operating under Ohio University ownership. Its programming has included popular and first-run entertainment at different points in its history, although the available references do not identify a current release schedule.

• Specialty cinema · 2008

  Art-house and international film program

  Since its 2008 reopening under College of Fine Arts management, the theater has emphasized art-house and international films. This programming gives the venue a cultural and educational role distinct from a conventional commercial multiplex and supports Ohio University's connection to film and the arts.

• Film festival · 1973

  Athens International Film + Video Festival

  The cinema has hosted the annual Athens International Film + Video Festival since 1973. The festival relationship connects Athena Cinema with independent, experimental, and international moving-image work and is one of its longest-running cultural associations.

• 1977

  Police criticism of Fantasy Girls screening

  The screening of Fantasy Girls resulted in a conversation between police officers and theater management. Police chief Ted Jones urged the theater to stop showing X-rated films, while manager Ben Geary defended the monitored exhibition of adult content. Jones later expressed discomfort with police making obscenity decisions.

  Source

• 1972

  Complaints over Sexual Freedom in Denmark

  The theater replaced Sexual Freedom in Denmark with No Deposit, No Return after complaints from residents. The episode brought the mayor and police into a discussion about whether the film should be examined and whether its content was acceptable for local exhibition.

  Source

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• 2008

  College of Fine Arts assumes managementStrategy

  Background

  As the independent management lease neared expiration, Ohio University evaluated how the theater could support its academic and community mission.

  Action taken

  The university selected the College of Fine Arts to run the cinema and expanded its programming to include art-house and international films.

  Aftermath

  The Athena reopened on September 19, 2008 with a more distinctive cultural niche and stronger potential links to students, academic programs, and the Athens community.

  Source

• 1968

  Trial split-pricing arrangement follows student protestPrice change

  Background

  Students objected when the adult ticket price increased from $1.50 to $2. The protest expanded from two picketers to approximately twenty over the weekend.

  Action taken

  Management agreed to test a $1 matinee price before 5 p.m. while retaining a $2 evening ticket.

  Aftermath

  The arrangement was intended to determine whether demand would support keeping the discounted matinee structure. The available reference describes the result as acceptable to both students and management.

  Source

1. 1Athena Cinemaen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Athena Cinema official websiteathenacinema.com