WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — In October, after watching movie theaters in other states open, Lawren Desai and her team at Aperture Cinema were ready to safely bring people back to the movies.

“North Carolina’s on the later side of when theaters in the country could open, and so we could see that a lot of theaters had started to do these private rentals so it kind of seemed like a no brainer that it would be an easy way to sort of enter opening back up,” Desai said.

Desai is the executive director, and says through the summer they were doing online rentals. They showed over 200 movies in 2020. That helped them to keep going, but the rentals have provided an extra source of revenue.

They average two rentals a week, and have hosted birthday parties, date nights, and family outings.

They work to make it palatable to everyone. People can choose a movie the theater has, or even bring their own to put on the big screen.

Sunny Sayers had her 10th birthday party at the theater, located at 311 W 4th St., bringing members of her school bubble. She says she liked having her own row to herself, and her mother says it was great to have the kids together safely out of school.

Desai says it's going back to basics, and that the feedback they've gotten from movie goers is positive.

“I think when you’re sitting in the theater, watching a film, you can sort of turn off the world for two hours.”

More information about rentals can be found here.