Fairfax Attempts Opening, Cinefamily Gets More Tax Woes

February 03, 2019 in original reporting

In late 2018 the Harkhams applied for a Certificate of Occupancy from the L.A. Department of Building and Safety for the Silent Movie Theater’s Fairfax Cinema (Cinefamily). As of this writing in early February 2019, the application is still pending. New documents indicate that plans for the venue may have changed yet again, possibly related to an alcohol licensing challenge with the state ABC.

An Open Letter to Cinefamily / Fairfax Cinema

July 27, 2018 in commentary, short feature

After yet another derailed attempt at straightforward communications with the Harkhams about Cinefamily, Fairfax Cinema, and the Silent Movie Theater, we release this letter, marking the one-year anniversary of the Board’s failure.

Distributors, Patrons Balk at Fairfax Cinema

March 25, 2018 in original reporting

We reached out to several indie distributors. Some had been approached by Fairfax Cinema, but none was prepared to do business with the Cinefamily rebrand, citing outstanding debts and “financial scammery.” Former Cinefamily members throw shade.

Planned 2018 Re-Opening for Cinefamily / Fairfax Cinema

March 25, 2018 in original reporting

Former Cinefamily Program Director Kate Rouhandeh will be Fairfax Cinema’s Director of Programming. She tells film distribution companies that Fairfax is currently being renovated and will open in summer or fall 2018.

TL;DR

For the decade of Cinefamily’s existence, and for a certain sort of weirdo, the nonprofit single-screen cinematheque was the best thing about L.A.

In August 2017 we discovered Cinefamily was also a harmful place, especially for workers and for women. Reporting at the time focused on workplace sexual harassment, but when this website investigated we found a deeper rot. Former insiders told us of alleged assault, retaliation, wage theft, and embezzlement—as well as fraud against distributors, taxpayers, and regulators.

Cinefamily’s $2 million annual budget was subsidized by taxpayers and overseen by professionals. If the board of directors had done its job, damage may have been reduced, and Cinefamily might still exist. Instead, evidence indicates some directors were not only aware of problems, but were involved in covering them up.

This website provides original reporting as an ongoing call for institutional responsibility. We seek what the board promised: a credible and comprehensive accounting, victims heard and creditors paid, and a new approach to corporate governance and community accountability.

Please reach out with questions, complaints, tips.