It's probably safe to say that Guillermo del Toro is our foremost Torontonian at this point. In addition to having a home here and shooting many of his films in the city — as well supporting local business at Vinegar Syndrome and indie bookstores like Acadia Art & Rare Books — the famed director has now urged his Twitter followers (and Mayor Olivia Chow) to help save a 112-year Toronto institution: the Revue Cinema.
Last week, the beloved arthouse and community hub shared that it was in danger of closing as members of the Revue Film Society negotiated renewing the theatre's lease with their landlord, who was planning to evict the Revue's current operators and turn it into a private business.
Public outcry in response to the potential loss of yet another Toronto cultural institution was swift and thunderous. Thankfully, on June 28, the Revue Film Society was granted an injunction from the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, blocking the eviction and preventing the landlords from interfering with the cinema until the matter goes to trial, thus allowing the theatre to continue operations for the time being.
While del Toro may be a little late to the party, he shared a link to a Change.org petition to save the Revue with his followers on Twitter today. "Add your signature, if you can/want," the filmmaker wrote. It's unclear whether signing the petition makes a difference post-injunction, but hey, it certainly doesn't hurt!