Продажа кинотеатров Golden Mile Tower в Сингапуре создает неопределенность для Filmhouse и Carnival Cinemas

Potential sale of Golden Mile Tower units creates fresh uncertainty for Filmhouse, Carnival Cinemas SINGAPORE – Two cinemas at Golden Mile Tower are facing a fresh dose of uncertainty after their units have been put up for sale, a year after a collective sale attempt of the Beach Road building failed to secure a buyer. Independent cinema Filmhouse and Indian theatre Carnival Cinemas are part of a 104,991 sq ft property that has been put on the market for a guide price of $31 million. The premises on sale comprise four auditoriums – one at Carnival Cinemas and three at Filmhouse, with a total seating capacity of up to 2,000 – and office spaces on the third and fourth levels. Potential buyers have until Aug 4 to express their interest in the property, said real estate firm CBRE, which is managing the sale. Joshua Giam, CBRE’s director of capital markets for Singapore, said the property can be reconfigured into a single large auditorium or be partially converted into an event venue, a media production studio or a gym. The potential sale raises fresh questions over the future of both Filmhouse’s and Carnival Cinemas’ current venues, which filmgoers say have become culturally significant spaces because of their specialist programming. CBRE said “quite a number” of potential buyers have expressed interest in the property. It was just five months ago that Filmhouse opened at its current venue, formerly the site of indie cinema The Projector, which shut down abruptly in August 2025. If the sale goes through, it could mean that the cinemas might have to look for new venues. Filmhouse’s general manager Sharon Tan, who was also part of the team that founded The Projector, said she was not surprised by the latest news of the sale. “We were always aware of our landlord’s interest to sell, regardless of whether via en bloc or other means,” she said. “This is a reality all tenants live with in Singapore, and the circumstances we face – in what Singapore considers a ‘mature’ building like Golden Mile Tower – are not unique.” The indie cinema has been making plans to continue its business, Tan said. Filmhouse “(welcomes) any parties with leads on alternative venues to contact us”, she said. Former indie cinema The Projector, which had occupied Filmhouse’s current premises from 2014 to 2025, also had to deal with considerable uncertainty, including collective sale attempts by the strata-titled building’s owners. The Projector entered voluntary liquidation in August 2025 after accumulating about $1.2 million in debt. Filmhouse took over its old space in February, backed by an investor who hired several of the former cinema’s core team members. Carnival Cinemas manager Durai Jawahar said he is worried that a new landlord would stop leasing the space to it or increase the rental significantly. If that happens, his cinema, which screens South Indian and Bollywood films on the third floor of Golden Mile Tower, might have to find a new venue. “They will definitely increase the rental even if they keep us. Because $31 million is a lot of money, and they will want to get back their money,” he said. Jawahar, who has worked at Carnival Cinemas since it opened at Golden Mile Tower in 2017, said this current sale attempt is giving him more uncertainty compared with previous unsuccessful collective sale talks. “It feels different this time because it’s not the whole building that they are trying to sell. It’s just our space and a few others. So, it could really happen,” said Jawahar, who manages four other employees at the cinema. “When The Projector closed last year, I already started to worry more. The cinema business is going downhill and our profits are getting smaller each year.” News of the potential sale has taken regulars of both cinemas by surprise. Many patrons of Carnival Cinemas are Indian nationals here on employment and S passes and work permits. They frequent Carnival because it screens Indian films not shown in other cinemas. Technician Vivek Durga, who was at the cinema with two friends on July 5 to watch Telugu psychological drama Rao Bahadur, said that besides the greater variety of South Indian films at Carnival Cinemas, he enjoys its big screen and sound system. “It’ll be tough for us if this place closes because it is good entertainment. After we work very hard the whole month, we can come to enjoy (a film) for two hours here and reduce stress,” said the 25-year-old Indian national, who has worked in Singapore for three years. Manisha Darshan, 22, said she hopes Filmhouse can remain in its current location or find a new space. “As an aspiring film-maker, spaces like Filmhouse are incredibly important as they celebrate unique voices and can inspire the next generation of storytellers,” said the student at LASALLE College of the Arts.