Are you a film lover who also enjoys trekking into the great outdoors? Perhaps your preferred après-ski is a large popcorn in a comfy seat? Since 1908, the majestic Vogue Theatre in Fernie, BC, has entertained audiences in the captivating foothills of Canadian Rockies.
Co-owners and husband-and-wife partners Dennis and Roxana Djonlich have operated the Vogue for the past 20 years; in fact, the cinema has been a great family affair as their children worked in the venue, too! Since taking on the cinema in the early 2000s, they have done incredible work upgrading the two-screen venue to present a state-of-the-art cinematic experience.
Dennis and Roxana hope the Vogue retains its important place as a cornerstone in the Elk Valley community. From mountain sports film festivals to the latest blockbusters, the Vogue has something for everyone. Plus – don’t miss their awesome rec room and vintage arcade!
Check out the real estate listing here.
Tell us about the Vogue Theatre:
The Vogue started out as the Grand Theatre, built on Victoria Avenue in Fernie, British Columbia in 1908 by the Union Miners Hall as a place for its members to meet, which was located on the second floor of the building where the party space is now.
The main space was operated as a live theatre until 1942, when it was converted into a movie theatre and renamed The Vogue Theatre. It was a one-room theatre that seated approximately 400 people. It had a small grocery store on one side of the lobby, and the second floor was mostly unused. The theatre changed hands over those years, and eventually the single auditorium was split into two, one of around 100 seats and the other roughly double the capacity.
We purchased the building in the early 2000s and began the process of renovation and restoration. We have mostly played first or second-run films, and regularly host festivals and special events, such as the Reel Canadian Film Fest, fly fishing film festivals, the Banff Mountain Film Festival, ski content, concerts, comedy shows, etc. It’s a busy little place that maintains its charm and history while still operating as a profitable, modern movie theatre with an excellent cinematic experience.
What are your favourite compliments that the Vogue Theatre receives from your audience?
We have been lucky to receive much praise and compliments for the job we have done over the years to breathe new life and financial investment into Vogue. One of our favourite moments was when we reopened the theatre after the renovation, and it felt like the whole town had lined up to see the films we were showing that week, partly because they had missed not going to the movies while we were closed and secondly because they were curious to see what we had done with the place.
Many people had pictures of the theatre as their screen savers on their phones for months afterward and weren’t shy to share them with me. It was the immediate gratification we needed to know that we were doing the right thing and reinforced how important the Vogue is to the community and those that live within it.
What’s a memorable film screening or event you hosted?
We have hosted so many over the past 20 years, but my favourites are probably when we hosted the film premiere of a Film for Kokanee beer. They held a national contest and the winners from around the country were brought to Fernie in winter to ski and hang out in town, with the main event being a watch party of Kokanee’s feature film called the Movie Out There, we dressed the theatre up in blue lights and Kokanee swag, and it was a fun and very memorable night, even if the movie wasn’t.
The other was the premiere of the Hot Tub Time Machine; the movie was filmed in town and the distribution company was nice enough to let us show it the day before it opened, effectively giving us the world premiere of the film. The whole town came out for that one.
How did you get into the film exhibition business?
My wife and I were regular patrons of the Vogue, and when it came for sale, we decided it would be a fun project to take on. The building was in rough shape, but it had a great vibe and a loyal base of regulars.
We began by closing its doors for a year while it underwent an extensive renovation, modernizing the infrastructure and the full-scale rebuild of the interior to give the feel of a 115-year-old space with more modern materials, such as comfortable seating, digital projection, large silver screens, a party room full of vintage video arcade games etc.
We went into it not knowing anything about running a cinema, but we learned as we went, the community supported our efforts, and it was a wonderful time in our lives.
Why are you deciding to sell the Vogue Theatre?
We have operated it for just about 20 years, and our kids have grown, they all used to work at the Vogue right alongside us, and they will all be in different places soon, so it is time to think about being a little less tied down, with less on our plates.
So, unfortunately, time is dictating that we change to meet the demands of our changing family needs. As they say, “all good things must come to an end”!
What do you hope for the future of the Vogue Theatre?
I hope the Vogue retains its important place as a brick-and-mortar builder of community. It has been the place that the whole of Elk Valley regularly visits to meet friends and family to share each other’s company in physical proximity.
It has been bringing people together for such a long time that all we can hope is that the building and its place in the community stays relevant and that its history as a Canadian cinema icon is understood, appreciated, and celebrated.
Very few communities, especially the size of Fernie, can boast that their cinema has been filling its seats with countless generations of patrons for 115 consecutive years, and we should be very proud of that.
