Toronto Underground Cinema

The Toronto Underground Cinema is now a church

A few months after the old Toronto Underground Cinema space came to life again for theatre extravaganza Boomer (and just a few short weeks after Trash Palace's Stacey Case told us the city's trashiest screening series would favour finding another tiny micro cinema home over taking over TUC), the latest tenant of the roomy subterranean Spadina cinema is not an arts group but a church.

Kingsway Community Life Centre's modern-y church (you know the type) took over the cinema as of mid winter this year, over two years after TUC closed its doors for good. The church itself seems chill, but I'm guessing staff won't be dressed as gory Clue cast members.

I've already had my spiritual experience in the cinema (Yo La Tengo and The Sounds of Science at Images Festival), so I'm down with letting others have a go at it. The church itself started nearly a decade ago in Canada Christian College, and they're clearly excited about the move - a quasi-slick video takes advantage of the new venue's cool factor.

The main question is now that the space is occupied, will Kingsway be able and/or open to offering the screening room out to the city's art and film groups? We reached out for comment but have yet to hear back, but regardless, the Music Gallery likely isn't facing much competition as the arts community's most loved foray into religious venues.

Photo by Roger Cullman


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