Local film producer wants to save the Westdale Theatre

A local film and television producer whose films have garnered 11 Academy Award nominations is behind a new community effort to save the Westdale Theatre. But it's still too early to say if that will translate into an offer to buy it.

Fred Fuchs, a Dundas producer whose credits include The Godfather: Part III and Bram Stoker's Dracula, says he's been talking to others who'd like to see the 1930s single-screen cinemacontinue as a not-for-profit theatre.

"I'd like to see if there's a way to bring together a group of people and organizations to try to find a way to restore and continue the existence of the theatre," he said.

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Fuchs has experience in the subject of theatres particularly what's on the screen.

He's been nominated for four Emmy awards. He also served as president of American Zoetrope, a company founded by Francis Ford Coppola and George Lucas.

He was involved in productions such as The Rainmaker and The Virgin Suicides. He was also the CBC's executive director of arts and entertainment for four years. He moved to Hamilton a little over a year ago.

As for the Westdale Theatre, rumours about its future have swirled for at least three years. In late2014, Coun. Aidan Johnson of Ward 1 pushed for staff to assess it for possible heritage designation. It was added to a list, but it would have taken years. Last month, the theatre went on the market for $1.8 million.

On Tuesday, city council's planning committee voted to put it at the front of the line.City council will ratify that on Jan. 25.

Johnson also put out a call Tuesday for people interested in volunteering or investing.

The Toronto-based Sorokolit family own the theatre. Dawn Sorokolit told CBC Hamilton in December that factoring in their distance, required upgrades to the property and other challenges, the family wants to sell.

"We're hoping someone who wants to keep it a theatre will buy it," she said. "Quite honestly, no one in our family is interested in running a theatre in Hamilton. We all live in Toronto."

samantha.craggs@cbc.ca | @SamCraggsCBC