The new documentary “Marqueetown” follows film lover Bernie Rosendahl’s years-long quest to save and restore The Nordic, Marquette’s long-closed single-screen art-house movie theater. The 1930s movie palace was a technologically groundbreaking and architecturally bold art-deco theater. It had been a fixture of downtown Marquette until it closed in the 1990s, and it was one of the two theaters in the city where Rosendahl fell in love with cinema.  

Joseph Beyer and Jordan Anderson, who co-wrote and directed the film, use Rosendahl’s quest as a window to explore the rich history of Michigan’s independent movie theaters, their rise and decline throughout the 20th century, and the cultural importance of movie theaters as gathering spaces. “Marqueetown” airs on Detroit PBS at 9 p.m. Oct. 17 and at 12 p.m. Oct. 20.   

The filmmakers recently took the film on the road to more than 30 independent theaters, offering their insights on what they learned about the state of these venues. 

One Detroit’s Chris Jordan spoke with Beyer and Anderson about the documentary, movie theater history, and the journey that Rosendahl took them on. They also spoke about the changing business landscape that movie theaters face today, including the struggles movie theaters face in a post-COVID, streaming-dominated world, and how theaters are using diverse business models to survive.