Several cinemas in Canada have pulled the plug on screenings of Indian and South Asian films after a string of arson attacks and a shooting at theaters over the past week. The move comes amid growing safety worries, as owners prioritize protecting staff and moviegoers from these alarming incidents.
York Cinemas made the announcement on Friday, saying it won’t show Indian movies for now. “Dear patrons, due to recent incidents, we won’t be screening Indian movies until further notice,” the company stated. “This decision puts the safety of our employees and guests first. We’ll refund any advance ticket purchases, and the money should hit your account in a few business days.”
In Toronto, Film.Ca Cinemas followed suit, canceling all South Asian film showings. The chain pointed to two scary events at its Oakville, Ontario, location. On the night of October 2, a suspect fired multiple shots through the entrance doors, but the theater was closed at the time, and no one got hurt, according to CBC News.
Just last week, on September 25, two suspects tried to torch the same doors using a flammable liquid. Halton police quickly contained the fire, preventing major damage, and they’re still investigating. Film.Ca CEO Jeff Knoll, whose chain was formerly Encore Cinemas, addressed the chaos in a September 27 statement: “You may have heard about the recent arson attempt on our cinema. The good news: only the entrance took a hit, and the rest of the theater is safe, undamaged, and ready to go. These cowardly acts happened overnight when we were closed, with no guests or staff around. We’ve boosted security to keep everyone safe moving forward.”
These aren’t isolated cases. CBC News reports similar arson attacks at other theaters in the Greater Toronto Area and British Columbia. Some distributors of South Indian films in Canada suspect a deliberate campaign to disrupt screenings. They claim it’s aimed at cornering the market and boosting profits by limiting where popular movies like these can play in Canadian cinema chains. As investigations continue, audiences hoping for Bollywood or South Indian hits might have to wait—or turn to streaming—for their next fix.
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