JACKSON, Wyo. — Over 25 years ago, beloved theater owner Frank Londy founded Frank’s Fall Film Festival in order to bring thought-provoking documentaries, indies and international films to the Jackson community, and from Oct. 20 to Nov. 9 his film festival legacy lives on at MovieWorks Cinema.
According to the Sublette Examiner, Londy began his life-long career of showing more films in the valley in 1972. Along with his wife Maureen, he screened movies at the cafeteria in Teton Village, St. John’s Church, The Virginian and The Pink Garter Theater.
He built his first movie house, Jackson Hole Cinema, boosting an iconic marquee on Pearl Street, in 1976, according to the Wyoming Tribune Eagle.
“I believe it might have been the most beautiful movie theater on planet Earth,” Londy said.
In 1988 he “twinned” the cinema, dubbing it the Jackson Hole Twin Cinema and his second floor office was filled with memorabilia and posters, exemplifying the history of the movies. The Twin became the birthplace of his annual indie film fest in 2012 and some of the films screened were “Star Wars,” “Mountain Men,” “A New Hope” and documentaries like “Fahrenheit 9/11,” as well as smaller, arty independent films, wrote the Sublette Examiner.
Meg Reeder, General Manager of Movieworks, worked for Londy for over 25 years and she shared some other festival favorites, such as “Neither Wolf Nor Dog,” the Mr. Rogers’ Film, “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” and “The Peanut Butter Falcon.”
“Frank loved films more than anyone I ever met,” Reeder said. “When the festival was held at The Twin, it really took off and we showed a lot of films. This festival is the only opportunity to see smaller, independent films in this town.”
In 1991, Londy expanded his theater empire and built MovieWorks. Londy wanted to compete with movie streaming services and he upgraded The Twin and MovieWorks with luxury recliners, digital projection on giant screens and upscale movie theater quality popcorn, which allowed for big city amenities in small town Jackson, according to the Jackson Hole News and Guide.
“There’s a battle on now to get an audience,” Londy said. “A battle between Netflix and a battle between movie theaters. We want people to experience a movie the way we believe a movie should be experienced — on a big screen, with big sound, in a darkened auditorium full of strangers from your community.”
According to the Jackson Hole News and Guide obituary, Londy was diagnosed with non-smoker’s lung cancer in July of 2020. He sold his theaters due to health reasons the following year. The Twin Cinema closed permanently during the coronavirus pandemic.
Movie-goers can experience Frank’s passion for sharing “the transformational power of cinema” by attending this year’s Fall Film Festival.
2023 Fall Film Festival Line-Up
- “The Unknown Country” by Morrisa Maltz
- “Killers of the Flower Moon” by Martin Scorsese
- “Jules” by Marc Turtletaub
- “Mom And Dad’s Nipple Factory” by Justinsuperstar (Justin Johnson)
- “The Inventor” by Jim Capobianco and co-directed by Pierre-Luc Granjon
- “Butcher’s Crossing” by Gabe Polsky
- “After Death” by Stephen Gray and Chris Radtke / based on Jackson’s own Mary C. Neal, MD, author of “To Heaven and Back”
- “Radical” by Chris Zalla ’04
For a full listing of dates and showtimes see the MovieWorks website.
Londy had said, “I hope people remember the theaters as the showcase for the greatest art form of our time. And I hope they had fun, because I sure did.”
Frank Londy, Oct. 15, 1946 — Dec. 22, 2022
