Filmmaker Moore to unveil plan aimed at restoring the luster of the downtown movie theater

Moore wants to bring back downtown movie theaters

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. — Michigan-based documentary filmmaker Michael Moore wants to bring back the single-screen movie theaters that used to be the pillars of city business districts.

Moore has a plan to refurbish or prop up downtown movie houses in his home state, and eventually nationwide.

Such efforts have been made before. But Moore’s approach has a unique twist, modeled on the successful resurrection of the State Theatre in Traverse City, Mich.

Moore says the way to rescue downtown movie houses is to run them as nonprofits staffed mostly with volunteers.

Moore plans to provide grants and training to theater operators.

He told The Associated Press about his plan during an interview this week at the annual Traverse City Film Festival.