Arnold Schwarzenegger has been the face of many fundraisers, but now his years-old autograph is helping The Sol Cinema of Wales.

A mobile cinema is trying to raise funds for its touring by auctioning Schwarzenegger's autographed photograph, which dates back to 1967 and appeared in a bodybuilding magazine.

"Sol Cinema has supported hundreds of independent video makers for 16 years, but it has become increasingly difficult to find the funds to carry on touring," said Paul O'Connor, projectionist and co-founder of the Sol Cinema as per Movie Marker.

The autograph is remarkable in one respect – Schwarzenegger signed the photo with his last name first, then his first name. The structural significance of the 1967 artifact is deeply intertwined with his competitive breakthrough, having been signed during the exact historic weekend he captured his very first Mr. Universe title at just 20 years old.

"Despite our popularity amongst the public, the budgets of events have dropped so we are left trying to discover new ways of raising funds." O'Connor explained in the same interview.

The Sol Cinema once used to house chickens before the caravan was converted into a tiered-seating, LED-lit venue powered entirely by solar energy. 1972 was the first year it started entertaining people, and now, after 16 years, it has a reach of 100,000 people at festivals, schools, farms, and even a zoo.

It even previously hosted a screening for Monty Python, earning praise from Michael Palin and Terry Gilliam.

Maintaining the vehicle’s demanding schedule is a big challenge right now. The team is currently on a busy summer tour that includes major stops at Blackburn and Camp Bestival in Dorset.

O'Connor said the Schwarzenegger connection feels fitting given the cinema's own eccentric character.

"It is very fitting that a movie star such as Schwarzenegger can help, even indirectly, to keep our independent cinema going," he added.

The auction closes Tuesday, 7 July. Would you bid on a piece of bodybuilding history to save an independent cinema?

Arnold Schwarzenegger autograph sale reflects wider cinema funding crisis

The sale by Sol Cinema of an autograph from movie star Arnold Schwarzenegger is part of a growing trend in independent UK cinemas to resort to fundraising activities to survive.

The Electric Palace, a not-for-profit movie house in Hastings Old Town, also held an auction and memorabilia sale to raise money for repairs and operations, inviting people to attend, as per Hastings Online.

People organizing the event cited the same challenges being faced by Sol Cinema in their statement, saying that independent movie houses are having difficulties operating amidst the cost-of-living crisis and streaming service effects.

Sol Cinema co-founder Paul O'Connor said the touring model has become harder to sustain despite strong public support.

"Despite our popularity amongst the public, the budgets of events have dropped, so we are left trying to discover new ways of raising funds," he said. "Selling autographs and film memorabilia is one option that we hope people will get behind."

Is the memorabilia route the future for keeping small independent venues alive?

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Written by

Proma Chatterjee

Edited by

Zaid Quraishi