A Movie Among Friends

A Comfortable Night at the Enzian
By
Winfield Pearson
Facade of Enzian

Movie theatres, as they’ve come to be known, are generally thought of as massive, multi-screen, shopping mall-like complexes. Visitors to the factory sized buildings make decisions from a dozen films which jockey for their attention. Posters with leading stars, whose heads are twice as big as their real ones, or campaigns that struggle to squeeze as many superheroes into a rectangle as possible, are the lead producers. A winding production line halts their entrance. Guests must wait for a ticket, then wait to get the ticket they just paid for torn in half, then stopped once again by the traffic light counter whose red Coke cups and yellow popcorn bags shout "Stop!" Confusing signs lead travelers down one of four lanes with a half-dozen exits at every junction and more cardboard cutout billboards to halt their attention. Eventually, they find their entrance as the lights go down, so they scurry up the lines in pitch darkness over tennis shoes and bulky purse bags. All the while, advertisements for the things they just bought blind them causing them to spill those snacks all over their fiancee’s lap, sending them next to wait in the bathroom line.

A refreshing contrast to this expected experience is the Enzian theatre in Maitland. Trailing quietly off from the paved roads is a winding garden path, which offers a bubbling fountain and twinkling lights to lead the way. Candles flicker on small tables around the quiet Eden Bar, where cocktails stir conversations. Large lines are only formed for sold out movies, which the loyal fanbase had been anticipating for days. Your name is on the guest list for will call, so the staff anticipates your entrance.

There is one screen to draw, not compete for, your attention. Sit down on a comfy couch perfect for lounging with your date or at a small table to sit across from your friends. There is no snack counter, instead order a nice meal with a glass of wine from their unique menu and it will be brought right to your personal table. All the advertisements cater to local companies and broadcast special messages and trailers of films showing at the theatre that month.

While you lounge with a full belly and a loved one in close reach, the enjoyment of your films is that much nicer. The movie goers have respect for the film, and never utter a peep during the show. Everyone you have a drink with afterwards has seen the same movie, and conversation about its thought provoking material is encouraged. Sit at the Eden Bar for a bit and let the experience of the movie linger, while the pace of comfort lets you sit back for a while in the night air.

 

In this environment, the films feel more like opportunities than one of a dozen daily showings. Enzian hosts opportunities like the annual Florida Film Festival held every spring. Over one hundred and eighty unique films craft this seasonal experience. Celebrity “talk-back” appearances, where celebrities in the 2018 edition, like Billy Crudup, Pam Grier, and Lea Thompson, actively participated with their audience by introducing their film and answering questions. The South Asian and Jewish Film festivals are also unique draws, offering seldom highlighted cultures and locales, which don’t get the same treatment in mainstream cinemas.

Locally made films are also strongly supported. 2017’s critically acclaimed The Florida Project, directed and co-writer by Sean Baker, premiered at the Enzian and was shown there two weeks before any other theatre. Nearly all of its actors appeared at a special talk-back event, including a charming interview onstage with its two pre-elementary school aged leads. The young stars, Brooklyn Prince and Valerie Cotto, shared their experiences during the making of the Florida Project, which was made in Osceola county near the Disney Parks. Following the pair’s naturalistic performance, the girls ran around the grounds of the theatre, unintentionally reenacting scenes from the film.

 

Florida Project

 

The subject matter of the films at Enzian, like the intimate look at poverty in the Florida Project, are often important and thought-provoking. For this reason, visitors find a very different type of experience that doesn’t shy away from difficult and challenging concepts. David Schillhammer, Executive Director of Enzian, understands the special ability that films have to “illuminate” these sort of issues found in the world. They can be a “window to the world” and bring issues not seen or heard of “to the light for people.” Other films like 8 Borders, 8 Days, a documentary about a mother forced to flee Syria, displays this desire. I Am Not Your Negro, the documentary about writer James Baldwin, conveys the racial difficulties of the author during his life in civil rights era America. Woman on Fire details the experience of New York's first transgender firefighter. Not all of the films at the Enzian are “message” movies according to Schillhammer, but many are.

 

Enzian Halloween Listing

 

Fun events also abound at the Enzian. The adorably named “Peanut Butter Matinees” are a great draw for children to see family films like Ponyo and The Wizard of Oz. Kids get their own menu and those 12 and under watch for free. Popcorn Flicks are classic films shown under the stars every second Thursday of the month in Central Park, Winter Park. After a month of scary films from past and present, the Eden Bar Halloween party is hosted the Saturday before the 31st. Enjoy your film, dress up, and come out to the Eden Bar for the celebration.

 

Enzian Garden and Eden Bar

 

Live music events are held here every month to accompany great food and drinks, including the most popular item on the menu, the Eden Burger. Equally important, the Eden Bar encourages movie goers not to head to the parking lot right after their film is over, but stop and chat for a while. Here, conversation and debate are encouraged. It's OK not to like the film you saw, because the discussion itself can be the most important part of your viewing experience. Sitting at a patio table in the courtyard and sipping a cocktail with other movie lovers is a pleasure unto itself.

 

Light yellow cocktail with orange

 

This variety of experiences has circled around the grounds of Enzian since it was founded in 1985 by Tina and Philip Tiedtke. The theatre, hidden amongst hundred year old mossy oaks, is appropriately named after the German word for a species of hidden mountain flower. For thirty-three years, this hidden and unique flower has served as Central Florida’s only full-time, not-for-profit art house. With the independent films that Enzian lives for and its unique ambiance, it is not surprising that Enzian was also named the “Coolest Movie Theatre” in all Florida by Cosmopolitan magazine in 2017.

Even after achieving this “cool” status, it's still the visitors who are catered to the most here. It is not uncommon to hear phrases like “I love that place!” when Enzian is mentioned. These sentiments are the norm because people love being here and then planning their return visit. Enzian looks for new and “hot” movies according to Schillhammer, so they quickly book them. This “catch a shooting star” policy keeps the lineup dynamic and always interesting. It's likely that a movie you had just heard about is already playing here.

At Enzian, there is no hustle and bustle to get you in and out. It is a theatre whose priority is “Film, Food, and Friends.” Find the joy of film in this comfortable setting and keep on the lookout for the ever revolving and often life changing depictions of art in this true, hidden flower of Central Florida.