DOWNTOWN EASTSIDE - Vancouver city council has voted to give a much-lauded private Downtown Eastside movie theatre a liquor licence for private events -- despite a licensing moratorium in the area.

The rationale? Allowing District 319 Theatre, which operates out of the former Golden Harvest Theatre on Main Street, to serve drinks at its screenings, seminars and film-related events will help build the troubled neighbourhood into a cultural hub.

The licensed theatre is located next to the offices of Infinity Features, a Vancouver-based international film-production company.

Its president, producer William Vince, has purchased other properties along the same 300-block Main Street with the aim of redeveloping those north of the theatre for further office space for the company.

A staff report says the screening facility will be used by the industry for invitation-only private screenings, by producers, directors and actors, for industry social events including invitation-only premieres and post-award screenings; for seminars and script readings and press conferences.

It will also be used by local youth-training groups like Projections, which the theatre has offered to young area adults to help them learn film and video skills.

Most of the community supported the licence application and praised the company for its community support.

© The Vancouver Province 2008