Life, as we know it, is changing. Every day the technology Goliaths of Silicon Valley announce new, hi-tech gizmos to modernize our entertainment routines.

The days of movie stores and cassette tapes are fading as movie and music streaming populates the market. However, this has caused an underground resurgence, and vinyl records have made their way back to the store shelves. In a similar fashion, independent single-screen movie theatres in smaller communities have fought hard to retain their rank as cultural landmarks.

It is this phenomenon that Curtis and Silmara Emde sought to document in Out of the Interior: Survival of the small-town Cinema in British Columbia, which screens at the Vernon Towne Cinema Monday, Oct. 2.

sa国际传媒淲hen we started, we werensa国际传媒檛 sure where we were going,sa国际传媒� Curtis said through a shakey phone connection as he and Silmara brought the documentary on tour, adding that the germ of the idea started a few years ago with a photo project Silmara was working on that followed the depletion of these independent cinemas due to the digital revolution.

sa国际传媒淚t (digital) was expensive,sa国际传媒� Curtis said. sa国际传媒淚t was a big investment that many couldnsa国际传媒檛 afford.sa国际传媒�

Silmara and Curtis toured the province, starting in their home-base of Vancouver and touring through the Interior, photographing cinemas as they went.

sa国际传媒淧hotography is one of the best ways to preserve something that is fading,sa国际传媒� Curtis said.

What they found as they toured through the Interior, though, was surprising. These independent single-screen cinemas that had largely gone under in Vancouver were steadfast against the digital tide.

sa国际传媒渟a国际传媒榃hat is keeping all these places going?sa国际传媒� It started really with that question,sa国际传媒� Curtis said.

Their quest for the answer, with Curtis on screen and Silmara behind the lens, took the couple across the southern Interior, from Oliver to Curtissa国际传媒檚 early-yearssa国际传媒� stomping ground, Vernon.

sa国际传媒淥f course Vernonsa国际传媒檚 Towne Cinema features prominently,sa国际传媒� Curtis said. sa国际传媒淚 grew up in Vernon, so it was there I saw many of the key movies of my childhood and teenage years, so it was an absolute pleasure to explore the mysterious spaces upstairs as well as delve into the history of movie exhibition in Vernon, including the gone-but-never-to-be-forgotten Skyway Drive-in.sa国际传媒�

Through exploring these theatres, Silmara and Curtis learned about more than just the cinema industry.

sa国际传媒淭hese places are really part of their heritage,sa国际传媒� Curtis said. sa国际传媒淭he cinemas revealed a lot more about the community than we thought.sa国际传媒�

Each theatresa国际传媒檚 roots in the community were uncovered when Curtis and Silmara delved deep into the museums and archives, uncovering stories about the film industrysa国际传媒檚 role in providing release during the depression to stories of a more local flare.

sa国际传媒淓very theatre has a unique story,sa国际传媒� Curtis said. sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 partly my story too, looking a it now grown up. We kind of took it for granted.sa国际传媒�

But they couldnsa国际传媒檛 have gotten the information they did without help.

sa国际传媒淰ernon Museum and Archives provide a really incredible service,sa国际传媒� Curtis said. sa国际传媒淵ou just have to ask and they bring it to you. And not just Vernon, but museums and archives throughout the region were extremely helpful.sa国际传媒�

And itsa国际传媒檚 these stories of tenacious independent theatresa国际传媒檚 that the couple has enjoyed sharing with British Columbians as they take the documentary on tour.

Mimicking the opening sequence, Silmara and Curtis started their Out of the Interior: Survival of the small-town Cinema in British Columbia in Oliver, receiving positive feedback along the way.

sa国际传媒淥lder people will say thank you, because it brought back memories for them,sa国际传媒� Curtis said.

And, to pay homage to the theatre of Curtissa国际传媒檚 childhood, the curtains close as the Vernon Towne Cinema fades into the background.

Out of the Interior: Survival of the small-town Cinema in British Columbia screens at the Vernon Towne Cinema Monday at 5:30 p.m., followed by a question and answer period with Curtis and Silmara as part of the Okanagan Screen Arts Societysa国际传媒檚 local filmmaker double feature spotlight. Also playing Monday night is Matt McDowellsa国际传媒檚 Sheila and the Brainstem sa国际传媒� a fast-paced social satire, which screens at 7:30 p.m. Advance tickets are available at the Bean Scene Coffee House and the cinema. $10 for non-members and $6 for members, with memberships available at the door.