# How A Former Senior Netflix Staffer Launched One Of Japan’s Buzziest Indie Cinemas

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/how-a-former-senior-netflix-staffer-launched-one-of-japans-buzziest-indie-cinemas/
- Published: 2026-10-29T02:25:36+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-29T03:09:10+00:00
- Original publisher: Deadline
- Original article: https://deadline.com/2026/10/cineyama-matt-kelson-japan-indie-cinema-1237207784/
- Topics: Asia, Entertainment, Film, TV, World

## Key points

- Former Netflix staffer Matt Kelson opened Cineyama in rural Yamanashi.
- The 43-seat cinema has welcomed more than 3,000 visitors.
- Its programme centres on international and independent films.

## Summary

Former Netflix executive Matt Kelson has opened Cineyama, a 43-seat independent cinema in a former kindergarten in Yamanashi Prefecture, about an hour west of Tokyo. The venue gives local audiences access to international and independent films, and offers a new cultural space in a town attracting families seeking a quieter life outside the capital.

Kelson, who worked at Netflix for around 11 years and previously ran an indie cinema in Detroit, established the venue after being laid off and deciding to stay in Japan with his family. The kindergarten had been abandoned for a decade; gaining approval from the city and residents took about three months, followed by a year of renovation and consultation. Since opening in spring, Cineyama has welcomed more than 3,000 people in its first six months and offers digital, 35mm and 16mm projection.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.