Weekly Series Hosted by Greg Laemmle and Raphael Sbarge Features In-Depth Conversations with Leading Directors, Actors, Producers, and Voices in Independent Cinema

The independent film digital series and video podcast INSIDE THE ARTHOUSE, hosted by Laemmle Theatres President Greg Laemmle and filmmaker Raphael Sbarge, is partnering with the audience simulation platform Chronicle Media to further expand the series’ fast-growing YouTube audience at youtube.com/@InsidetheArthouse. The announcement was jointly made today by Laemmle and Sbarge, and Chronicle Media Co-Founder and CEO Aaron Sisto.

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"INSIDE THE ARTHOUSE," hosted by (L-R) Greg Laemmle and Raphael Sbarge.

Under terms of the agreement, Chronicle will deploy its frontier audience simulation platform to identify and engage high-value viewers for INSIDE THE ARTHOUSE on YouTube, where it has nearly half a million subscribers. By simulating tens of thousands of audience segments and analyzing viewer behaviors and interests, Chronicle will pinpoint audiences most likely to discover, watch, and engage with the weekly series, helping enable organic viewer acquisition and channel growth.

Launched in 2024, INSIDE THE ARTHOUSE features candid, in-depth conversations between Laemmle, Sbarge, and a diverse array of directors, actors, producers, and other leading cinephile voices from the U.S. and abroad. Each episode follows the evolving state of the industry and offers audiences deep dives into the stories behind today’s most compelling independent films, exploring what it takes to bring powerful, personal movies to screens around the globe. To date, a total of 110 episodes have been produced, with many filmed at the historic Laemmle Royal Theatre in Los Angeles, while others were filmed remotely or shot on location in New York and at film festivals around the US.

Originally designed as a video podcast, INSIDE THE ARTHOUSE grew out of Sbarge’s 2022 documentary “Only in Theaters,” which explored the Laemmle Family’s mission and struggle to preserve its historic Los Angeles arthouse cinema chain during a period of profound change for theatrical exhibition.

Guests have included some of the world’s most illustrious filmmakers and talent such as Jim Jarmusch (“Father, Mother, Sister, Brother”), Steve Buscemi, David Borenstein, and Pavel Talankin (“Mr. Nobody Vs. Putin”), Amy Berg (“It’s Never Over: Jeff Buckley”), Dennis Lim (New York Film Festival), Embeth Davidtz (“Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight”), Cherien Dabis (“All That’s Left of You”), Walter Salles (“I’m Still Here”), Griffin Dunne, and Noah Pritzker (“Ex-Husbands”), Shih-Ching Tsou (“Left-Handed Girl”), Geeta Gandbhir (“The Perfect Neighbor”), and Atom Egoyan (“Seven Veils”), among others.

INSIDE THE ARTHOUSE is produced by Sbarge and his Wishing Well Entertainment.

“We’re thrilled to partner with Chronicle’s platform to help viewers find INSIDE THE ARTHOUSE and the greater conversation we’re having about independent film,” commented Sbarge. “We have built an engaged audience, 5 million views on the YouTube channel, 500K subscribers, over 100 episodes, and these numbers tell us that audiences are seeking out filmmakers — and stories — that resonate beyond the mainstream.”

Laemmle continued, “They also tell us that there’s a real appetite for conversations about craft, perspective, and the kinds of films that challenge, unsettle, and stay with you. INSIDE THE ARTHOUSE was built on a simple idea: that these conversations matter—and that the people making films today are shaping how we understand the world.”

Added Sisto, “Independent film has some of the most passionate fans in the world, creating a unique pocket of discourse across social media built on staunch opinions, heartfelt recommendations, and fierce debate. But reaching these audiences is becoming more and more difficult. We’re excited to partner with Greg and Raphael as Chronicle’s platform maps the cinephile universe to identify viewers who share an affinity for INSIDE THE ARTHOUSE and bring them into its YouTube community and the greater conversation about indie film.”

Some of the recent statistics identified with the INSIDE THE ARTHOUSE audience include:

• Untapped Market with Strong Community Engagement:
  The potential audience for independent cinema is far larger than the traditional arthouse box office might suggest. Recent U.S. research estimates that roughly 52 million Americans identify as independent-film fans, while as many as 75 million say they want greater access to independent movies. Art House Convergence has separately highlighted an estimated 40 million-person untapped audience for independent film.
• Demographics:
  Demographics: INSIDE THE ARTHOUSE reaches a highly engaged, mature cinephile audience, with more than two-thirds of viewers age 45 and older and a nearly even gender split. Viewership is overwhelmingly concentrated in North America, with more than 93% of views coming from the United States and Canada, while the series also reaches audiences in the United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, India, France, and other international markets. The audience is strongly mobile-first, with nearly 68% of views occurring on phones, with viewers reflecting sustained engagement with the series’ long-form filmmaker conversations.
• Demand for Independent Films:
  Recent national research points to a substantial and underserved audience for independent cinema, with 111 million Americans saying they would watch more independent films if they were more readily available. Its 2026 national audience survey, drawing on more than 27,000 moviegoers at 50+ U.S. art-house cinemas, found that 86% choose art houses for films outside the mainstream, 88% view their theater as a cultural hub, and 97% value the unique, high-quality programming these cinemas provide.

ABOUT INSIDE THE ARTHOUSE

Hosted by Greg Laemmle, CEO of Laemmle Theatres, and actor/filmmaker Raphael Sbarge, INSIDE THE ARTHOUSE features in-depth conversations with the visionary directors, actors, producers, and curators shaping independent cinema today. From interviews with filmmakers to deeper explorations of the stories behind some of the most compelling theatrical releases, the series examines what it takes to bring bold, personal films to audiences across the U.S. New episodes spotlight acclaimed films, emerging voices in independent cinema, and the people working to keep arthouse theaters and theatrical moviegoing vital. Filmed at the historic Laemmle Royal Theatre in Los Angeles, INSIDE THE ARTHOUSE is produced by Wishing Well Entertainment and Raphael Sbarge. The series is available on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart, Amazon Music, and across major social platforms including Instagram, Facebook, X, and TikTok.

ABOUT CHRONICLE MEDIA

Chronicle Media is an AI-based audience simulation platform for consumer brands and media companies. Chronicle’s frontier AI models discover untapped audience segments on social, test concepts and optimize creative before launch to acquire high-value fan communities. Founded in 2025 with investors including Patron, Point72 Ventures, Z Ventures and Sands Capital, Chronicle is based in San Francisco, with offices in Los Angeles, New York and London. For more information, please visit https://chronicle.ai/.

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INSIDE THE ARTHOUSE video podcast and Chronicle Media partner to grow the independent film digital series' YouTube audience.