Society Insider: Multi-millionaire Kiwi cinema duo Kelly Rogers and David Ross to sell Northcote’s Bridgeway cinema

In 1993, their first Rialto cinema was built in Newmarket; cinemas followed in Wellington, Christchurch, Dunedin and Hamilton.

Ross, 85, and Rogers, 63, who now spends most of his time on Rialto Distribution, tell Society Insider the timing feels right to hand the cinema on to an equally passionate owner who loves the film industry.

Speaking from the Toronto Film Festival, where he’s acquiring new films for New Zealand screens, Rogers says the amount of time he now spends travelling to festivals for acquisitions means it’s time to pass the Bridgeway to a new generation.

“I hope that brings fresh talent and fresh ideas, but still retains the special personality that makes the Bridgeway the wonderful, independent local cinema that plays an important role in Auckland’s entertainment culture,” Rogers says.

Rogers, who lives in Westmere, spent time in his early 20s living in London, working in cinemas. Returning to Auckland in 1987, aged 24, he saw the Bridgeway was up for sale.

Kelly Rogers bought the Bridgeway when he was 24.

“I saw the opportunity to bring the Bridgeway alive and turn it into a vibrant, thriving arthouse cinema.”

Soon after, he invited Ross — a well-respected accountant and friend of his father, Gary — to join him. Together they turned the single-screen Bridgeway into a four-cinema arthouse haven, running four to five sessions a day and hosting a full calendar of international film festivals, including Europe, Britain, Ireland and the South Pacific.

The Bridgeway Cinemas have hosted dozens of film festivals.

Themed evenings for film premieres have been hosted at the Bridgeway.

At last year’s NZ Doc Edge festival, a live horse mounted by a soldier was among the guests for The Bridgeway’s screening of documentary Devils on Horses, which highlights the enduring bond between soldiers and their horses.

A horse and soldier were among the guests for last year’s NZ Doc Edge festival.

While the pair breathed new life into the cinema, Rogers says film distribution was then controlled by big players – competitors who also owned the major chains and had no interest in giving the Bridgeway access to their content.

The current Bridgeway Cinemas’ building began its journey as an entertainment business a century ago next year.

That monopoly sent Rogers to his first Cannes Film Festival in 1989, where he bought the exclusive Auckland screening rights to the Palme d’Or winner, Sex, Lies, and Videotape.

“We had queues out the door, as we were the only cinema showing this Steven Soderbergh masterpiece in Auckland,” says Rogers.

“After that initial success, there was a lot more focus on the cinema as a thriving business, and as we opened up film supply, we had incredible support from local communities.”

The neon Bridgeway sign.

Determined to remain independent and keep access to new content, Ross and Rogers formed Rialto Distribution in 1993. The pair have enjoyed travelling to film festivals together ever since, scouting new films. Rogers has been to Cannes 35 times, which he believes is a New Zealand record.

It’s their coffee catch-ups at the Bridgeway, talking through new releases, they’ll miss most.

“Our 40 years in business has all been based on a handshake,” says Ross, who lives in Remuera and has several investments in engineering projects and cosmetics brands, including Karen Murrell.

“Kelly and I have an old-fashioned friendship, honouring and respecting each other, even though our personal film choices may be very different.”

Fellow film buff Paolo Rotondo with Kelly Rogers at the Rialto Channel’s 20th birthday in 2019. Photo / Norrie Montgomery

Legendary PR powerhouse-turned-business broker Michelle Boag, of Kauri Business Sales, is marketing the Bridgeway, having previously sold three other cinemas for Ross and Rogers in Tauranga, Upper Hutt and Takapuna.

Boag, who lost her husband, Mervyn Bennett, in 2024, tells Society Insider she has moved from corporate and political life into business broking over the past six years.

As well as selling six cinemas, Boag has been negotiating business in the health field and estimates her projects range between $300,000 and $5m.

Bridgeway Cinemas on Queen St, Northcote Point, is for sale.

“I have worked with a large health provider in New Plymouth and worked on several projects with Allied Health,” she says.

She says The Bridgeway has a long and storied history over its century as an entertainment venue.

“What Kelly and David have created in 40 years is a legacy that began at this iconic theatre at Northcote Point,” Boag says.

The Bridgeway Manager Milly Gerrish with business broker Michelle Boag in the foyer of Bridgeway Cinemas.

“It started as the Onewa Picture Drome. It then became the Palais and later Kings Theatre, hosting dances, parties and shows after the movies.”

It was renamed in 1959 after the Auckland Harbour Bridge opened.

Rogers says working with Michelle has been “a breath of fresh air”.

“She is extremely professional, personable and has incredible talents in many areas — she’s the perfect woman to sell our cinemas.”

Rogers says he’s proud of where the distribution business stands today, with plenty of movies to supply the new Bridgeway owner.

“We have a massively successful international business spanning all genres, selling films not only to cinemas in New Zealand and Australia but also to major streaming platforms like Netflix, Amazon and HBO Max,” Rogers says.

“Our latest success, the horror thriller Obsession, has grossed just under NZ$30 million in New Zealand and Australia since its release a few months ago – fuelling our best year yet, at very little cost to acquire but generating many millions in revenue for Rialto across platforms and streaming services.”

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Ground Control PR celebrates its official launch

New consumer and tech PR agency Ground Control PR celebrated its official launch last Thursday with a stylish soirée at Imperial House in Auckland CBD. The new agency is a merger of Common Ground, founded by Olivia Boswell, and Dig PR, founded by Leni Ma’ia’i.

Leni Ma’ia’i and Olivia Boswell at Imperial House. Photos / Sonna Studios

More than 150 guests dined on Catalan-inspired canapés by Takapuna Beach Cafe and a 2m-wide paella prepared by chef Eloi Balcels, alongside Moët & Chandon, Heineken, Albas, a selection of wines from Everyday Wine, and Picky Hydrate.

Guests included Emirates regional manager Chris Lethbridge, broadcaster Sam Wallace and his wife Sarah, broadcaster Madison Malone, Motion Sickness partner and head of strategy Hilary Ngan Kee, Icehouse Ventures partner Barnaby Marshall, Wonder Group director Buster Caldwell, fashion designer Wynn Crawshaw, Crushes owner Rose Hope, artist Claudia Kogachi, designer Emma Jing, and Sarah Thorpe and Alex Cooper-Cuthbert from the New Zealand Olympic Committee.

Guests left with a limited-edition bottle of Ground Control “Long Lunch” Rosé.

Chris Lethbridge, Ali Ikram and Andy Hamilton. Photos / Sonna Studios Sarah and Sam Wallace. Photos / Sonna Studios Guy Coombes, Rosie Herdman and Madison Malone. Photos / Sonna Studios Hilary Ngan Kee, Allison Yorston and Simon Aspden. Photos / Sonna Studios Barnaby Marshall and Lana Morrison. Photos / Sonna Studios Kelvin Soh and Wynn Crawshaw. Photos / Sonna Studios Olivia Boswell, Sarah Thorpe, Alexandra Cooper-Cuthbert and Katrina Bell. Photos / Sonna Studios Caolán McAleer and Christine Kearney. Photos / Sonna Studios Angus Brown, Jacob Barton and Charlotte Stevens. Photos / Sonna Studios Blake Cooper, Ethan Neville, Jesse Bird and Josh Hamilton. Photos / Sonna Studios Gaetano Perry and Will McDonald. Photos / Sonna Studios Maddy Diack, Gemma Pledge, Sofia Jones and JB Clare. Photos / Sonna Studios

Ricardo Simich has been with the Herald since 2008 where he contributed to The Business Insider. In 2012 he took over Spy at the Herald on Sunday, which has since evolved into Society Insider. The weekly column gives a glimpse into the worlds of the rich and famous.