Janet Curran ’02, who served as managing director at Images Cinema for over twenty years, has not returned to work since January following the elimination of her position. 

“It was a shock when I was told they were eliminating my position,” Curran wrote in an email to the Record. 

Her position was terminated by the board of directors on Nov. 25, 2025, due to budget limitations, according to Images’ Executive Director ­— and now, only director — Dan Hudson. Curran’s last day was on Jan. 2. 

In an interview with the Record, Hudson emphasized that for Images to sustain itself as a business they had to cut back on staffing. “The determination that was made is that we had to focus more on things that were ‘front of house’ or more customer facing,” Hudson said in an interview with the Record. “Images Cinema could not support two full-time director positions that were much more focused on admin and programming. We looked at various different projections and we couldn’t make it work.” 

According to Hudson, the decision to discontinue Curran’s managing director position followed careful deliberation among the board of directors. “Certainly, our preference would be that nobody would have to make these difficult decisions,” Hudson said.

Curran began volunteering at Images during her days as a student at the College, where she studied studio art and anthropology and developed an interest in film. She found that film classes such as the Feature Film and Early Experimental Documentaries, as well as international films presented by student organizations, expanded her view of what cinema could be. “I saw that it wasn’t only entertainment — although that is an important aspect of it — it was a powerful and adaptable language to share human experience and generate empathy,” she wrote.

In 2003, the year after she graduated, Curran began working as a programming assistant at Images. Five years later, she climbed the ranks to managing director, and became responsible for selecting films and guest speakers for the theater. 

When Images announced a plan to renovate the theater to have two screens in February 2025 and began a fundraising campaign to do so, Curran began managing the Lounge, an event space that has served as the primary screening room during the ongoing construction. 

Anna Moriarty Lev, former membership coordinator at Images, credited Curran with the Lounge’s success. “She was instrumental in creating the Lounge space and making it a go-to spot on Spring Street for karaoke, special screenings, art classes, and casual gathering,” Moriarty Lev wrote in an email to the Record.

According to Curran, the campaign to raise money for the renovation was designed to maintain the theater’s staff during the closure. Curran also anticipated that the second screen would reduce the financial strain of the theater upon opening. 

The management restructuring at Images has sparked controversy among the Town. A letter to the editor in the Berkshire Eagle, titled “I’m disturbed by the not-so-happy ending for Janet Curran at Images Cinema,” written by Town resident Hal March, describes Curran’s termination as a “heartless and foolish move by Executive Director Dan Hudson.” 

Moriarty Lev, who worked with Curran for six years, expressed similar feelings. “Two days before Thanksgiving 2025, and right after the fundraising campaign was completed, without any warning, [Curran] was informed her position was eliminated,” she wrote in an email to the Record. “Dan Hudson offered Janet a smaller role with less pay, which was not feasible for her to survive on. After 23 years! … Dan and the board have shown no remorse over what they have done.”

Hudson said that decline in attendance at movie theaters forced Images to make some hard decisions. “We’re not immune to any of the industry forces, what’s happening in the film industry, what’s happening as far as attendance at arts and cultural things,” he said. 

Hudson said that he has heard criticism from those who note that Images spent the last several years fundraising for a project, yet chose to cut down on staff. The money fundraised for Images’ renovation, he said, is separate from the money that they can spend on payroll for employees. 

Hudson emphasized that he sees the ongoing renovation project as imperative to the survival of Images. “If we had not done the addition of the second screen and the Lounge, it would be a real serious question about whether Images would still exist,” he said. “This [project] is necessary to stay a movie theater here on Spring Street.”

Many of the programs implemented by Curran will continue to run following her termination, including their gallery featuring works from local artists and karaoke nights. 

Despite Images’ packed programming schedule, Hudson said operations have not suffered as a result of a smaller team. “We’ve hired one new part time position, which is a marketing and outreach lead. So far it’s been smooth,” Hudson said. 

Despite the controversy over Curran’s dismissal, Hudson remains optimistic about the future of Images, especially as they plan to open the two renovated theaters in the coming weeks. 

“Once [the theaters open] in [a few] weeks, we’re just gonna have this big movie blowout,” he said. “And it’s going to be a lot of movies that we weren’t able to show here during renovations. I’m really excited.”

In the meantime, the community has supported Curran through a GoFundMe campaign initiated by Moriarty Lev, which has raised over $16,500. “Janet is a member of our community, and when she lost her role at Images she needed support,” Moriarty Lev wrote. “The GoFundMe was launched to help our friend … ease the stress of this transition after such a small severance and while she looks for a new job.” 

Curran hopes to eventually continue her career in the movie theater industry, even if it’s not at Images. “I would be happy to work at an independent theater again,” she wrote. “I love building community through creative and inclusive programming, and I love movies.”