The Elmwood Theatre has a long history in Berkeley and was one of the first businesses to open in the Elmwood District. The building opened as the Strand in 1919 as a neighborhood theatre “catering to the family.” In 1947, after a six-year closure during World War II, it reopened as the Elmwood, “Berkeley’s show house for outstanding foreign films.”
In June 2007 Rialto Cinemas took over operation of the theatre and returned it to its arthouse roots and chose a spirit line that communicated its historic roots, “Berkeley’s Best Neighborhood Movie Theatre.”
We consider the theatre to be a third place in Berkeley – a spot where the community gathers to share a common experience. We regularly host East Bay nonprofit organizations for film-based fundraisers and events and have hosted many filmmakers when we’ve shown their films in Berkeley.
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