American Cinematheque to Lead Operations of Historic Westwood Village Theater
Wilson Chapman
American Cinematheque, the Los Angeles-based nonprofit that screens over a thousand films in the city each year, will now operate the historic Westwood Village Theater.
American Cinematheque will operate and program in the West Los Angeles-based movie palace, which was first built and established in 1931, under the terms of a partnership agreement with the Village Directors Circle, a collective of 30 filmmakers under the leadership of Jason Reitman, who acquired ownership of the theater last year. Following an ongoing $25 million capital campaign, the theater will receive a full remodel into a multipurpose screening and event facility. Construction is intended to begin next year, with a targeted reopening date of 2027.
“Last year, some of the greatest living directors rallied to save a Los Angeles monument, The Village Theater in Westwood. We often like to think of movie theaters as churches. If so, the Village is a cathedral, and with the American Cinematheque, we found our congregation,” Reitman said in a statement. “The American Cinematheque shares the directors’ vision for showcasing new work, rediscovering classics, and building filmmaker-curated programs. The Village Theater has also been the home for show-stopping Hollywood premieres since 1930, and we’re committed to carrying that tradition forward. We want to give audiences a place to experience the films they love with the people they love.”
Upon reopening, the American Cinematheque will handle programming of the space, hosting special screenings with live director and cast and crew discussions, events pegged to award season, new theatrical releases, and retrospectives and repertory screenings. The venue will also serve as a new spot for several of American Cinematheque’s existing screening series, including Beyond Fest, Bleak Week, This Is Not a Fiction, and Ultra Cinematheque 70. The space will also host world premieres for new theatrical films.
“Partnering with the brilliant and virtuoso Village Directors Circle to renovate the Village Theater is an exciting milestone for the American Cinematheque,” American Cinematheque chair Rick Nicita said in a statement. “We are thrilled to bring our expertise in film programming to Westwood, breathing new life into this iconic venue. Our goal is to create a vibrant cultural hub that not only celebrates cinema but also enriches the community and welcomes audiences from all over Los Angeles and the world.”
Aside from Reitman, other members of the Village Directors Circle include J.J. Abrams, Judd Apatow, Damien Chazelle, Chris Columbus, Ryan Coogler, Bradley Cooper, Alfonso Cuarón, Jonathan Dayton, Guillermo del Toro, Valerie Faris, Hannah Fidell, Alejandro González Iñárritu, James Gunn, Sian Heder, Rian Johnson, Gil Kenan, Karyn Kusama, Justin Lin, Phil Lord, David Lowery, Christopher McQuarrie, Chris Miller, Christopher Nolan, Alexander Payne, Todd Phillips, Gina Prince-Bythewood, Jay Roach, Seth Rogen, Emma Seligman, Brad Silberling, Steven Spielberg, Emma Thomas, Denis Villeneuve, Lulu Wang and Chloé Zhao.
