Cinemasfbay

CinemaSFBay is a 501(c)3 California nonprofit, public benefit corporation with a mission to provide diverse cultural programs in community-based theaters. CinemaSFBay operates the historic Balboa Theater (1926), the Vogue Theater (1912), and the 4Star Theater (1913). Each of these theaters provides a home for educational programming, seldom-seen essential and independent cinema, art-house classic cinema, multi-language international cinema, and live events of all kinds. They provide a venue for local filmmakers and artists to show their work, while also providing a safe space for neighborhood residents of all generations and demographics to congregate and flourish in a shared experience of community. Each of these theaters has become synonymous with the neighborhoods they reside in, providing a physical, cultural, and intellectual beacon that offers a place where patrons come to discover diverse representations of cinema, art, and music.

CinemaSFBay will program 365 days a year, showing over 1100 different movies, 300 different live performances, and a myriad of special, bespoke events annually. Programming will include free weekend morning programming for children and families, programming for YMCA active seniors, seldom seen movies from throughout the history of film, movies shown on 16 and 35mm film, director and expert analysis during post-film Q&As, locally created films, first run feature films, live music performances, live dance performances, live gramophone performances, free neighborhood programming placed throughout the year, and fundraising events for a large number of schools, after-school programs, and vital organizations throughout the City.

Film festivals that are presented annually at CinemaSFBay theaters include Doc Fest, Indie Fest, Frameline, SF International Film Festival, Italian Film Festival, Jewish Film International, Jewish Film Winterfest, Green Fest, Ocean Beach Surf Film Festival, Armenian Film Fest, French Premiere Fest, Mostly British Film Festival, GodzillaFest, Hitchcock Fest, CAAM Fest, Hong Kong Film Festival, Another Hole In The Head Film Festival, Unnamed Footage Festival, and more.

CinemaSFBay collaborates with local history organizations to present history lectures and historical films with local ties. Organizations that we partner with include the Prellinger Archive, Internet Archive, Western Neighborhoods Project, San Francisco Heritage Foundation, SF Neon, SF Stories, SFFILM, SFJCC, and more.

Organizations that CinemaSFBay fundraises for include City Surf Project, Butterfly Project, Alamo Elementary, Lafayette Elementary, SOTA School of the Arts, SF Local Spotlight, Rooftop School, Sunset Media Wave, and more.

CinemaSFBay is a hub for art, both cinematic and performing, and creates opportunities for individuals to present and audiences to appreciate creations that would otherwise go unseen. This is done with a wide variety of weekly and monthly programs that foster inclusion and showcase the artistic efforts of people in the community, both young and old.