West Newton Cinema Foundation receives $5.2M boost to capital campaign

An anonymous benefactor has donated $5.2 million toward the West Newton Cinema Foundation’s capital campaign to Save West Newton Cinema. The clock to save the historic,1937 Art Deco theater has been ticking since August 2022, when Mark Development purchased the West Newton Cinema for $5.6 million from the Bramante family, longtime owners and operators of  the Cinema. With plans to demolish the building, Mark Development nonetheless agreed to lease the Cinema to Star Theatres (David Bramante’s company) for up to two years and provide an option to buy the Cinema for the same $5.6 million.  

Toward the end of 2022, a group of passionate Newton residents formed the West Newton Cinema Foundation, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Now through their efforts and with this gift, the Foundation is well on its way to rescuing the theater – and the area’s cultural heritage – from the wrecking ball. The option to buy the Cinema is transferable to the WNC Foundation and is available only until August 10, 2024.

$5.2 Million Gift

About the anonymous donation, the WNC Foundation’s President Elizabeth Heilig says, “We are beyond thrilled to announce this transformative gift in support of our vision for the future of the Cinema. Our Campaign is about expanding access to independent and foreign films, documentaries, and classics which can’t be found at mainstream theaters; it is about recognizing and celebrating film as an art form; and it is about preserving and improving a beloved community space that has been bringing people together for almost 90 years.”

The $5.2 million gift includes a $3 million anchor gift toward the acquisition of the Cinema property, plus $200,000 toward any expenses incurred, and a $2 million matching gift to galvanize financial support from the community. The WNC Foundation’s immediate priority is to raise an additional $2 million in matching gifts to enable the acquisition of the West Newton Cinema by the August 10 deadline. By then, the Foundation plans to have hired a new Program/Artistic Director. 

Longer term, the goal is to raise an additional $4.4 million for short- and long-term renovations and an additional $4 million in endowed funds for long-term facility care and programs.

Saving the Cinema

Robert Korff, founder of Mark Development, responded to the news of the gift saying “Transitioning the West Newton Cinema to a non-profit that offers multi-purpose space for community gathering, performances and art of all types not only fills an important need for our city, it could serve to bolster the other businesses in West Newton Square.”

Or as Film Critic and WNCF Campaign Advisor Ty Burr puts it, The West Newton Cinema “can become the anchor for a new vision of an old neighborhood.”

Saving the West Newton Cinema is also about saving the past and the many fond childhood memories it harbors. Stephanie Mandell remembers walking to the theater as a kid (and seeing The Gods Must Be Crazy at least five times). She wants her children, who are now old enough to walk there on their own, to have the opportunity to create their own fond memories of what she calls this “wonderful local gem.” 

For information on Leadership Gifts to the West Newton Cinema Campaign, with naming opportunities, contact Elizabeth Heilig at elizabeth.heilig@wncfoundation.org. Elizabeth emphasizes that this is a community project and everybody and every little bit counts. Each gift will be matched retroactively to April 1, 2024. 

UPDATE: The West Newton Cinema Foundation will present its plans for the Cinema, with Q&A, at a free community meeting at the Cinema on May 8 at 7PM. Registration is required.

Upcoming Films and Programs

Meanwhile, the shows go on. In addition to the West Newton Cinema’s long-standing quality film programming and film festivals, the WNC Foundation offers innovative programs such as Behind the Screen, which features substantive, timely and entertaining screenings and discussions. The WNC Foundation also brings to the community family and youth programs.

• On May 5 at 10AM at the West Newton Cinema, the Charles River Food Co-Op will present the documentary Food for Change, directed by Steve Alves. The film examines the historical and cultural impact of alternative regional food systems and cooperatives in the United States. 
• On May 11, the WNC Foundation’s Behind the Screen presents Food, Inc. 2, a free panel discussion with experts Ayr Muir, Founder and former CEO of Clover Food Lab; Alice Lichtenstein, Professor of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts and a national leader in nutrition policy; and Will Masters, Professor of Food Economics at Tufts. Register here.      

And speaking of transformative events and film festivals, on May 6, the Belmont World Film’s 22nd International Film Series will move from Waltham’s Embassy Theater to the West Newton Cinema. Upcoming Monday screenings on the theme of “Transformation/Preservation” include:

• Monday, May 6, 7:30PM: Cannes Film Festival and Sundance entry Áma Gloria (director Marie Amachoukeli) depicts a bond between a six-year-old French girl and her Cape Verdean nanny. With Guest Speaker Edilia Gomes, a native of Cape Verde and a psychiatric Nurse Practitioner. 
• Monday, May 13, 7:30PM: City of Wind (director Lkhagvadulam Purev-Ochir) is a coming-of-age drama about a 17-year old Mongolian shaman juggling his spiritual responsibilities while attending high school. With Guest Speaker MIT anthropologist Manduhai Buyandelger.
• Monday, May 20, 7:30PM: Closing Night Film Bonjour Switzerland (director Peter Luisi) was a hit in Switzerland with its satirical premise: when French is declared the only national language, a crisis erupts among Swiss German and Italian speakers. With Guest Speaker Thomas Lienhard, President of the Swiss Society of Boston. The film is preceded by dinner to include French, Italian, and German cuisine.

Schedule, film details, and film and reception ticket purchases for the Belmont World Film Festival are available online.