Underground Film Journal

Theaters and Screening Series

Underground Resources: Index

Below is a list of arthouse theaters, microcinemas and screening series that regularly show underground films and small independent films. Plus, many of these are run by film organizations that offer services, such as teaching classes and renting equipment, for local filmmakers. The list is organized alphabetically by city. Clicking each theater name will take you to their official site. (P.S. I owe a huge debt of gratitude to Mike Plante.)

CLICK ON EACH “CITY, STATE” HEADING TO DISPLAY THAT TOWN’S THEATERS

Albuquerque, New Mexico

Detail image of a film editing room

Basement Films
(microcinema)
614 Iron Ave SW

Atlanta, Georgia

Logo for Contraband Cinema

Contraband Cinema
(screening series)
various locations

Bellingham, Washington

Logo for Pickford Film Center

Pickford Film Center
(theater)
1318 Bay St.

Berkeley, California

Front entrance to the Pacific Film Archive

Pacific Film Archive
(theater)
2625 Durant Ave.

Boulder, Colorado

Logo for Colorado's First Person Cinema screening series

First Person Cinema
(screening series)
Colorado University
Fine Arts Bldg, Rm. N-141

Brooklyn, New York

Logo for Brooklyn's Light Industry screening space

Light Industry
(microcinema)
177 Livingston St.

Entrance to the Microscope Gallery screening space in Brooklyn

Microscope Gallery
(microcinema)
4 Charles Place
Brooklyn, NY 11221

People sitting in the theater of Brooklyn's Union Docs

UnionDocs
(microcinema)
322 Union Ave.
Brooklyn, NY 11211

Buffalo, New York

Storefront facade of the Squeaky Wheel in Buffalo, NY

Squeaky Wheel
(microcinema)
712 Main St.

Chicago, Illinois

Awning for Chicago Filmmakers in Chicago, Illinois

Chicago Filmmakers
(microcinema)
5243 N. Clark St.

Marquee for the Facets Cinematheque in Chicago, Illinois

Facets Cinematheque
(theater)
1517 W. Fullerton Ave.

Entrance to the Gene Siskel Film Center in Chicago, Illinois

Gene Siskel Film Center
(theater)
164 N. State St.

Filmmakers shoot a movie outside the Nightingale Theater

The Nightingale
(microcinema)
1084 N. Milwaukee Ave.

Denison, Iowa

Exterior building housing the Donna Reed Theatre in Denison, Iowa

Donna Reed Theatre
1303 Broadway
Denison, Iowa 51442

Eugene, Oregon

Glass windows of DIVA Center in Eugene, Oregon

Downtown Initiative for the Visual Arts
(microcinema)
110 W. Broadway

Fairfield, Iowa

Inside of Orpheum Theatre in Fairfield, Iowa

Orpheum Theatre
121 West Broadway Ave.
Fairfield, Iowa 52556

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania

Black and white logo for Moviate

Moviate
(screening series)
Various locations

Houston, Texas

Exterior of Aurora Picture Show's remodled church home

Aurora Picture Show
(microcinema)
2442 Bartlett Street
Houston, TX 77098

Las Vegas, Nevada

Exterior of theatre 7 in Las Vegas, Nevada

theatre7
(theater)
1406 South 3rd St.

Los Angeles, California

Exterior of Egyptian Theater in Hollywood, California

American Cinematheque
(theater)
6712 Hollywood Blvd.

Exterior of the Silent Movie Theater in Los Angeles

The Cinefamily at the Silent Movie Theater
(theater)
611 N Fairfax Ave.

Exterior of the Downtown Independent Theatre in Los Angeles

Downtown Independent
(theater)
251 S. Main St.

Exterior of the Echo Park Film Center storefront in Los Angeles

Echo Park Film Center
(microcinema)
1200 N. Alvarado St. (@ Sunset Blvd)

Text logo for the Los Angeles Filmforum

Los Angeles Filmforum
(screening series)
Held at the American Cinematheque
6712 Hollywood Blvd.

Blue green text logo for New Filmmakers Los Angeles

New Filmmakers – Los Angeles
(screening series)
Held at Sunset Gower Studios
1438 N. Gower St.

Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Logo for Montreal's Cinema Abattoir

Cinema Abattoir
(screening series)
various locations

New York City, New York

Corner exterior of the Anthology Film Archives in New York City

Anthology Film Archives
(theater)
32 Second Ave.

Text logo for the Millennium Film Workshop

Millennium Film Workshop
(microcinema)
66 E. 4th St.

Text logo for New Filmmakers

New Filmmakers
(screening series)
Held at the Anthology Film Archives
32 Second Ave.

Audience watching a movie on a NYC rooftop

Rooftop Films
(screening series)
Various venues

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Outdoor awning and entrance to Pittsburgh Filmmakers

Pittsburgh Filmmakers
(theater)
477 Melwood Ave.

Portland, Oregon

Logo for Cinema Project

Cinema Project
(theater)
11 NW 13th Ave.
4th floor

Exterior marquee of the Clinton Street Theater

Clinton Street Theater
(theater)
2522 SE Clinton St.

Exterior of Hollywood Theatre

Hollywood Theatre
(theater)
4122 NE Sandy Blvd.

Exterior of Living Room Theater in Portland, Oregon

Living Room Theater
(theater)
341 SW Tenth Ave.

Exterior of the Northwest Film Center

NW Film Center
(screening series)
Held at Whitsell Auditorium
1219 SW Park Ave.

Reading, Pennsylvania

Berks Filmmakers Inc.
(screening series)
Held at Albright College Center for the Arts
13th and Bern Streets
(Possibly now defunct)

Rochester, New York

Exterior of the Dryden Theatre

Dryden Theatre
(theater)
900 East Ave.

San Francisco, California

Exterior of the Artists' Television Access storefront

Artists’ Television Access
(microcinema)
992 Valencia St.

Inside theater of the Artists' Television Access center

Other Cinema
(screening series)
Held at Artists’ Television Access
992 Valencia St.

Logo for the San Francisco Cinematheque

San Francisco Cinematheque
(screening series)
Various Venues

Seattle, Washington

Exterior of the 911 Media Arts Center

911 Media Arts Center
(microcinema)
402 9th Ave. North

Exterior of the Northwest Film Forum

Northwest Film Forum
(theater)
1515 12th Ave.

Shreveport, Louisiana

Interior of a pop-up cinema theater

Mini-cine
(screening series)
Various Venues

Tucson, Arizona

Lobby of The Loft Cinema

The Loft Cinema
(theater)
3233 E. Speedway Blvd.

Winterset, Iowa

Marquee of the Iowa Theatre in Winterset, Iowa

Iowa Theatre
121 John Wayne Dr.
Winterset, Iowa 50273