Behind the Screens: AHC Member Spotlight

A few of the AHC team were lucky enough to spend some time in Cannes this year. While seeing films and meeting with our exhibition colleagues from around the world, we continued to be reminded that despite the required attire (or maybe because of it), Cannes still remains one of the most important film festivals in the world. It’s nice to take a few days to step out of our North American bubble and remember that film is alive and well outside of Hollywood. And, So. Many. Films.

Oscar campaigns are launched on the red carpet, alongside a market of thousands and thousands of titles (when asked how many films she thought were being repped in the marché, one sales agent said, “a billion,” and she’s probably not wrong.) It is a true celebration of cinema - the good, the bad, and the art house films that independent exhibitors will bring to U.S. audiences.

Read on to meet one of those fabulous cinemas, The Roxie Theater in San Francisco (where we also recently recorded our Art House Theater Day promos and Q&A with the one and only Bay Area-filmmaker, Boots Riley) which is more than 100 years old.

And filmmakers, take note: The Roxie hosts a whole suite of programs that support indie filmmakers, including the First Looks Oscar-qualifying Program (for filmmakers anywhere), Roxie Review (need to QC your film?) and the Roxie Mixtape (for Bay Area filmmakers.)

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Lex Sloan, Executive Director, The Roxie, San Francisco
In conversation with AHC Program Manager Colton Campbell

Lex (who also happens to be an AHC board member) highlights The Roxie’s place as an anchor of the Bay Area film community as one of its longest running art houses, and the recent campaign to purchase the building to ensure its staying power for years to come.

What about The Roxie makes it an anchor for the film community in the Bay area?

The glow of our neon on 16th St in San Francisco’s Mission District is a beacon of an independent spirit. We are an anchor in our community because, for generations, we have shown up with resilience, dedication, and a willingness to take risks.

The Roxie has long been a gathering place rather than simply a screening room. For generations, filmmakers, artists, students, and neighbors have come through its doors knowing they’ll encounter films that challenge, delight, and reflect the many communities that make up the Bay Area. We are a place for artists, connection, and shared experience. We listen. We adapt. We care. Our mission and vision guide everything we do, keeping us focused on the work that matters most.

We remain here for — and because of — the filmmakers, festivals, members, and supporters who share their creativity, their passion for cinema, and their commitment to our community.

Historically, how long has The Roxie been around and what iterations may it have taken on in its time in operation?

The Roxie’s story stretches back more than a century, making it one of the oldest continuously operating cinemas in the United States. Built as The Poppy Theater in 1913, it has lived many lifetimes — from nickelodeon to talkies, from Technicolor to digital, and we still project 35mm film on our 1940s Carbon Arc projectors. Over the years, we’ve been The Rex, The Gaity, The Gem, the 16th St, the New 16th St, and in 1933 we became The Roxie — a name that has endured through decades of change. Like the city around us, the theater has continually reinvented itself, surviving economic downturns, shifting cultural tides, and uncertain times. In the 1970s, it was reborn as an art house cinema, and in 2009 we became a nonprofit, proudly operating as a mission-driven community cinema. Today, we continue to honor our past while looking toward the future — creating a space where independent film, artists, and audiences can thrive for generations to come.

With the recent news of The Roxie purchasing its building, how might this change the space or make it more possible to operate for many decades to come?

Purchasing The Roxie’s building marked a profound turning point. For the first time in its long history, the theater is no longer vulnerable to displacement or the whims of the real estate market. Ownership allows The Roxie to think in decades instead of years — to invest in its historic infrastructure, protect its film projectors, and plan ambitious programming without fear of losing its home. More than a real estate transaction, the purchase ensures that The Roxie can remain a cultural anchor in the Mission District, offering stability for artists, audiences, and staff well into the future.

What are some exciting recent or upcoming events happening at The Roxie? What are you and your team hoping to accomplish in the future?

We are focused on fully realizing what building ownership makes possible. This includes major capital upgrades to our 113-year-old building — structural work (yes, thrilling), improvements to our projector, screen, and masking, and meaningful upgrades to the overall viewing experience.

At the same time, we are investing in the future of our programming and our people: deeper festival partnerships, more visiting artists, expanded children’s programming, and continued investment in celluloid screenings and projectionist training. We are also prioritizing staff health and sustainability, knowing that a strong, cared-for team is essential to everything we do. As we dream big and explore what it could mean to expand our footprint beyond 16th Street, our goal is not growth for growth’s sake, but a richer, more sustainable cultural life inside — and beyond — these walls.

What might you and your team hope for a regular or a new patron to experience while at The Roxie?

When people visit The Roxie, we hope they feel a true sense of belonging — welcomed, seen, and invited into a shared experience. Whether it’s someone’s first screening or their hundredth, we hope they feel part of a community where films are thoughtfully chosen, audiences matter, and people can see themselves reflected on the big screen. We hope they feel cared for by a kind and attentive staff. The Roxie is a place for discovery and shared emotion, and at its best, we believe cinema can open new worlds, deepen empathy, and offer solace in uncertain times.

To learn more about The Roxie, visit them here and check out The Roxie’s four favorites on Letterboxd.

Art House Convergence (AHC) is a 501(c)3 arts service organization that connects, amplifies and advocates for mission-driven, community-focused independent cinemas and exhibitors within the film industry, and arts and cultural sector. We provide professional development, and capacity and network building for the independent exhibition workforce; and advocate for independent cinemas in the greater, and ever-changing, exhibition and film landscape.

Copyright, Art House Convergence 2026