Behind The Screens: Pickford Film Center

Who doesn’t love an art house theater marquee?! Every cinema possesses such unique character and encompasses the spirit of their geographic location and community. Head over to our freshly updated Member Directory and feast your eyes on some of the beautiful facades and interiors of AHC’s exhibitor members.

Plus, check out this Box Office Magazine spotlight on AHC Member Jacob Burns Film Center in Pleasantville, NY, as it turns 25. Happy birthday to The Burns!

Last year, we realized a long-held dream by opening Pickford on Grand. Only a block away, we added three additional screens, including two 61-seat theaters and a 19-seat jewel box theater. We’re now a five-screen operation — still proudly nonprofit, still fiercely independent.

CC: Coming up on a year since the expansion — how has this changed Pickford internally and for the community? What are some things that may have just not been possible before?
Our recent expansion has created new opportunities for both the organization and the community. With five screens, we can present a broader range of programming: family films, first-run releases, arthouse, foreign, and curated repertory series — all screening side by side. These additional screens allow us to support independent films we believe in, even when they compete with larger titles. Ultimately, it means more series, special events, and community partnerships.

We brought Twin Peaks to the big screen. Hosted a murder mystery screening around Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery. Pickford on Grand has become its own gathering place — a space where community members come together around movies.

Behind the scenes, we’ve been careful to grow sustainably. We’ve expanded our team of projectionists and brought in more amazing volunteers. The new space is open for rentals too—so local organizations can host private screenings, and indie filmmakers can show their work right here to a hometown crowd.

CC: What are some things your organization may have learned through the capital campaign process, and what might be some advice for other independent cinemas looking at similar projects?
There are angels in the community, those who step up when you least expect it, sometimes with extraordinary generosity. Recognize their contributions and express sincere gratitude.

Make sure your board is with you every step of the way. You cannot do something like this alone, and alignment at the board level isn’t optional. It’s the foundation everything else rests on.

The hardest part for us was navigating the tension between our programming needs and the capital campaign. We had to make tough fundraising decisions that pitted program vs. the capital campaign. It’s not comfortable, but being honest about those trade-offs is part of doing it right.

CC: What else is upcoming for Pickford — whether that be other capital projects, fun screening events, or something else?
Later in the summer, we’re planning a three-night outdoor cinema in partnership with the Bellingham Symphony Orchestra. Come fall, we’ll be opening our 19th annual Doctober festival—a month-long celebration of documentaries that’s a real Pickford tradition. This year, we’re thrilled to have Adam Sekuler joining us as our new Doctober programmer, bringing some fresh ideas to a festival we all love.

CC: What is your hope for Bellingham residents when visiting Pickford — for the first time or the 1,000th?
Whether it’s your very first visit or your thousandth, we hope you find something that feels like it was made just for you. Maybe it’s a movie you’ve been eager to see or something you can’t see anywhere else in Bellingham. Maybe you’ll surprise yourself with a hidden gem and change how you see things. Or maybe it’s a classic you thought you knew, but seeing it here on the big screen gives it a whole new viewing experience.

But it’s not just what’s on the screen—we want you to feel genuinely welcomed every time you walk in. Our projectionists and volunteers are familiar faces (many of them have been part of this community for years), and that warmth is a big part of what makes Pickford feel different from any other movie theater.

We hope people find a sense of community here. At its best, cinema is something we experience together: it sparks conversations, fuels curiosity, and brings people closer.