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Coolidge Corner Theatre
Coolidge Corner Theatre is a nonprofit, independent cinema and community cultural center in the Coolidge Corner section of Brookline, Massachusetts, specializing in international, documentary, animated, and independent film selections, series, classes, and seminars.[1][2] HistoryCoolidge Corner Theatre was built as a Universalist church in 1906 and was redesigned as an Art Deco movie palace in 1933 as the community's first movie theater.[1][3][4] The theater opened on December 30, 1933 with its first film being a Disney short film.[4] Originally the theater only had one screen but was later divided into two and then four.[5] By 1988, the theatre faced increased competition due to VCR sales and shifts in entertainment consumption.[6] When developer Jonathan Davis expressed interest in demolishing the theatre and repurposing the property as commercial space, a group from the Brookline community started a grassroots campaign to save the theatre.[7] David Kleiler, a film professor at Babson College, led the movement, called "Friends of the Coolidge," which later transformed into the Coolidge Corner Theatre Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to the theatre's preservation.[8] This foundation played a role in securing the theater's recognition as a historic site, temporarily preventing potential redevelopment.[8] In 1989, the foundation attempted to raise the necessary $2.6 million to purchase the theatre, but faced fundraising shortfalls.[8] In response, four hundred local residents gathered in a peaceful demonstration, locking arms and forming a human chain around the theatre.[8] Harold Brown, a realtor and Brookline resident who had loved the Coolidge in his youth, and his Hamilton Charitable Foundation emerged, proposed the purchase of the theatre and a 99-year lease to the Coolidge Foundation.[8] On November 8, 1989, Kleiler cut a celluloid ribbon and the theatre reopened its doors with the marquee reading, "WE DID IT - ON WITH THE SHOW."[8] Kleiler remained the theatre's programming director until 1993.[8] Comedian and Brookline, Massachusetts native John Hodgman worked at the Coolidge Corner Theatre in his youth.[9] Academy Award-winning actor Julianne Moore saw Eraserhead at the Coolidge Corner Theatre and credits the experience as one of her key inspirations to pursue acting.[10] In November 2021, the Coolidge Foundation broke ground on an expansion of the theatre, which added 14,000 square feet to its existing structure.[11] The $12.5 million expansion, "The Campaign for the Coolidge," designed by Höweler + Yoon, features two state-of-the-art theaters, a 60-seat Community Education and Engagement Center, a media library for films and Coolidge merchandise, and enhanced accessibility features.[11] Donors included a $1 million donation from The Trust Family Foundation.[12] The expansion opened on March 27, 2024.[13] On May 29, 2024, Coolidge Corner Theatre staff announced their plans to unionize, citing "the need for a more transparent, equitable, and supportive workplace" as the reasoning behind these efforts.[14][15] On June 6, 2024, it was announced that employers of the Coolidge Corner Theatre will voluntarily recognize the union. Coolidge AwardThe Coolidge Award annually recognizes a film artist who “advances the spirit of original and challenging cinema.’’[16] Recipients of this venue's annual Coolidge Award include:[17]
Coolidge Breakthrough Artist AwardCreated in 2023, the Coolidge Breakthrough Artist Award[18] recognizes emerging voices in film and spotlights the next generation of young film artists. Recipients include:
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