Film Forum

In the heart of the city that never sleeps, Where lights and cameras always sweep, There lies a place of cinematic grace, Film Forum, a haven for film buffs to embrace. Nestled in the bustling streets of NYC, A feather in the cap of movie history, It welcomes all with open arms, To indulge in art and cinematic charms. From classics to indies, foreign to old, Every film lover's heart is sold, To the magic that unfolds on the screen, In this sacred place where dreams convene. The silver screen flickers with tales untold, As the audience is captivated and enthralled, By the power of storytelling and visual art, That Film Forum so graciously imparts. So if you find yourself in the Big Apple's glow, Take a trip to Film Forum, let your spirit grow, For in this haven of cinema's delight, You'll find a feather in NYC's movie night.

Excellent independent film theatre - good selection of movies and clean! Excellent, excellent banana bread - moist and flavorful! Go really well with either coffee or tea. High recommended. We bought a loaf back to California as souvenir!

Film Forum began in 1970 as an alternative screening space for independent films, with 50 folding chairs, one projector and a $19,000 annual budget. Karen Cooper became director in 1972 and under her leadership, Film Forum moved downtown to the Vandam Theater in 1975. In 1980, Cooper led the construction of a twin cinema on Watts Street. In 1990, Film Forum’s current Houston Street cinema was built at a cost of $3.2 million. In 2018, Film Forum raised $5 million to renovate and expand its Houston Street cinema, upgrading the seating, legroom, and sightlines in all theaters and adding a new, 4th screen. In 2023, Cooper stepped down as Director and was succeeded by Deputy Director Sonya Chung. They present two distinct, complementary film programs – NYC theatrical premieres of American independents and foreign art films, programmed by Cooper (Advisor to the Director as of 2023), Mike Maggiore, and Sonya Chung; and, since 1987, repertory selections including foreign and American classics, genre works, festivals and directors’ retrospectives, programmed by Bruce Goldstein. Our third and fourth screens are dedicated to extended runs of popular selections from both programs, as well as new films for longer engagements. Film Forum is open 365 days a year, with as many as 250,000 annual admissions, nearly 500 seats, approximately 50 employees (of which half are full time), 6,500+ members and a $6 million operating budget. Approximately 79% of there budget is spent directly on programs. As a non-profit, we raise approximately 45% of our operating income. Public funders include: The National Endowment for the Arts, The New York State Council for the Arts, and various NYC agencies including the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs. Private donors include individuals, foundations, and corporate entities. Additionally, our members contribute more than $500,000 annually. This allows them to take risks on emerging filmmakers and challenging films. Film Forum has a $6 million endowment, begun in 2000 with a $1.25 million gift from the Ford Foundation. Film Forum is the only autonomous nonprofit cinema in New York City and one of the few in the U.S. The success of our distinctive position is evidenced by our over 50-year tenure, during which our programs and fiscal resources have grown steadily. Sadly, since the 1970s, dozens of NYC art-house theaters (and a great number throughout the U.S.) have closed their doors. As a cinema of ideas, Film Forum is committed to presenting an international array of films that treat diverse social, political, historical and cultural realities. Unlike commercial cinemas that primarily “book” high-grossing, Hollywood films, Film Forum’s programs are thoughtfully selected, with attention to unique cinematic qualities, historical importance individually or within a genre and – particularly for documentaries – relevance to today’s world. They are a 501(c)(3) cultural institution, chartered in New York State and registered as FILM FORUM, INC.

We enjoyed our film immensely. Even though it was three hours long we still enjoyed it. I mean what do you expect from an independent theater. I wish we had some closer to where we live. But a definite must when you come to Greenwich Village. There are some great choices of films playing all the time.

Went to see The Third Man here while visiting New York. Great presentation and could feel it was an audience who appreciate film. Really impressed with Film Forum, their love for film and how they operate (did a little digging). The staff were super friendly too. Will definitely come back when I’m in NYC next.

Love this theater. Great film selection, and the audience that goes to these movies is one of the most sophisticated of any theater I’ve been to; sophisticated to the point of snottiness, but that’s to be expected in theaters like these. Popcorn has absolutely no taste so make sure you add salt to it. Visibility can be an issue in the their biggest screen due columns, but I sit as close to the screen as possible. Give it a visit!

While the actual ambience of the theater (the seats, the size of the theater, etc.) is nothing special and the prices are surprisingly high for non-members, the selection of arthouse films that you often can't seen anywhere else in NYC is special enough to make this place worth a visit for any New Yorker, I'd also recommend taking a look at the snack bar -- they have some interesting items there that reflect their eclectic sense of taste. Recommended although I would love it if they could take a look at what some of the corporate theaters have done to renovate the seating and projection systems.

Absolutely disastrous customer service. Unaccommodating. The theater is one I love but often not particularly crowded. The manager insisted that no one could go in to confirm that my wallet was in the seat I had abandoned at the previous showing was there claiming that ‘a flashlight would be too distracting’ and that my only option was to leave my number or wait. I waited briefly then entered the screen, confirmed there was indeed someone in my former seat and didn’t bother them. All she needed to do was show a modicum of concern, but was only ready to shut me down.

In the heart of the city that never sleeps, Where lights and cameras always sweep, There lies a place of cinematic grace, Film Forum, a haven for film buffs to embrace. Nestled in the bustling streets of NYC, A feather in the cap of movie history, It welcomes all with open arms, To indulge in art and cinematic charms. From classics to indies, foreign to old, Every film lover's heart is sold, To the magic that unfolds on the screen, In this sacred place where dreams convene. The silver screen flickers with tales untold, As the audience is captivated and enthralled, By the power of storytelling and visual art, That Film Forum so graciously imparts. So if you find yourself in the Big Apple's glow, Take a trip to Film Forum, let your spirit grow, For in this haven of cinema's delight, You'll find a feather in NYC's movie night.

Excellent independent film theatre - good selection of movies and clean! Excellent, excellent banana bread - moist and flavorful! Go really well with either coffee or tea. High recommended. We bought a loaf back to California as souvenir!

Film Forum began in 1970 as an alternative screening space for independent films, with 50 folding chairs, one projector and a $19,000 annual budget. Karen Cooper became director in 1972 and under her leadership, Film Forum moved downtown to the Vandam Theater in 1975. In 1980, Cooper led the construction of a twin cinema on Watts Street. In 1990, Film Forum’s current Houston Street cinema was built at a cost of $3.2 million. In 2018, Film Forum raised $5 million to renovate and expand its Houston Street cinema, upgrading the seating, legroom, and sightlines in all theaters and adding a new, 4th screen. In 2023, Cooper stepped down as Director and was succeeded by Deputy Director Sonya Chung. They present two distinct, complementary film programs – NYC theatrical premieres of American independents and foreign art films, programmed by Cooper (Advisor to the Director as of 2023), Mike Maggiore, and Sonya Chung; and, since 1987, repertory selections including foreign and American classics, genre works, festivals and directors’ retrospectives, programmed by Bruce Goldstein. Our third and fourth screens are dedicated to extended runs of popular selections from both programs, as well as new films for longer engagements. Film Forum is open 365 days a year, with as many as 250,000 annual admissions, nearly 500 seats, approximately 50 employees (of which half are full time), 6,500+ members and a $6 million operating budget. Approximately 79% of there budget is spent directly on programs. As a non-profit, we raise approximately 45% of our operating income. Public funders include: The National Endowment for the Arts, The New York State Council for the Arts, and various NYC agencies including the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs. Private donors include individuals, foundations, and corporate entities. Additionally, our members contribute more than $500,000 annually. This allows them to take risks on emerging filmmakers and challenging films. Film Forum has a $6 million endowment, begun in 2000 with a $1.25 million gift from the Ford Foundation. Film Forum is the only autonomous nonprofit cinema in New York City and one of the few in the U.S. The success of our distinctive position is evidenced by our over 50-year tenure, during which our programs and fiscal resources have grown steadily. Sadly, since the 1970s, dozens of NYC art-house theaters (and a great number throughout the U.S.) have closed their doors. As a cinema of ideas, Film Forum is committed to presenting an international array of films that treat diverse social, political, historical and cultural realities. Unlike commercial cinemas that primarily “book” high-grossing, Hollywood films, Film Forum’s programs are thoughtfully selected, with attention to unique cinematic qualities, historical importance individually or within a genre and – particularly for documentaries – relevance to today’s world. They are a 501(c)(3) cultural institution, chartered in New York State and registered as FILM FORUM, INC.

We enjoyed our film immensely. Even though it was three hours long we still enjoyed it. I mean what do you expect from an independent theater. I wish we had some closer to where we live. But a definite must when you come to Greenwich Village. There are some great choices of films playing all the time.

Went to see The Third Man here while visiting New York. Great presentation and could feel it was an audience who appreciate film. Really impressed with Film Forum, their love for film and how they operate (did a little digging). The staff were super friendly too. Will definitely come back when I’m in NYC next.

Love this theater. Great film selection, and the audience that goes to these movies is one of the most sophisticated of any theater I’ve been to; sophisticated to the point of snottiness, but that’s to be expected in theaters like these. Popcorn has absolutely no taste so make sure you add salt to it. Visibility can be an issue in the their biggest screen due columns, but I sit as close to the screen as possible. Give it a visit!

While the actual ambience of the theater (the seats, the size of the theater, etc.) is nothing special and the prices are surprisingly high for non-members, the selection of arthouse films that you often can't seen anywhere else in NYC is special enough to make this place worth a visit for any New Yorker, I'd also recommend taking a look at the snack bar -- they have some interesting items there that reflect their eclectic sense of taste. Recommended although I would love it if they could take a look at what some of the corporate theaters have done to renovate the seating and projection systems.

Absolutely disastrous customer service. Unaccommodating. The theater is one I love but often not particularly crowded. The manager insisted that no one could go in to confirm that my wallet was in the seat I had abandoned at the previous showing was there claiming that ‘a flashlight would be too distracting’ and that my only option was to leave my number or wait. I waited briefly then entered the screen, confirmed there was indeed someone in my former seat and didn’t bother them. All she needed to do was show a modicum of concern, but was only ready to shut me down.