Opening in Ojai

Hot on the heels of the milestone 25th Ojai Film Festival, and just a week after the launching of the new SBIFF Film Center in the former home of the Fiesta Five, the historic Ojai Playhouse is reopening on November 22 after being closed for a decade. Similarly but on a much smaller scale than SBIFF’s new facility, the newly revitalized 5,500-square-foot theater will feature a diverse lineup of first-run arthouse films and nostalgic classics, plus live events, including comedy shows, speakers, live podcasts and music performances. Ojai Playhouse has undergone complete structural and interior renovations with the revamped 200-seat theater now boasting state-of-the-art film and audio technology, a live performance stage and upgraded audience amenities. One of California’s oldest single-screen cinemas, the theater’s 1914 building’s original interior and facade have been carefully restored using original materials, framed in a contemporary, minimalist design, and features an outdoor garden, a private event space and a café and bar.

The theater’s fortuitous timing for opening brings a dynamic first six weeks of screenings that features numerous Oscar contenders (Anora, The Wild Robot, Babygirl, Emilia Perez, Sing Sing, Conclave, and The Brutalist) as well as beloved holiday classics (It’s a Wonderful Life, Die Hard, Bad Santa), acclaimed independent films, cult midnight movies (Heat, Mulholland Drive), double features by Werner Herzog (Fitzcarraldo and Burden of Dreams) and Paul Thomas Anderson (Phantom Thread and Boogie Nights), family films (WALL-E) and more. Visit https://ojaiplayhouse.com.