ABOUT

Cinema 21 is an locally owned and operated art movie theater, featuring American independent, foreign language, documentary and classic movies. We are located at 616 NW 21st Avenue in the heart of the Alphabet Historic District, which abuts the downtown. In the rapidly changing Portland landscape, it remains an iconic landmark and a link to Portland's past.

Over our 90-plus year history, the theater has become a hub for the city's film culture and one of Portland's most revered cinemas. The theater has premiered many important art films, including Slackers, Drugstore Cowboy, Pan's Labyrinth, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, There Will Be Blood, Beasts of the Southern Wild, The Grand Budapest Hotel, Wild, Moonlight, Won't You Be My Neighbor? and many other highly-acclaimed feature and documentary films.

At Cinema 21 we've also hosted appearances by many filmmakers including Steven Soderbergh, Wim Wenders, Richard Linklater, Debra Granik, Gus Van Sant, Todd Haynes, Miranda July, Mike Birbiglia, Mark Duplass, Russ Meyer, and the sui generis Tommy Wiseau. We are also a host for some the city's major film events such as the Portland International Film Festival and the Portland Queer Film Festival, making the theater indispensable to Portland's movie culture.

Built in 1926, its original name was The State Theater. The venue showed silent films with live organ and had an orchestra pit for musical accompaniment. Over the decades it's been called The Vista, 21st Avenue Theater and finally starting in 1962, Cinema 21. In 2013, two additional screens were added in the adjacent space with a new concessions bar and restrooms in the lower lobby. The original theater was renovated with new seats and screen, projection and sound equipment, carpeting and paint in 2014. 

For most inquiries concerning movie titles, show times, ticketing, group sales, lost & found, etc. please phone us at 503-223-4515 during the hours we are showing movies. All other times that number has a pre-recorded message with details of what we are showing.

For business matters, including theater rental inquiries, please phone us at 503-223-4044.

Email inquiries should be sent to us at info@cinema21.com.