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. 

 

ASSISTIVE LISTENING/CLOSED CAPTIONING/OPEN CAPTIONING:

Headphones for audio enhancement are available on all films. We also offer closed captioning and audio description whenever possible. Headphones and closed captioning devices are available upon request at the box office. A high percentage of our first run films have OPEN CAPTIONS, available by request. For inquiries about specific films, or to request an open captions show in the near future, please email rentcinema21@gmail.com. (We are happy to accommodate, just ask!)

ADA ACCESSIBILITY: 

We are committed to servicing patrons with mobility issues whenever possible. Our main-floor level auditorium is wheelchair-accessible, as are our two lower-level screens (via a lift or gradual ramp). Please feel free to contact us at 503-223-4515 during open hours regarding the placement of films on any given day. 

RESTROOMS: Both our restrooms in the lower section are wheelchair-accessible. And our patrons are welcome to use the restroom that best aligns with their gender identity. We also have a gender neutral bathroom on the main floor lobby, however, it is not ADA accessible. 

 

 

 

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 theater rental inquiries (either private shows or to show your own film) please email rentcinema21@gmail.com

For other business matters please phone us at 503-223-4044 or email us at info@cinema21.com