Topline:
Gardena Cinema is offering free movie tickets this weekend thanks to streaming service Pluto TV. It’s part of a national effort to support indie theaters.
The director of Anora is a fan: Sean Baker, the Academy Award-winning director of Anora told owner Judy Kim that he used to work in a similar theater on the East Coast. Baker hand-picked Gardena Cinema to be part of Pluto TV’s “Free Movie Weekend.” Baker also did a Q&A after a packed showing of Anora last week.
The backstory: The single-screen Gardena Cinema has been a labor of love for the Kim family since 1976. The 800-seat theater now operates as a nonprofit with help from dozens of volunteers who find community at the time-capsule theater.
Saturday's movies:
- Grease (1978): Sing-along version at 2:30 p.m. and 5 p.m.
- Saturday Night Fever (1977): 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m.
Sunday's movie:
Go deeper: Gardena Cinema: A Story Of Love, Sweat And Repertory Films
