Your Own Private Movie House

Want to See a Movie on the Big Screen? The Coral Gables Art Cinema has the Answer

Any entertainment that involves groups of people tightly packed together is no longer an option, so long as the pandemic persists. This has shut down some of our favorite local venues, including the Coral Gables Art Cinema.

The cinema has responded in creative ways, mostly online, with things like their Virtual Screening Room, where you can rent movies you would otherwise have seen in person. They also launched a virtual drive-in, with a selection of older films (in the public domain) that you can watch at no charge on the cinema’s website.

Now comes the latest gambit to satisfy our hankering for the movie house experience: The real thing. Dubbed “Private Movie Night,” patrons can actually rent the theater for up to 10 family members and friends. “Out of our 1,800 members, about 400 said they would want to rent it, so we know we have the demand,” says executive director of the Art Cinema Brenda Moe. “This will allow us to serve the community and to test our safety protocols.” Those protocols – taking viewer’s temperature at the door, setting up a one-way flow for foot traffic – will allow the cinema to open in the future for regular, socially distanced movie nights.

In the meantime, you can play movie mogul for $200 (members) or $275 (non-members) for the noon, 3 p.m. or 6 p.m. timeslots, and for $300 (members) or $375 (non-members) for the 9 p.m. timeslot. Patrons can bring their own movies (Blu-ray, DVD) or the theater will source for you. Email them at info@gablescinema.com with Private Movie Night in the subject line.