Cinema 21

Cinema 21 is a historic movie theater in Portland’s Northwest District in Oregon, United States. The venue began operating in 1925 under the name State Theatre, making it one of the long-established exhibition sites in the city. It later operated as Vista from 1941 to 1942 and as 21st Avenue Theatre from 1942 until 1965, before adopting the Cinema 21 name. The theater’s identity is closely associated with independent cinema, Portland’s filmmaking community, and public events built around movies and filmmakers. Over its long history, Cinema 21 has hosted discussions and appearances connected with projects by filmmakers and performers including Mike Birbiglia, Mark Duplass, Todd Haynes, Miranda July, Richard Linklater, Russ Meyer, Steven Soderbergh, Gus Van Sant, and Wim Wenders. These associations have helped position the venue as more than a conventional commercial cinema: it functions as a cultural meeting place where audiences can encounter independent work and filmmakers can engage directly with the local community. Cinema 21 has also used audience participation to support improvements to the venue. In August 2014, it launched a Kickstarter campaign seeking $70,000 for new seats in its main auditorium. The campaign formed part of a broader renovation effort that also contemplated adding two screens. According to owner Tom Ranieri, the existing seats were more than fifty years old. Contribution incentives included admission passes, meals at Portland restaurants, recognition on the theater marquee, dinners with filmmaker Gus Van Sant and writer Dan Savage, and naming rights for the auditorium. The campaign illustrates the theater’s community-oriented operating model and its reliance on local patrons and cultural supporters for major improvements. The theater has continued to serve as a venue for premieres and special engagements. In December 2014, Cinema 21 hosted the premiere and after-party for Wild, attended by stars Reese Witherspoon and Laura Dern. In April 2023, it hosted the premiere of Big Shark, the second film by Tommy Wiseau. Its documented history therefore spans neighborhood exhibition, independent-film programming, filmmaker conversations, renovation fundraising, and high-profile premiere events. Publicly available reference material does not establish a separate corporate parent, public listing, founding individual, or wider theater chain associated with the Cinema 21 name.

Cinema 21 is a movie theater in Portland’s Northwest District with a documented history reaching back to 1925. It opened as the State Theatre and subsequently operated under several names. From 1941 to 1942 it was known as Vista, and from 1942 through 1965 it operated as the 21st Avenue Theatre. The Cinema 21 name was adopted after that period and became the identity by which the venue is now known. The theater’s historical significance lies both in its longevity and in its role in Portland’s independent-film culture. Rather than being documented simply as a multiplex or a general entertainment outlet, Cinema 21 is associated with independent filmmakers, local cinema, discussions, festivals, and special appearances. The venue has hosted project-related conversations involving a broad range of filmmakers and performers, including Mike Birbiglia, Mark Duplass, Todd Haynes, Miranda July, Richard Linklater, Russ Meyer, Steven Soderbergh, Gus Van Sant, and Wim Wenders. This programming history places the theater within Portland’s broader network of film production, criticism, and audience communities. A significant operational development occurred in August 2014, when the theater sought community support for a renovation. Cinema 21 launched a Kickstarter campaign with a $70,000 target for replacing seats in the main auditorium. Owner Tom Ranieri said that the existing seats were more than fifty years old. The renovation proposal also included installing two additional screens, indicating an attempt to improve both audience comfort and the venue’s capacity for programming. The campaign offered incentives such as movie admission passes, restaurant dinners, marquee recognition, dinners with Gus Van Sant and Dan Savage, and auditorium naming rights. These rewards connected the physical renovation to Cinema 21’s local cultural relationships and patron base. Cinema 21’s event role continued during the same decade. In December 2014, it hosted the premiere and after-party for Wild, attended by Reese Witherspoon and Laura Dern. The event demonstrated the theater’s ability to serve as a Portland location for a major film connected to the region and to accommodate an associated social gathering. In April 2023, the venue hosted the premiere of Big Shark, Tommy Wiseau’s second film, further demonstrating its continuing use for filmmaker-centered and special-event screenings. The available reference material does not provide a detailed account of the theater’s ownership changes, financial performance, exact reopening dates, architectural alterations, or current screen count. It identifies Tom Ranieri as the owner in connection with the 2014 renovation campaign but does not establish the date on which his ownership began. It also does not document a parent company, public-company affiliation, stock listing, or international operating footprint. On the available evidence, Cinema 21 is best understood as an active, locally rooted independent movie theater whose brand is built around historic continuity, film culture, and community engagement.

• 2023

  Big Shark premiere

  [1]Cinema 21en.wikipedia.org

  The theater hosts the premiere of Big Shark.

• 2014

  Renovation fundraising campaign

  [1]Cinema 21en.wikipedia.org

  Cinema 21 launches a $70,000 Kickstarter campaign for new main-auditorium seats and a broader renovation involving two additional screens.

• 2014

  Wild premiere

  [1]Cinema 21en.wikipedia.org

  Cinema 21 hosts the premiere and after-party for Wild.

• 1965

  End of the 21st Avenue Theatre period

  [1]Cinema 21en.wikipedia.org

  The documented period under the 21st Avenue Theatre name ends.

• 1942

  Venue becomes 21st Avenue Theatre

  [1]Cinema 21en.wikipedia.org

  The theater begins operating as 21st Avenue Theatre, a name it retains until 1965.

• 1941

  Venue operates as Vista

  [1]Cinema 21en.wikipedia.org

  The theater is known as Vista during the 1941–1942 period.

• 1925

  Venue opens as State Theatre

  [1]Cinema 21en.wikipedia.org

  The Portland venue opens under the State Theatre name.

A historic Portland independent cinema and community film venue with an emphasis on independent and local filmmaking, special events, and direct audience engagement.

• Cinema auditorium

  Main auditorium

  Cinema 21’s principal screening auditorium, historically equipped with seats that were described as more than fifty years old during the theater’s 2014 renovation fundraising campaign. The planned replacement of those seats formed the central purpose of the Kickstarter effort.

• Film exhibition

  Independent-film programming

  A core programming identity centered on independent cinema and work by local filmmakers. The venue has also hosted discussions and appearances connected with filmmakers including Mike Birbiglia, Mark Duplass, Todd Haynes, Miranda July, Richard Linklater, Russ Meyer, Steven Soderbergh, Gus Van Sant, and Wim Wenders.

• Cinema events

  Premieres and special events

  Special-event screenings and premieres are an important part of Cinema 21’s public role. Documented examples include the 2014 premiere and after-party for Wild and the 2023 premiere of Big Shark.

• 2014Cinema 21 auditorium renovation Kickstarter

  Portland, Oregon, United States

  Cinema 21 appealed to its audience through a Kickstarter campaign seeking $70,000 for new seats in the main auditorium. The larger renovation plan also included two additional screens. Rewards included admission passes, restaurant dinners, marquee recognition, dinners with Gus Van Sant and Dan Savage, and auditorium naming rights.

  Outcome. The available reference material does not state the campaign’s final amount raised or confirm which renovation elements were completed.

  Source

• 2014

  Use community fundraising to support venue renovationStrategy

  Background

  The theater’s main-auditorium seats were described as more than fifty years old, and Cinema 21 sought to improve the venue as part of a broader renovation.

  Action taken

  Cinema 21 launched a $70,000 Kickstarter campaign and offered cultural, hospitality, and venue-recognition rewards to contributors.

  Aftermath

  The available source confirms the campaign and its proposed renovation scope but does not report the final fundraising result or completion status.

  Kickstarter fundraising target. $70,000 target (2014)

  Source

1. 1Cinema 21en.wikipedia.org
2. 2Cinema 21 official websitecinema21.com