West Newton Cinema has officially been saved

The West Newton Cinema has officially been saved from shutting down about a month and a half before its Aug. 10 purchase deadline. President of the Board of Directors of the West Newton Cinema Foundation Elizabeth Heilig announced Thursday, June 28 that the nonprofit secured the remaining funding to buy the theater.

Local real estate developer Mark Development purchased the property in 2022 with a stipulation that if a nonprofit were to preserve West Newton Cinema, it could be purchased for $5.6 million. The clause specified that the nonprofit needed to buy the theater by Aug. 10, which the foundation is now on track to do.

“On behalf of our Board and Advisors, I am excited to share with you that we are accomplishing what we set out to do, all with thanks to the extraordinary leadership and commitment from this community on behalf of the West Newton Cinema,” said Heilig in the announcement.

The fundraising campaign began in April, collecting $5.2 million from an anonymous donor. $3 million of that donation was set aside for the goal of purchasing the theater. Now that all the funds to buy the theater are secured, the foundation is moving onto its next phase: raising $14 million for renovations.

“The impact is going to be great for us, because it means we'll be able to purchase the cinema in the coming weeks, and it won’t be demolished,” Heilig told WBUR. “We will be implementing new programming — keeping all the same amazing movies that are being shown there now, but also moving in new and exciting directions. So we think great things are in store for Newton and everybody from the surrounding areas that are coming to the cinema now.”

As reported by WBUR in May, the foundation plans to start renovations as soon as next year while keeping the theater open. The cinema will continue to show films and start hosting art events like screenwriting workshops and author events after renovations are complete.

“It's a really important place for people to connect, to come out of their houses, meet people and have some fun together, escape for a little bit into a movie,” Heilig said.