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- New single-screen venue rising at 3293 Mission Street
- Programming: repertory, premieres, and specialty seasons
- Technical setup: film and sound built to impress
- Who is behind the project: curator with coast-to-coast experience
- Funding push: Kickstarter campaign seeks $250,000
- Industry access and Academy-focused screenings
- Relationship with local film ecology and nonprofits
San Francisco’s Mission District will welcome a new single-screen theater this fall, promising a mix of first-run films, revival screenings, and industry-focused events. The Portal Cinema, a nonprofit project, aims to restore a neighborhood cinematic culture as shuttered arthouse venues fade from the city’s landscape.
New single-screen venue rising at 3293 Mission Street
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Construction is underway on a vacant commercial lot at 3293 Mission Street. The site will house The Portal Cinema, a purpose-built, single-screen theater designed for both new releases and archival presentations.
The organizers say this is the first newly built movie theater in San Francisco in over a decade. Its arrival responds to years of closures that reduced the city’s independent-screening options.
Programming: repertory, premieres, and specialty seasons
The Portal plans a diverse slate of films and events.
- Contemporary international releases and festival favorites
- Repertory screenings of classic and overlooked works
- Archive-only presentations on 35mm and 16mm prints
- Digital exhibition for modern distribution formats
Organizers emphasize intimate screenings that encourage conversation and community in the theater’s lobby.
Technical setup: film and sound built to impress
The venue will be equipped to project archival film formats as well as modern digital files. Plans include upgrades to electrical systems, a 5.1 surround sound rig, and dedicated 35mm projection gear.
Supporters say these features will allow true theatrical presentations for prints that rarely screen today.
Who is behind the project: curator with coast-to-coast experience
The Portal Cinema was founded by Nellie Killian, a San Francisco native who spent two decades programming cinema in New York. Her resume includes programming roles at Brooklyn’s BAM and Metrograph in Lower Manhattan.
Killian has also contributed to organizations such as the Criterion Channel, the British Film Institute, and Queens’ Museum of the Moving Image.
She frames the theater as a neighborhood hub for film lovers and industry professionals alike.
Funding push: Kickstarter campaign seeks $250,000
A crowdfunding drive is active to help the theater open this fall. The campaign targets $250,000, earmarked for essential build-out items.
- Electrical panel upgrade
- 35mm projection equipment
- 5.1 sound system
Backers can support the project to ensure the cinema opens at its intended technical and programmatic capacity.
Industry access and Academy-focused screenings
The Portal will host private industry events, press screenings, and awards-season showings. Northern California is home to a large cluster of Academy members and film professionals, making the theater a strategic venue for voters and tastemakers.
Organizers highlight opportunities for networking and screenings tailored to Academy voters and critics.
Relationship with local film ecology and nonprofits
San Francisco already supports film culture through groups like SFFILM, which runs the city’s festival programming. The Portal positions itself as complementary rather than competitive.
As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, the cinema intends to collaborate with local festivals, museums, and cultural groups on curated seasons and educational programs.
What to expect when doors open
- Regular public screenings featuring global cinema
- Revivals on film stock not often seen in commercial houses
- Industry and awards-related receptions
- Community-oriented events utilizing the lobby as a gathering space
