Help San Francisco's historic Roxie cinema go totally independent

San Francisco's historic non-profit cinema, The Roxie, is raising money to buy its building.

By Matt Schimkowitz | April 29, 2025 | 10:08pm

Photo by Eric Charbonneau (Getty Images for AppleTV+)

Film News Movie theaters

Help San Francisco's historic Roxie cinema go totally independent

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Movie theaters need all the help they can get these days. But more than the publicly traded multiplex chains, independent movie theaters rely on viewers like you to stay in business. The Roxie, a non-profit cinema in San Francisco, is one such theater. The Roxie has been showing movies in the Mission District since 1913, and its ownership has spent the last year trying to raise $7 million to buy and upgrade the building.

The Roxie is running a fundraising drive to raise $1.5 million toward its overall goal. The money would go toward purchasing the building, expansion of programming, investment in technology upgrades, and renovations that, per its website, “go well beyond ADA requirements to create a more equitable experience for all visitors, employees, and artists, regardless of ability.” Speaking to the San Francisco Chronicle, Executive Director Lex Sloan explained that making such upgrades has been challenging and prohibitive because they don’t own the building. By purchasing the building, the group would be able to make necessary improvements without having to worry about rent hikes.