Cinema 21 Kicks Off Its Centennial with a Celebration of Community and Cinema

Cinema 21 in Portland is ringing in its 100th year with a month-long film festival running through September 28th, featuring classics like Duck Soup, Notorious, Harold and Maude, Do The Right Thing, Moonlight, and Lost Highway, plus a special presentation of Sean Baker’s Tangerine.

Portland Community Mingling Before Heading Into The Theatre With Food & Drinks In Hand

To launch the festivities, the theatre hosted an opening night celebration that didn’t include a movie screening at all, but you wouldn’t have known it by the turnout. Over 100 tickets were sold for a night promising only drinks, food, raffles, and an auction. By the end of the evening, the theatre was buzzing with cinephiles who came for the vibes and left with memories of a community event that proved the spirit of movies in Portland is alive and well.

The Bar Was Busy Providing Beers, Ciders, Wine & Soft Drinks To Those In Attendance

Guests were greeted with two drink tickets and a raffle entry, an immediate sign the evening was built on generosity and fun. The lobby quickly filled with movie lovers eager to mingle. Conversations bounced from favorite films to “most rewatched movies,” and even a few recommendations from the recent TIFF circuit made their way into the mix. Personally, I used the moment to sneak in a shameless plug for my podcast, which turned into a perfect icebreaker for deeper chats about cinema passions.

Once drinks, small plates, and slices of cake were in hand, attendees moved into the main theatre, still unsure of what exactly lay ahead. Portland Critics Association’s own Bennett Campbell Ferguson took the stage as MC, bringing energy and excitement before introducing members of Cinema 21 to kick off the raffle. Shirts, mugs, movie passes, and other goodies were handed out to eager winners as the crowd buzzed with anticipation.

The Auction Offered Many Items To Bid On, From The Archives of Cinema 21 To Hollywood Props

Then came the live auction, the true highlight of the night. Items up for bid included vintage movie magazines, framed posters, and the crown jewel: an original traffic sign from David Lynch’s Lost Highway. The bidding war was electric, ending at $600 in favor of a woman I’d earlier chatted with about her most rewatched film. Watching the auction cards fly up in the air with last-second bids kept everyone on edge. My own front-row enthusiasm didn’t go unnoticed. After the auctioneer wrapped, she surprised me with two complimentary movie passes.

Final Auction Item Was This Traffic Sign From David Lynch's Lost Highway Going For $600

The evening closed with a heartfelt speech from Cinema 21 owner Tom Ranieri, who reflected on his decades of running the theatre and the importance of keeping film culture alive. His words were followed by a montage celebrating the beauty of cinema, an emotional punctuation mark on a night dedicated to community and film history.

Cinema 21 Owner Tom Ranieri Speaking To The Audience

Cinema 21’s centennial opening night wasn’t about a single film, it was about celebrating the shared love of movies and the people who gather to experience them together. If the energy of this kickoff was any indication, the next 100 years of Cinema 21 will be just as vibrant.

One Of Several Cakes Offered At The Opening Ceremony

Cheers to a century of cinema, and to the many stories yet to be told within those walls.