Cinema '76 to close after 11 years

Cinema '76 is closing for good after 11 years.

"After nearly 11 years of shared laughs, quiet tears, late-night discussions, and celebrating the absolute best of independent and mainstream cinema, Cinema '76 Film Society and Cinema '76 Café will officially close their doors on Sunday, October 25, 2026," they wrote in a letter on Tuesday.

The micro-cinema located along Tomas Morato in Quezon City said that when they opened in San Juan City in 2016, their goal was "to create a cozy, welcoming home for film lovers—a space where microcinemas could thrive, independent filmmakers had a screen to call their own, and moviegoers could find a community."

Eventually, they opened the Café, and saw cinephiles and fans follow them as they moved from one location to another.

"You filled our iconic couches, championed cinema, and made our space feel like a second home," they said. "We are endlessly grateful to every single one of you who walked through our doors, bought a ticket, ordered popcorn, stayed for a Q&A, met your favorite cast and crew, or simply hung out to talk about the movies you love."

Cinema '76 said that before they close down for good, they want to spend their remaining weeks with moviegoers, patrons, and fellow filmmakers. They invited the public to visit "every chance you get between now and October 25"—be it by catching a movie, ordering their favorite dish from the menu, or grabbing a coffee.

"Let's spend these final days celebrating the art, the food, the culture, the memories, and the community we've built together over the last decade," they said.

"Thank you for championing us, for supporting the pioneer of Philippine microcinemas and its F&B partner, and for letting us be part of your film journey," Cinema '76 wrote.

"YOUR BES CINEMA, CINEMA'76, SIGNING OFF," the note ended.

TBA Studios opened the first Cinema '76 in San Juan in 2016 to make local and international independent and classic films accessible to more Filipinos.

In 2020, the micro-cinema suffered loss and was one of the many establishments that was forced to temporarily halt operations amid the global pandemic. To cater to viewers at home, they launched Cinema '76@Home, their own online platform for streaming movies, in November 2020. 

However, in September 2021, Cinema '76 shut down its operations in its original branch in San Juan City. 

They later welcomed back cinephiles at their Anonas branch in November of the same year and opened an alfresco café.

In 2022, they moved to a new branch in Tomas Morato.

Cinema '76 will be open from Tuesdays through Sundays, from 3 p.m. onwards until Oct. 25.