For 11 years, Cinema ’76 gave Filipino cinephiles a place to watch the films they might not always find on the usual mall cinema lineup. But the curtain is now closing for the 11 years worth of stories that they housed.

Cinema ’76 Film Society and Cinema ’76 Café announced that they will cease operations on October 25, 2026, bringing the Cinema ’76 chapter to a close after years of screenings, filmmaker events, Q&As, and late afternoons spent over coffee and movies.

The first Cinema ’76 opened in San Juan in 2016 under TBA Studios, with the goal of making independent and classic films more accessible to Filipino audiences. It eventually moved to Anonas before finding its current home in Tomas Morato in 2022.

Over the years, the space became more than a place to buy a ticket. It hosted screenings and conversations with filmmakers, gave local productions another screen to reach audiences, and became a familiar meeting point for people who simply wanted to spend time around movies.

The cinema house had also temporarily halted operations during the pandemic and launched Cinema ’76@Home in 2020 as cinemas across the country remained closed. Its original San Juan branch later shut down in 2021, but the film society continued through its Anonas and eventually Tomas Morato locations.

Now, Cinema ’76 is giving its audience a few more weeks before the final credits roll. The film society said it wants to spend its remaining days with the moviegoers, patrons, and filmmakers who helped build the community around it. Until October 25, the venue will remain open from Tuesday to Sunday starting at 3 p.m., giving cinephiles time for one more screening, one more coffee, or simply one more visit.

After moving across Metro Manila and weathering a pandemic, Cinema ’76’s story ends where so many of its best memories began, with people gathering around a screen.

PHOTOS from CINEMA76FS (via Instagram)