The agreement brings together two unusually powerful forces in Los Angeles film culture: a who\u2019s-who roster of A-list directors and, in the American Cinematheque, one of the city\u2019s most visible and ambitious programming institutions. Reitman\u2019s coalition \u2014 including Christopher Nolan, Steven Spielberg, Damien Chazelle, Bradley Cooper, Alfonso Cuar\u00f3n, Ryan Coogler, James Gunn, Denis Villeneuve, Karyn Kusama, Lulu Wang, Chlo\u00e9 Zhao<\/a> and many others \u2014 bought the Village in an effort to preserve it as a hub for communal moviegoing at a time of deep uncertainty for theaters.<\/p>\n \u201cLast year, some of the greatest living directors rallied to save a Los Angeles monument, the Village Theater in Westwood,\u201d Reitman said in a statement. \u201cWe often like to think of movie theaters as churches. If so, the Village is a cathedral and with the American Cinematheque, we found our congregation.\u201d<\/p>\n Under the new agreement, the American Cinematheque will manage daily operations and lead programming at the theater, with \u201cactive participation from the filmmakers,\u201d according to the announcement. <\/p>\n The remodeled venue is expected to host special screenings with in-person conversations, premieres, awards-season events, new releases, repertory titles and an expanded slate of AC\u2019s signature festivals, including Beyond Fest<\/a>, Bleak Week, This Is Not a Fiction and Ultra Cinematheque 70 Fest. The Village has been a showcase for Hollywood premieres since its opening in 1931, a tradition the partners say they intend to continue.<\/p>\n The Village Theater in Westwood is set to undergo a major restoration under a filmmakers\u2019 partnership.<\/p>\n (Allen J. Schaben \/ Los Angeles Times)<\/p>\n The Village\u2019s lobby will be redesigned as a multipurpose space for concessions, filmmaker artifacts, retail kiosks and premiere-related events. The directors and AC are in the quiet phase of a $25-million capital campaign to support the renovation, which is scheduled to begin early next year. Reitman said he is \u201cvery excited by the early leadership commitments by individuals and a major technology sponsor\u201d and emphasized that they want to give audiences \u201ca place to experience the films they love with the people they love.\u201d<\/p>\n For the American Cinematheque \u2014 which operates the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica and co-programs both the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood and the Los Feliz 3 \u2014 the partnership significantly expands its footprint. Founded in 1984, the Cinematheque is a member-supported nonprofit dedicated to fostering a diverse and engaged film community through immersive programming, conversation and presentation, staging more than 1,600 screenings a year across formats ranging from 35mm and 70mm to digital and rare nitrate.<\/p>\n \u201cPartnering with the brilliant and virtuoso Village Directors Circle to renovate the Village Theater is an exciting milestone for the American Cinematheque,\u201d AC Chair Rick Nicita said. \u201cOur goal is to create a vibrant cultural hub that not only celebrates cinema but also enriches the community and welcomes audiences from all over Los Angeles and the world.\u201d<\/p>\n The announcement lands as Los Angeles continues to navigate a theatrical ecosystem reshaped by the pandemic. The Vista reopened under Quentin Tarantino\u2019s stewardship<\/a>, Vidiots rebounded in Eagle Rock<\/a> and the Egyptian welcomed audiences back in 2023 after a major restoration<\/a>. Yet the recovery has been uneven<\/a>, with some theaters thriving and others still struggling to regain pre-COVID audiences.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n