In celebration of its 50th anniversary, the Hollywood Art and Culture Center is expanding its creative footprint by assuming operations of Cinema Paradiso, the 72-seat art house theater located at 2008 Hollywood Boulevard. This exciting development aligns with The Center’s ongoing mission to support local artists and foster arts education through film, sound design, editing, animation, and motion design workshops.
“In the arts, nothing remains the same. Creativity has no bounds,” said Jennifer Homan, executive director of the Hollywood Art and Culture Center. “Adding Cinema Paradiso is a bridge to expand our reach and presence in South Florida.”
The theater will serve as The Center’s new home for screening independent, first-run, and arthouse films. It complements the upcoming opening of the Center’s new Arts Education Center
this October.
Cinema Paradiso previously operated under the Broward County Film Society, producers of the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival (FLIFF). Lisa Grigorian, president and CEO of the society, expressed full support: “We are thrilled to pass the baton to the Hollywood Art and Culture Center as they continue cultivating cultural engagement in downtown Hollywood.”
The Center is already acclaimed in the film space, having produced the award-winning Open Dialogues documentary series, including Queer Allies and Black Voices | Black Stories, both regional Emmy winners. Their latest, Gen QueerZ, was selected for both the 2025 Fort Lauderdale and Miami Film Festivals.
Tim Curtin, board chair, views the expansion as a cultural renaissance: “It is a wonderful gift to the community with the ability to deliver diverse programming, classes and workshops.”
Cinema Paradiso’s new era begins with a premiere screening of Wes Anderson’s The Phoenician Scheme on June 6, marking the start of an exciting new chapter in Hollywood’s arts scene.
For more info call (954) 921-3274 or visit www.artandculturecenter.org
