The Hollywood Art & Culture Center - Acquires Cinema Paradiso As Part Of Its Strategic Growth As An Arts Destination

“In the arts, nothing remains the same. Creativity has no bounds and artists are constantly evolving and reimagining everything around them,” 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 as a 50-year-old cultural institution that showcases all visual and performing arts.”

Cinema Paradiso will serve as The Center’s dedicated theater for screenings of first run, arthouse and independent films. The addition of the movie theater is aligned with the anticipated opening of the Arts Education Center scheduled for this October.

The Center is no stranger to film as the producer of the award-winning Open Dialogues documentary film short series which debuted in 2020. Films such as Queer Allies and Black Voices | Black Stories received regional Emmys in back-to-back years, both winning Telly Awards among other laurels. Gen QueerZ was selected by both the 2025 Fort Lauderdale International and Miami Film Festivals and accepted into the South Florida PBS filmmaker project, paving the way for Visionary Director Freddy Rodriguez and Center Producer Jeff Rusnak to potentially win their third Emmy.

“As an organization celebrating our golden anniversary and looking to the future, we will continue to evolve and reimagine all that we do,’’ said Tim Curtin, Chair of the Hollywood Art and Culture Center’s Board of Directors. “It is part of our own cultural renaissance which will be a wonderful gift to the community with the ability to deliver diverse programming, classes and workshops.”

Cinema Paradiso was previously managed and operated by The Broward County Film Society which produces the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival, which will continue to operate Savor Cinema in Fort Lauderdale. The organization has generously extended their expertise and continued assistance throughout the transition.

“Over the past decade, we have been proud of the programming we have presented at Cinema Paradiso and are thrilled to pass the baton to the Hollywood Art and Culture Center as they celebrate their 50th Anniversary, cultivating art and cultural engagements in downtown Hollywood,” said Lisa Grigorian, President/CEO of the Broward County Film Society.

The Broward County Film Society and Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival member benefits will remain intact for the next year. The Center will continue its collaboration with the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival and other film groups while defining and expanding new partnerships.

Under the new management, Cinema Paradiso will be one of 1,500 nationwide cinemas to premiere Wes Anderson's The Phoenician Scheme, a dark tale of espionage following a strained father-daughter relationship within a family business. A screening and premiere reception is set for June 6.

About Hollywood Art and Culture Center

Founded in 1975, the Hollywood Art and Culture Center is a respected NonProfit Organization dedicated to showcasing the arts for all ages. Year-round programming, which includes exhibitions, Broadway and summer camps, live theatre, education, documentary films and more, contributes to its continued success as a leading cultural institution that strives to improve connection, communication and well-being through art and cultural experiences. The organization is supported by its members, guest admissions, public partners and private entities. The Center is located at 1650 Harrison Street, Hollywood, Florida 33020.

For more information, please call: (954) 921-3274. Or visit: www.artandculturecenter.org. (Photos courtesy of Hollywood Art and Culture Center.)