Milwaukee Film is taking over operations of the Downer Theatre, with plans to reopen the historic East Side movie house in April.
Landmark Theaters, which had run the 109-year-old theater since 1990, announced on Sept. 19 that it was closing the venue.
Around that same time the head of Milwaukee Film, which runs the annual Milwaukee Film Festival, expressed interest in being involved in the theater’s future in some way.
In a Tuesday press release, Milwaukee Film confirmed its interest in the venue, announcing that it will be reopening the small, two-screen theater at 2585 N. Downer Ave. on Milwaukee’s East Side, starting with the 2024 Milwaukee Film Festival on April 12.
Regular cinema operations are slated to resume on April 26.
In the release, Milwaukee Film officials called the move a “strategic expansion” and a testament to the nonprofit’s “commitment to enriching the community’s cultural landscape and preserving the legacy of one of the city’s oldest and most beloved cinemas.”
“The Downer Theatre, with its storied past and charm, has been a cornerstone of Milwaukee’s cinematic and cultural scene since its opening in 1915. Milwaukee Film and its board are thrilled to bring life back to the theater and cinema back to the neighborhood. Our mission has always been to make cinematic experiences possible for as many people as possible, and expanding our footprint in this way is a key next step in doing that,” said Susan Mikulay, chair of Milwaukee Film’s board of directors.
Anne Reed, Milwaukee Film’s Interim CEO, called the move “a story of what dedicated supporters can do.”
“Stepping forward to support Milwaukee Film, our community is saving another historic cinema, and all the moments of story and connection that can happen there again,” Reed added.
Milwaukee Film is also the owner and operator of the Oriental Theatre, also located on Milwaukee’s East Side.
The 2024 Milwaukee Film Festival presented by Associated Bank runs April 11-25 and will include screenings at the Downer Theatre, the Oriental Theatre, and two other local theaters, the Avalon Theater and the Times Cinema. The festival is slated to include a diverse lineup of local, national, and international films.
Following the Festival, the Downer Theatre will reopen to the public on April 26, offering a year-round program of first-run independent, foreign, and documentary films, curated by Milwaukee Film’s programming team.
“Our being able to reopen the Downer this spring is a significant occasion for our organization as well as for the neighborhood,” said Cara Ogburn, artistic director at Milwaukee Film. “When the Downer closed last year it meant that many films could not show on screens in our city. Adding these two screens to our footprint will allow us to better serve our community with high quality films year-round,” she concluded.
