Stuart Cinema & Cafe (photo: Bedford & Bowery/Cassidy Dawn Graves)
Stuart Cinema & Cafe opened at 79 West Street earlier this month. It’s operated by Emelyn Stuart who runs The Ocktober Film Festival. Stuart grew tired of renting out venues for her festival and decided to find her own space.
The Dominican Bay Ridge native set her sights on Brooklyn, and found a warehouse on Greenpoint’s West Street, near the water. She took this “blank canvas” and transformed it into a cafe (open during the day for those who want to drop in for coffee or use wifi and work) and 70-seat screening room with a 4K projector, 160” screen, surround sound, and even a desktop computer with Final Cut Pro and Adobe Premiere, allowing filmmakers to view and edit their work on a big screen prior to a public showing.
Stuart’s focus is on indie film, but mainstream feature films also screen regularly, with lower prices than bigger theaters: $10 for adults, $5 for seniors, $6 for children, $3 for popcorn. Family-friendly films will make a consistent appearance; Stuart, who is a mother herself, has made this a priority, noting it can be hard to find entertainment that’s both suitable for kids and financially accessible for lower-income families.
The Ocktober Film Festival this year begins on October 4. In the meantime, you can check out the full calendar here.