Welcome back—Sidewalk Film Center reopens with safety precautions

Grabbing a cardigan for the chilly theater, a pre-movie drink, stopping by the snack bar, poking your friend during previews saying, “let’s go see that one next.” We’ve missed the movies and we’ve really missed Birmingham’s most unique and community-based independent theater. After nearly seven months, Sidewalk Film Center has reopened with safety precautions.

Ladies and gentleman, please silence your cellphones

The show is about to begin. Sidewalk Film Center is allowing 12 guests into a theater at a time for the screening of one of 2020’s most anticipated movies of the season—Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet.” Screenings will be held Thursday—Sunday only for the next five weeks.

About “Tenet”

A star-studded cast premiers in the movie including, Robert Pattinson, John David Washington and Elizabeth Debicki. Armed with only one word, Tenet, and fighting for the survival of the entire world, a Protagonist journeys through a twilight world of international espionage on a mission that will unfold in something beyond real time.

Clean, lean movie machines

Your part

• Tickets will be sold in advance (online or over the phone) only
• Credit/debit cards only at bar and concessions
• Seating capacity limited to 12 per-theater which provides ample space for social distancing (theater capacity is 100)
• All customers will be expected to wear their masks at all times in common areas including concession stand, bar and restrooms and in the theaters when not consuming concessions

How the staff will operate:

• Assigned seating will be in place, to allow for a unique seating pattern for each screening, preventing reuse of any seats within a 24 hour period
• All employees will wear masks and/or face shields while working
• Sanitation of all high touch surfaces and theater seats in between all screenings

Changes in physical space

• New touchless restroom fixtures
• Hand sanitizing stations in key locations
• Removal of all bar stools at main bar and limited seating in common areas
• Plexiglass shields at bar and concessions
• MERV-13 Filters in all HVAC units

How else to get your Sidewalk fix

We had a blast at Sidewalk’s Drive-In Festival and enjoyed their screenings of iconic movies at the Summit over the summer. The team continues to be proactive and provide us everything we love about the theater.

Screen Home Movies

Bring the Sidewalk experience into your home with specially curated home movies picked from the team. Currently, you can rent Starting at Zero and Vinyl Nation.

Virtual Book + Film Club

Sidewalk will ship the book to you! All that’s left on your plate is watching the movie and taking notes for a discussion via Zoom on the last Wednesday of the month. Register for September.

Buy tickets today to “Tenet” at Sidewalk Film Center and let us know what you thought on social @BhamNow on Facebook and Instagram, or @Now_Bham on Twitter.