An Old, Retro Movie Experience Premieres in East Austin

Words by Janine Stankus | Photos by Baptiste Despois

Single-screen cinemas have suffered a slow demise over several decades. Major multiplexes—with their veritable buffet of movie options and proliferating creature comforts—have indelibly changed the movie-going experience. But to Josh Frank, there’s something these neighborhood cinemas have that the bigwigs don’t, and with Eastside Cinema, he wants to bring that back.

Being a figure in Austin’s indie film scene, Josh opened his first local cinema in the 90s—in an alleyway off Cesar Chavez—then went on to found Austin’s beloved Blue Starlight Drive-In. When the managers of Rosewood’s neighborhood Millennium Complex contacted Josh about a theater that had been sitting vacant in the building since 2010, he said yes. “I’ve been playing in this playground of bringing the art of the 50s and 60s drive-in cinema back.” He thought, “What if I could do the same thing with a 90s single-screen neighborhood cinema and show Austin the beauty of that experience?”

The theater itself was a perfect relic. It was shut down in the wake of digital projection’s ascent and had remained largely untouched since. “It was just incredible…this 110-seat theater was just in perfect condition. It was as if it had never closed,” Josh recalls. Up in the projection booth, the perfect 35mm projector sat casting a blank stare at a blank screen.

Josh had an instant vision. This could be a community space, a haven for local film clubs, filmmakers, and fellow curators. So, he partnered with Millennium to get the space up and running with the hard caveat that the signature 90s fold-up seats stay put. After a minor lobby upgrade and some “signature mood lighting,” Eastside Cinema was open to the public. 

It wasn’t until Josh watched his first film in the theater—Godzilla X—that it really struck him what kind of experience he was resurrecting: a special one, a shareable one. No plush recliner or swiveling snack tray separating you from your neighbor or the story itself. “There’s something about the way that single-screen neighborhood cinemas were built that really gives you a whole different wonderful, warm, cinema hug-of-an-experience that you don’t get in modern theaters,” he gushes. 

The Film Bug
Josh tracks his interest in film back to his childhood, where he’d make “Indiana Jones sequels” with his friends on an old VHS camera. After graduating from film school at SUNY Purchase, he chose Austin over Hollywood, attracted to the DIY scene of the 90s. “[It] was full of awesome rock bands, theater companies, and really cool stuff,” Josh recalls. “And that’s really where I developed my skills for doing what I do.”

Since Eastside Cinema opened in December 2023, they’ve had 14 local curators bringing a wide range of programming, from new releases to cult and classic films. Josh hopes more people—and especially film festivals that come through town—will catch wind of the theater and appreciate the singular experience.

“That’s how I’ve always tackled what I do. I think of it as giving people an experience, and the theater is the set piece,” Josh explains. “That’s really what I enjoy about it.” By bringing nostalgia, accessibility, community, and entertainment into one space, he’s set the stage for Eastside Cinema to become Austin’s next local gem.

“Now it’s really just about the community lifting this theater up by using it,” says Josh, “and by continuing to come out and support [local business].”

Want some screen time?
Eastside Cinema invites local filmmakers and film clubs to use the theater for screenings and events. As long as you can fill seats, you can apply. It’s time to rally friends for your next movie night.