A historic single-screen theater in Westwood will reopen as soon as October after a more than two-year wait.
The Bruin Theater closed alongside the Westwood Village Theater – now known as the Directors Village – in July 2024 after both buildings’ leases expired. Rui Pereira, a Toronto-based exhibitor, signed a lease with the Bruin Theater in mid-July to revive it, according to Los Angeles Theatres.
“There’s many beautiful and amazing movie theaters in Los Angeles, but for me, that’s the epicenter between the Village and the Bruin,” Pereira said. “It’s not one theater, not the other. It’s the whole space.”
Nonprofit American Cinematheque opened the Directors Village in July to screen ‘The Odyssey’ before it underwent a $25 million renovation project. A collective of filmmakers – including Jason Reitman, Steven Spielberg, Christopher Nolan and Guillermo del Toro – bought the theater.
The two theaters operated under joint ownership for more than 80 years. The Bruin Theater’s reopening will mark the first time it operates independent of the Directors Village, said Bill Counter, a movie theater historian who runs Los Angeles Theatres.
“It’s (The Bruin Theater has) always been the stepchild,” Counter said. “This is the first time it’ll have a chance to go out with separate bookers, new bookers and maybe find a more opportune pick of films for the place.”
[Related: UCLA students react to Westwood Village Theater reopening in 2027]
Pereira said he is partnering with other exhibitors – including Ben Steinberg, a filmmaker and actor who worked to reopen the Cinerama Dome in Hollywood and Peter Kunellis, a cinema technician – to prepare the Bruin Theater for its opening. The project involves a small team, Pereira said.
Westwood attracted more foot traffic when both the Bruin Theater and the Westwood Village Theater were operational, said Counter, who is also working with Pereira.
“It was festive, with hundreds of people, if not thousands, coming out after a show and wandering around, patronizing local businesses,” Counter said. “It’ll be good to have that back again.”
The theater will show movies in 35- and 70-millimeter film, Pereira said. He added that his team will preserve existing seating inside instead of installing reclining chairs or luxury seating.
The theater and other Westwood businesses can use the marquee to promote events in the future, Counter said.
Many people have already proposed screenings and collaborations at the theater, Pereira added.
Michael Russell, executive director of the Westwood Village Improvement Association said he hopes the operation of both theaters encourages people to spend time in Broxton Plaza and explore new businesses in Westwood.
The association will work with the theater to promote events and bring people into Westwood, he added.
“It’s different, and it’ll offer a new type of experience to a place, but a special experience nonetheless,” Russell said.
Pereira said he encourages students to experience the Bruin Theater for themselves once it opens. He added that he wants to promote the theater to students through special events and discounts.
“It is here to serve the community,” Counter said. “That’s what it’s been doing since 1937.”
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