A Century of Cinema

As we close out BMFI’s Century of Cinema, we are pleased to share 2026 highlights and some future plans through the lens of two classic films, 1954’s Hitchcock masterpiece Rear Window and 1933’s MGM drama Looking Forward.

Reflecting in the 2026 “rear window,” there were no murders or broken legs (as of yet), but plenty of drama, intrigue and excitement. Our historic Seville Theatre experienced so many highs while “weathering multiple floods.” We loved celebrating a century of cinema by showcasing period-specific screenings each month. 

Peering through the binoculars out the “rear window,” we saw 140,000 patrons walk with anticipation through our historic atrium for new releases such as The Odyssey and The Sheep Detectives, to classics like Casablanca and Faces. 

While many of our accomplishments for 2026 were planned, the flood damage was a rough surprise 90 days before our 100th birthday.  But like the resilient character in 1933’s Looking Forward, we continued uninterrupted movies as tremendous partners descended upon our historic building, attacking flood damage, restoring floors and brass, applying fresh paint, renovating the Community Room and Seville Gallery, installing new carpet, repairing cement and brick work on the façade, installing a walkway in the rear, shoring up our roof and HVAC systems while installing a basement French drain designed to fortify our building. 

The theater building’s huge refresh in 2026 was a well-deserved pampering for its 100th birthday and we made it happen in record time. These unplanned expenses diverted attention and resources that we must now restore.

From Facebook meetup groups, Be Reel Micheaux Cinema and Viva Video loyalists to the Mawrters of Bryn Mawr College, the stitchers and the Main Line Music Appreciation Society, our community convened through cinema in 2026.

We hosted member receptions to celebrate our longest tenured supporters while welcoming many new members. We invited the community to a free Open House featuring tours of the theater and a Centennial Soiree fundraiser.

BMFI leaned into the art of analog as a presentation format.  We were among just 50 theaters across the world chosen to present our inaugural 70mm first run film, The Odyssey. Audiences loved it, and we are on target to do more than 100 screenings in 2026 using our historic Century JJ projectors. We learned that we have an excited group of patrons (long time and new to BMFI) that are excited for us to present even more movies this way.

We spied members welcoming newcomers to our theater and making solo patrons feel comfortable here. Groups choose BMFI for their fundraising events. We featured local a cappella groups like Haverford School’s Notables and the Agnes Irwin Bel Cantos, local restaurants like Pinwheel Provisions and Love and Honey Chicken. BMFI hosted meetings for local groups like the Bryn Mawr Business Association and the Bryn Mawr Hospital Advisory Board while providing support to other nonprofits’ fundraising efforts. BMFI got on the road giving lectures at area senior living communities, tabling at local events, and speaking at local Chambers of Commerce and Rotary Clubs.

Through it all, we have focused on our core principles: convening community through amazing films, providing film education for all ages, and celebrating our local community and beyond. We kept accessibility front and center, including installing a new state-of-the-art hearing assist program thanks to the generosity of one of our longtime members.

All spruced up, we are ready to storm into 2027, with freshly repaired neon blazing from our marquee. Looking Forward, there will be our old standbys and some surprises too:

• A lot more analog screenings (35mm and 70mm) presented by our two projectionists.
• An outdoor movie series on the lawn behind the theater.
• More member receptions, gatherings, and special events.
• Enhanced rentals program to help fund our mission.
• Continued excellence in curated film selections.
• Welcomed support and counsel from BMFI’s accomplished board.
• Continued hard work and commitment from BMFI staff to create magical moments for you.

BMFI is a nonprofit organization that relies on donations to deliver outstanding cinema experiences 365 days a year at affordable prices to over 140,000 movie goers each year. Ticket and concession sales provide just 40% of our budget. Your generosity fills the gap. We manage these gifts with an unwavering commitment to fiscal oversight and are proud to carry a four-star rating from Charity Navigator.

From all of us here to all of you, THANK YOU for a glorious centennial year! Please join us for 2027. See movies on the big screen, attend an event, tell your friends about BMFI, get involved, and, of course, please support BMFI’s annual appeal. You’ll be glad you did as your gift enables breathtaking memories for so many. 

We do it all for you!

Scott Fisher
Executive Director