The new first-run movie series at Glazer Hall reflects co-founders Jill and Avie Glazer’s goal of bringing a full-scale film program back to the island.
The waterfront cultural arts center, which opened in January after a lengthy restoration, launched its Summer Cinema Series in late May, marking the start of its new first-run film programming.
“This has always been a commitment of ours,” Jill Glazer told the Daily News. “That’s why we put the infrastructure in for film. We knew there was no place locally to see a (first-run) film, and that was something we were always excited about.”
With the 2023 closure of the movie theater CityPlace — then known as The Square — in downtown West Palm Beach, residents on the island had to travel to Boca Raton or Palm Beach Gardens to see new releases, Jill Glazer said. She said adding first-run films at Glazer Hall was aimed at bringing movies back closer to home.
“There is no convenient place for anybody in Palm Beach to see a movie anymore,” she said. “It was very important us to make it convenient, and to return the history of film to Palm Beach.”
Palm Beach’s moviegoing history dates to 1927, when the Paramount Theatre opened on the near North End and served as the island’s primary first-run venue until it closed in 1980.
As previously reported by the Palm Beach Daily News, the Summer Cinema Series launched May 22 with screenings of “The Devil Wears Prada 2″ over two weekends.
The upcoming lineup blends new releases, blockbusters, anniversary screenings and family films.
The first-run schedule includes “Disclosure Day,” a UFO thriller directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Emily Blunt, Josh O’Connor and Colin Firth. Showings will be at 7 p.m. June 12, 13, 19, 20 and 21; 3:30 p.m. June 13, 20 and 21; and 4 p.m. June 14. Tickets are priced at $25.
Other upcoming first-run films include “Minions & Monsters” in July and, later in the summer, “The Odyssey.”
“Minions & Monsters,” an animated film, features voice performances by Allison Janney, Christoph Waltz, Jeff Bridges and Jesse Eisenberg. Showings will be at 6:30 p.m. July 3, 5, 10, 11 and 12; and 4 p.m. July 5, 11 and 12. Tickets are $25.
The Glazers said programming is guided by both audience interest and logistics, with Executive Director Allison Stockel playing a key role in establishing relationships with film distributors based on her prior industry experience.
Films must fit within a structured schedule of weekend and weekday screenings, along with other events at the venue. Still, they said the goal is to bring in recognizable, highly anticipated titles that appeal to a broad local audience.
“You try to get the most significant movies of the summer,” Avie Glazer said, noting that upcoming titles include “Disclosure Day,” directed by Steven Spielberg, and “Spider-Man: Brand New Day,” which he said is expected to appeal to younger audiences. Screening dates have not yet been announced.
Early response has been strong, with more than 1,100 tickets sold for opening screenings of “The Devil Wears Prada 2” and consistent turnout across showings, Jill Glazer said.
The Glazers said the response has shown strong demand for a local moviegoing experience that also doubles as a social outing.
“People are just very excited by this,” Jill Glazer said. “There are families, multi-generations. There was one (group) I met with three people — a grandmother, a daughter and a granddaughter.”
Doors open 30 minutes before showings, with most screenings scheduled for 3:30 or 4 p.m. and 6:30 or 7 p.m. Reserved seating is available, and guests can also pair screenings with dining at nearby restaurants in The Royal Poinciana Plaza.
In addition to the Summer Cinema Series, Glazer Hall also will continue its Andrew Henley Sullivan Family Film Series, supported by the Collis Foundation, with sensory-friendly morning screenings and traditional early afternoon showings of “Mary Poppins” on June 14 and “Zootopia” on Aug. 30.
Tickets and the full summer schedule are available at GlazerHall.org and across the venue’s social media channels.
In addition to Glazer Hall’s offerings, Palm Beach residents also have access to film programming through the Society of the Four Arts’ Friday Film Series, which features a mix of second-run releases, documentaries and specialty selections each season. Information on that series is available by visiting FourArts.org.
Jodie Wagner is a journalist at the Palm Beach Daily News, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach her at jwagner@pbdailynews.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: At Glazer Hall in Palm Beach, movies were always part of the plan
Reporting by Jodie Wagner, Palm Beach Daily News / Palm Beach Post
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Jodie Wagner, Palm Beach Daily News | USA TODAY Network
