When operation of San Francisco’s Castro Theatre transferred to the live music promotion company Another Planet Entertainment in 2022, film fans who’d called the theater home were outraged. Why would anyone transform one of the Bay Area’s last remaining movie palaces, they asked, into yet another concert venue?

Another Planet quickly promised that the Castro would still host film, and a long saga ensued over renovation plans involving multi-level tiers, telescoping platforms and removable seating. Meanwhile, some smaller film festival organizers reported, and Another Planet confirmed, that the cost to rent the Castro for a film festival had increased .

While it remains to be seen if the larger film community will fully embrace the Castro after its $20-million-over-budget renovation

See Full Page