The ByTowne Cinema is a historic, independent movie theater, the 650 seat cinema is located at 325 Rideau Street, Ottawa, Ontario.Established in 1947 as the Nelson Theatre, it has become a cornerstone of Ottawa’s cultural landscape, renowned for showcasing a diverse selection of films, including independent, foreign, and documentary features.
History:
1947:Opened as the Nelson Theatre.
1988:Reopened as the ByTowne Cinema by Bruce White and Jean Cloutier, aligning with Ottawa’s original name, Bytown.
2020:Announced closure due to challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic.
2021:Acquired by new owners Daniel Demois and Andy Willick, and reopened, continuing its tradition of diverse film programming.
Features:
Film Selection:Offers a curated mix of cult classics, independent, foreign, and documentary films.
Membership Program:For an annual fee of $14.82, members receive benefits such as discounted tickets, exclusive events, and a complimentary birthday movie.
Venue Rental:Available for private events and screenings.
I love coming here. Great curation of movies, the theater is a beautiful old comfortable space, and I love that you can get tea at the snack bar. They're always also efficient at the snack bar, and I like that I can add tickets to my phone.
This is an awesome theatre with a great selection of indie, foreign & classic films. The annual membership is 100% worth it. Some of the staff are still wearing masks though...the post-COVID paranoia seems like an overkill.
Love the vibe of Bytowne. The staff were hardworking and kind. Their sound system was not laugh enough for us to hear the movie at the interactive New Moon showing, subtitles would be great for those kinds of shows. Turning off concession lighting would be good as well once the show got started as the lights blinded the back right rows. Still a great time, the loot bags were a fun touch!
