Bantam’s Cinema IV has been a cultural destination for many of us for decades. It is the oldest continuously operated Connecticut movie theater and one of the few that showed independent “art house films” in our state. The Bantam Historical Society, of which Jani is a member, decided to add a banner commemorating Cinema IV at the Bantam River Park. Of the 4 banners of Bantam landmarks, the Bantam Cinema is the only building that is still standing.

We could not locate a pristine photo of the original theater but found a distressed one published years ago in the Hartford Courant. Gary restored that photo and it is the image used for the banner.

Opened in the 1920’s

Originally called The Rivoli, the theater has undergone many changes, both in name and in structure. It currently houses two theaters and no longer has a brick facade. It’s parking lot now wraps around the building. It has had difficulties surviving financially all these years, especially with the growth of multiplexes and the trend of streaming video from home.

The theater closed in 2020, during the pandemic, was purchased by a local group and renamed Bantam Cinema and Arts Center. It reopens in September as a non-profit cinema and arts center.

New Bantam Cinema Banner: Slideshow