St. Petersburg is getting an indie arthouse movie theatre this spring. That is a sentence I have wanted to type for a very long time. I saw the Coming Soon sign while walking my dog downtown, and saw some details from reports in the Tampa Bay Times and St. Pete Rising later that day.

After speaking with the mastermind behind the buzzed about cinema, Mike Hazlett, I can safely exclaim that ‘Burg is being given an excelsior gift.

Arthouse films and cult classics coming to St. Pete

Yes, AMC Sundial does screen some of the best films coming out of Production Companies like A24 and Searchlight Pictures, but there are plenty of form bending, mind altering, perspective shifting films, shorts, and documentaries from across the globe that remain criminally under the radar.

Sure, you could find a way to stream these flicks on your laptop or at home via a FireTVStick or Apple TV, but watching films should be a communal experience. Whether its harmonizing in the revelry of a truly groundbreaking masterpiece, or sharing in the pain of a moving work, art is best experienced with others. It’s also a bit easier to soak in the best horror films coming out when you’re with a dedicated group of cinephiles.

The recent trailer for The Green Knight has me eager to see the adaption on Greenlight Cinema‘s screen.

Showcasing the best independent movies 

Greenlight Cinema may even offer opportunities for fantastic films like Queen & Slim and Waves (which was partly filmed in Florida) more time and space to be screened in the region.

Greenlight Cinema, a 100-seat indie theatre opening at 221 2nd Avenue North this April, isn’t just for new works, either. Hazlett plans to screen cult classics and curate his programming around what local cinephiles want to see.

Here’s the purpose of the article: I want to know what local residents want to see screened at Greenlight Cinemas.

I have my list:

Harold & Maude

Come and See 

Slacker 

Rashomon

Stalker

Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me

Ed Wood

Suspiria

I Lost My Body 

Romy & Michele’s High School Reunion 

Persepolis 

In The Mood for Love 

Leaving Las Vegas

House of Flying Daggers

What films do you want to see at Greenlight

I could keep going, but you get the point. Let us know what films, old or upcoming, you’d like to see at this arthouse theatre in the comments! Keep up with Greenlight Cinema by following the theatre on Instagram and its website for updates.

In the mood for more culture?

The Florida Orchestra is partnering with a St. Pete-based astronaut for a special live interstellar performance.

The Museum of Fine Arts also just launched a brand new immersive exhibit that takes visitors behind the scenes of silent films, iconic stage productions, orchestral performances and more.

The city of Tampa is also getting a new micro cinema, as part of the historic Tampa Theatre.