Historic Downtown Atlanta Cinema Launches Rialto Film Series Oct. 8

In celebration of its milestone 30th season, the Rialto Center for the Arts at Georgia State University today announced the return of one of its earliest traditions: the movies.

With the Rialto Film Series, the historic downtown venue—a cinema and downtown destination since 1916—will present popular and classic films, further delivering on the venue’s 2023 investment in a new digital projector, screen and sound system.

The Film Series announcement follows completion of a $290,000 remodel to the venue’s lobby and mezzanine as well as planned stage, sound and facility upgrades installed during July and August.

Rialto Film Series opens with the Mel Brooks classic comedy “Young Frankenstein” on Oct. 8 at 7:30 p.m. The Film Series lineup also includes:

• "Friday Night Lights" Nov. 19 at 7:30 p.m.
• "Elf" Dec. 8 at 7 p.m.
• “School of Rock” Jan. 13 at 7:30 p.m.
• “Mission Impossible” Jan. 14 at 7:30 p.m.
• “Selena” Feb. 18 at 7:30 p.m.
• “Darby O’Gill and the Little People” March 17 at 1 p.m.
• “The Luck of the Irish” March 17 at 7:30 p.m.
• “Fools Rush In” April 1 at 7:30 p.m.
• “Austin Powers” April 27 at 7:30 p.m.

Additional films may be scheduled and announced throughout the season. All tickets, available in the Tickets section of Rialto.GSU.edu, are general admission at $7, with free validated parking available for Film Series events at the 100 Peachtree Parking Garage, 123 Fairlie St. NW. Guests should bring their parking ticket to the Rialto lobby for validation.

“With the Rialto Film Series, we’re offering the GSU campus and the greater Atlanta community an affordable new way to experience the Rialto,” said Executive Director Amy Reid.“The series is a fitting addition to the 30th anniversary celebration.”

Decades before the Rialto became the performing arts center audiences know today, the venue began its life as a movie house that opened in 1916 and has remained part of Downtown Atlanta’s cultural landscape for more than a century.

Originally opened as the Piedmont Theatre in April 1916, in December of that year venue’s name changed to Rialto—Italian for an exchange or marketplace—a year before the South’s premiere of the original (1917) “Cleopatra.” Among the first films of the theatre’s opening week were “The Hunted Woman” starring Virginia Pearson and “The Havoc” featuring Atlanta-born star Gladys Hanson Snook

In 2023, the Rialto took a major step toward reconnecting with that history by installing a new 4K digital cinema projector and a 35-foot-wide screen. The upgrades expanded the venue’s ability to present film screenings, premieres, and other cinematic experiences alongside its established live performance programming. The venue has since hosted numerous film premieres, Atlanta Film Festival events and Georgia State student film programming.

Now, the Rialto Film Series makes movies a regular part of the audience experience. For tickets and Rialto Film Series information, visit Rialto.GSU.edu.

The Rialto Center for the Arts at Georgia State University is the cultural centerpiece of downtown, located in the heart of Atlanta’s historic Fairlie-Poplar district. Thanks to Georgia State University acquiring and refurbishing the building in 1993, and revitalizing the district, the Rialto has stood at the corner of Forsyth and Luckie Streets for over 100 years. Today, the intimate, 833-seat performing arts venue is home to the Rialto Series, featuring the best of Indigenous and international jazz, world music and contemporary dance, as well as Georgia State’s School of Music performances. In spring 2023, the venue marked a return to its cinema roots with the installation of a new state-of-the-art screen and digital projector.

The Rialto is the go-to venue in downtown Atlanta for other arts organizations’ performances, visiting production companies and independent film screenings. In addition to the highly acclaimed Rialto Series, the Rialto is committed to serving the community through its extensive education and outreach programs, furthering its mission to be a place where all can find entertainment, education and community connections through meaningful experiences. The Rialto earned its reputation as Atlanta’s seat for the arts through its one-of-a-kind international programming, bringing together diverse communities and creating conversations about culture, art and history. In 2022, the Rialto Center was nominated for a Southeast Emmy® for a long-form online performance broadcast. Visit Rialto.GSU.edu to learn more.