Maplewood Students Put Local Movie Theater In The Spotlight With New Film

Middle school filmmakers premiered a documentary exploring the Maplewood Theater and its anticipated return.

By Dani Sepe, Patch Staff

Sep 29, 2026 12:29 PM EDT

From left: Angela Matusik, Mayor Vic De Luca, Roman Boghosian, Christopher Cassidy, Ezra Attar, Oliver Choy, Jacob Cohan, Lydia Kielich, Phoebe Gongloff, Maeve Cope, Izzy Barmas, Deputy Mayor Malia Herman and Amir Rahim at the Sept. 23 film premiere. (Chad Hunt)

MAPLEWOOD, NJ — A group of young filmmakers put the Maplewood Theater on the big screen last week, telling the story of the local cinema and its anticipated return.

Middle school students from South Mountain Film Academy premiered their 15-minute documentary, "The Maplewood Theater: The Show Must Go On," on Wednesday, Sept. 23, at the Maplewood Memorial Library.

Created by students in the academy's Winter 2026 Documentary class, the film traces the Maplewood Theater's nearly 100-year history, including its pandemic-related closure and the community efforts that helped secure its revival.

The premiere drew a standing-room-only crowd, according to a press release provided to Patch by South Mountain Film Academy.

Left to right - Angela Matusik, co-founder of the Maplewood Film Society; Mayor Vic De Luca; student filmmaker Roman Boghosian; Christopher Cassidy, founder of the South Mountain Film Academy; student filmmakers Ezra Attar, Oliver Choy, Jacob Cohan, Lydia Kielich, Phoebe Gongloff, Maeve Cope, Izzy Barmas; Deputy Mayor Malia Herman and Amir Rahim, Director of the South Mountain Film Academy at "The Maplewood Theater: The Show Must Go On" movie premiere at the Maplewood Memorial Library on Wednesday, Sept. 23.

Students also took part in a panel discussion and Q&A about their research and production work.

During the Q&A, Mayor Vic De Luca and the Maplewood Film Society said renovations at the theater are continuing and shared their hope that it will reopen for its 100th anniversary in 2027, according to the release.

The documentary is available to watch online on YouTube.

Have a correction or news tip? Email dani.sepe@patch.com.