Western Romania: Studio Cinema to reopen in Timișoara next month

Timișoara's Studio Cinema (Cinema Studio) is scheduled to reopen next month after undergoing refurbishment works of close to RON 25 million (approximately EUR 5 million), the local authorities announced.

The cinema, set to reopen to the public on December 6, is the third in the city to be rehabilitated and reopened in recent years, after Victoria Cinema, which reopened in 2022, and Timiș Cinema in 2023.

Studio is meant to become the city's main cinema for art and heritage films, but also a hub for the development of the audiovisual sector.

The cinema was built in 1938 by a private investor and was initially called Scala. After being nationalized in 1948, the venue carried various other names until it became Studio Cinema in 1996. While it was administered by the state-owned film distribution company RADEF Romania Film, it screened both commercial and art films. Due to the lack of investments, it became dilapidated and eventually closed down in 2011. In 2018, the City Hall of Timișoara took it over to refurbish and reopen it for the public.

"Cinema Studio is the third cinema that we are returning to the people of Timisoara. It was the most anticipated, but also the most ambitious and complex renovation process, based on the vision of the local cultural partners and carried out by the Municipality of Timisoara. I am sure that the spectacular result will please moviegoers. In just two weeks, this modern and elegant space will come to life again, just like the other reopened cinemas, and will contribute to the vibrant cultural offer, but also to the development and professionalization of the audiovisual sector in our city," Dominic Fritz, the mayor of Timișoara, said.

Following the extensive renovation, the original Art-Deco facade of the cinema was preserved and restored, while the inside of the cinema was completely redesigned, rebuilt, and fitted with modern technical equipment.

The total value of the rehabilitation and endowment stands at RON 24,832,818 (VAT included), of which RON 19,382,500 (VAT included) were allotted by the Ministry of Culture, within the investment program for Timișoara 2023 - European Capital of Culture.

The renovated building includes a main hall for film screenings, with a capacity of 184 seats; a secondary hall for film screenings, workshops, and other events, with a capacity of 66 seats; an audiovisual hub with a co-working space on the seconded floor; a roof terrace, where a café will operate during the summer and open-air screenings and other cultural events will take place; and a reception and café area.

The cinema will be inaugurated with a preview of the latest film by Timișoara director Andrei Ujică –