The Big Picture
The AFS Cinema is opening its long-awaited third screen, the John H. McCall Theater, to the public on Oct. 24, expanding the society's capacity to run more titles and keep films playing longer. The new 169-seat theater features 4K digital laser projection and 7.1 surround sound, and AFS says the extra screen will let it better balance repertory programming and rentals.
If you have ever been irritated by a movie being yanked because another booking showed up, this is the technical fix for that pain. The theater’s name honors donor John H. McCall; a new donation from his widow, Amy McCall, helped make the project possible.
What Changed
AFS moves from a two-screen operation to a three-screen one with a formally announced opening date for the McCall Theater. That added room means programming can expand: AFS can add more titles and allow existing runs to stick around without displacing repertory or rental screenings. Richard Linklater called it "another step" in the theater’s decades-long mission to support filmmakers and audiences.
This is a structural change to how the society schedules films rather than a one-off event; the extra screen directly addresses the limits Holly Herrick described when AFS had only two screens.
What's Next
Public screenings at the John H. McCall Theater begin Oct. 24 with 4K restorations including The Color of Money, Sofia Coppola's Marie Antoinette, and Douglas Keeve’s Unzipped. Donors receive an invite-only sneak peek on Oct. 23. On Oct. 27 AFS will host a red-carpet early screening of James Gray's Paper Tiger, with Gray appearing for a conversation with AFS co-founder Richard Linklater prior to the film’s Nov. 13 release by Neon.
The Chronicle piece does not list daily hours, ticket prices, or the theatre’s street address; check AFS Cinema's official channels for booking details and showtimes.
Go see the new screen if you like films that stick around long enough to matter.