Over 100 years later, the screening room once again faces uncertainty. The current lease for the screening room will lapse August 31, 2025– the space will be stripped of everything that makes it a theater and leased to whoever can afford it. Members of the Oklahoma Film Exchange have a plan to lease the space for at least two years, with the goal to preserve it as a screening room, create an accessible venue for the arts, and develop a community space for all.

If we do not save the Film Row screening room, we risk losing a beloved piece of Oklahoma history and one of the last places left in the country dedicated to the birth of the film industry. Almost ten years ago, OKC demolished another film exchange building on SW 5th St and Robinson, despite protests and efforts to reclaim it. While we modernize and look toward our future as a film-friendly state, we may forget that Oklahoma has fostered a growing film industry not just over the last decade but from an over 100-year-old legacy of our state being a central part of the regional and national distribution of motion pictures. 

We need the OKC community’s help in preserving this vital piece of local history and industry. Regardless of the amount, your contribution will go towards saving the Film Row screening room and creating a space for the whole community. Do not let this place be forgotten. Help us Save Film Row.