Copyright Santa Rosa Press Democrat
Rain fell softly over downtown Healdsburg on Saturday afternoon, the kind of silvery drizzle that seems to belong to a day spent in a movie theater. Beneath a parade of umbrellas, hundreds of guests made their way to the 8,000-square-foot James Redford Campus, home to True West, the North Bay’s new, three-screen cinema and the centerpiece of a budding cultural hub. Inside, the scent of fresh paint mingled with the buttery promise of popcorn. Donors gathered at noon for a jazz brunch, hosted by the True West Film Center, the nonprofit organization that operates the campus. The name honors James Redford, the late documentary filmmaker and son of Robert Redford, who founded the Sundance Film Festival and whose shadow, in the best way, still lingers in any conversation about American independent film. The dream of a modern art house in Healdsburg has been years in the making. A capital campaign, which has reached the $5 million mark and continues through 2025, transformed what was once an idea into a sleek, wood-and-concrete complex that houses not only the theaters but also classrooms, offices and spaces for education and community events. “The cinemas have become a reality thanks to an extraordinary group of people who contributed inspiration, vision, ideas and financial resources because they understand how a vibrant film center elevates a community’s quality of life,” said Kathryn Philip, executive director of True West, in a statement. ‘A cinema-loving, moviegoing community’ After brunch, the doors opened to the public for a block party that blurred the line between a grand opening and a neighborhood gathering. Guests toured the cinemas, sampled concessions, listened to live music in the courtyard and watched a series of short films curated by John Cooper, True West’s artistic director and longtime former head of Sundance. Later in the evening, there were two screenings of Pixar’s “Coco,” first in Spanish, then in English with Spanish subtitles; a gentle nod to the bilingual community that True West hopes to serve. Cooper, whose family roots wind through Sonoma and Sebastopol, has set out to rekindle what he calls a “cinema-loving, moviegoing community.” For him, the purpose is less about novelty than about restoration — bringing back the ritual of gathering in the dark, of experiencing something new at scale. “The passion and the romance of watching cinema in a theater – I want to keep that alive and make that part of what we’re doing,” he told The Press Democrat earlier this month. Curated films, curated food The new venue is intimate — three theaters with 102 seats in total, plus seven wheelchair spaces — but deliberately so. The projection and sound systems are state-of-the-art; the seating is luxurious. And because this is Sonoma County, the wine list is its own small curation. Award-winning sommelier Alexandria Sarovich has assembled a roster drawn entirely from nearby vineyards — Amista, Cartograph, Williams Selyem, Ramey, Senses and others — spanning the Alexander, Dry Creek and Russian River valleys. Nearly 1,000 people attended the grand opening, which kicked off Friday evening with a VIP preview of Guillermo del Toro’s “Frankenstein” and a private reception. True West expects to welcome 45,000 visitors in 2026 and to generate about $2 million in new economic activity for Sonoma County within its first year. Yet, for all the financial forecasts, the mood on opening day was closer to reverie than enterprise. “We believe movies are meant to be experienced together and our goal is to create a welcoming space where everyone can enjoy great films in comfort and style,” said Hillary Kambour, chair of True West Film Center’s board of directors. “This grand opening marks the beginning of a new cultural hub in Healdsburg for North Bay audiences to enjoy cinema 365 days a year.”
