Photo taken by Bruno Furnari

As we mentioned in a previous post (Reason #26), there’s a rich movie culture in the North Bay. In addition to the numerous film festivals, movies-in-the-park events, and movie-making businesses, Marin County alone is home to two independent, non-profit art house theaters: the Smith Rafael Film Center and the Lark Theater. 

A historic landmark of downtown San Rafael, the painstakingly-restored art deco Smith Rafael Film Center is owned and operated by the California Film Institute (CFI), whose mission is “to celebrate and promote film as art and education.” (The Mill Valley Film Festival is also a program of the CFI.) To satisfy us die-hard movie buffs, the Rafael offers a line-up that goes beyond the art house standards of foreign and independent films, and also includes documentaries, classics, and retrospectives, not to mention unique events that allow us a special audience with filmmakers from around the world. (Check out the latest in their ongoing series Films of My Life.)
Photo taken by Eddie Dickey

The Lark Theater, also a historic art deco landmark, has done a tremendous job, on a non-profit budget, of providing us with an amazing array of film experiences and really has become a community cultural center. Located in the heart of downtown Larkspur, the Lark offers such innovative programs as: Live at the Met (Opera from the Met in HD), National Theatre London (London’s most acclaimed theater via satellite feed), Sunday Salon (“Brunch, Movie and a Chat”), Family Films, a Youth Film Festival, CinéMama (special screenings of current films for moms, dads, and other caregivers with newborns/infants in tow), and Sports on Screen.

Few communities are willing and able to support this caliber of programming. The North Bay is fortunate to have such a thriving movie scene, one with options for all styles, tastes and ages – from the large multi-plex showing the latest blockbuster to the smaller art houses showing lesser-known gems.

Follow along as the full list unfolds – 100 Reasons Why We Love Where We Live

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Posted by:  Frank Howard Allen Realtors