The Frida Cinema is a

non-profit A nonprofit organization (NPO) or non-profit organisation, also known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution, is a legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public or social benefit, in co ...

arthouse movie theater in

Santa Ana, California Santa Ana () is the second most populous city and the county seat of Orange County, California. Located in the Greater Los Angeles region of Southern California, the city's population was 310,227 at the 2020 census, making Santa Ana the List of ...

. The theater, named after Mexican painter

Frida Kahlo Magdalena Carmen Frida Kahlo y Calderón (; 6 July 1907 – 13 July 1954) was a Mexican painter known for her many portraits, self-portraits, and works inspired by the nature and artifacts of Mexico. Inspired by the country's popular culture, ...

, is located in the 4th Street Market shopping district of the East End neighborhood in Downtown Santa Ana. The Frida has two screens and is the only non-profit theater in

Orange County, California Orange County is located in the Los Angeles metropolitan area in Southern California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 3,186,989, making it the third-most-populous county in California, the sixth-most-populous in the United States, a ...

. The theater screens vintage blockbusters,

cult classics A cult film or cult movie, also commonly referred to as a cult classic, is a film that has acquired a cult following. Cult films are known for their dedicated, passionate fanbase which forms an elaborate subculture, members of which engage in ...

, and

independent film An independent film, independent movie, indie film, or indie movie is a feature film or short film that is produced outside the major film studio system, in addition to being produced and distributed by independent entertainment companies (or, i ...

History

From 1985 until the end of 2013, the Fiesta Twin Theatre was operated as a mainstream theater screening blockbusters with Spanish-language subtitles. In February 2013, the facility was leased by Logan Crow, a cinema proprietor with previous arthouse operations in

Long Beach Long Beach is a city in Los Angeles County, California. It is the 42nd-most populous city in the United States, with a population of 466,742 as of 2020. A charter city, Long Beach is the seventh-most populous city in California. Incorporate ...

. The Fiesta Twin Theatre remained in operation for a year under Crow's lease until it was reopened as the Frida Cinema on February 21, 2014. It opened with the 2014 edition of the

South East European Film Festival The South East European Film Festival, also known as SEEfest, is an annual (non-profit) film festival held during the first week of May in various venues throughout Los Angeles, California. The festival presents feature films, documentaries and sh ...

. The first public screening at the Frida was a showing of ''Tango Abrazos'', a Slovenian

romantic comedy Romantic comedy (also known as romcom or rom-com) is a subgenre of comedy and slice of life fiction, focusing on lighthearted, humorous plot lines centered on romantic ideas, such as how true love is able to surmount most obstacles. In a typica ...

. In 2020, the Frida was closed indefinitely in response to the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...

. During the pandemic, the theater organization operated a drive-in theater in

Tustin Tustin is a city located in Orange County, California, in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. In 2020, Tustin had a population of 80,276. The city is located next to the county seat, Santa Ana, California, Santa Ana, and does not include the un ...

. In April 2021, the theater re-opened with tentative facemask and capacity restrictions. In January 2022, the Frida postponed its events amidst the spread of the Omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus. On February 21, 2023, the Frida Cinema celebrated its ninth anniversary with a screening of the 1998 Coen brothers comedy '' The Big Lebowski'' and an associated themed party. Moviegoers wore costumes of characters from the film and were served White Russian cocktails, a drink popularized by the movie. On March 17, 2023, the Frida hosted a ''

Jesus Christ Superstar ''Jesus Christ Superstar'' is a sung-through rock opera with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Tim Rice. Loosely based on the Gospels' accounts of the Passion, the work interprets the psychology of Jesus and other characters, with ...

'' screening and cast reunion for the film's 50th anniversary.

References

{{Santa Ana, California 2014 establishments in California Buildings and structures in Santa Ana, California Cinemas and movie theaters in Orange County, California Theatres completed in 1985 Culture of Santa Ana, California Tourist attractions in Orange County, California