Cinespia is rolling back into Hollywood Forever Cemetery for Memorial Day weekend, kicking off its 25th season with a three-film run that leans hard into cult-favorite comfort viewing. The series opens Saturday with a screening of E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, followed by Moulin Rouge! on Sunday and a Mulholland Drive tribute the following Saturday, with more classic nights lined up into June.
Lineup and tickets
This season’s first stretch pairs early-2000s nostalgia with head-trip classics. Opening night features E.T., Sunday brings out Moulin Rouge!, and the following Saturday salutes Mulholland Drive. From there, the schedule moves into June with Fast Times at Ridgemont High, The Matrix, and a Pride-month screening of Hedwig and the Angry Inch. According to Cinespia, gates open around 6:45 p.m. for the May weekend screenings, with films starting between about 8:30 and 9 p.m. Tickets and the full slate of showtimes are listed on the organizer’s site.
What to expect
The cemetery screenings are a hybrid affair: part concert, part late-night picnic, part outdoor movie night that just happens to unfold among famous headstones. Attendees can expect DJ sets, themed photo booths, a beer-and-wine bar, and concessions that nod to each film’s universe. Time Out notes that a special See's Candies anniversary box will be sold on-site, and NBC Los Angeles reports that opening night for E.T. will lean into the film’s lore with Reese's Pieces-style treats.
From a backyard ritual to a city staple
Cinespia started in 2002 as what was supposed to be a single film club gathering on the Fairbanks Lawn. That one-off screening quietly grew into a signature Los Angeles summer ritual, drawing thousands to Hollywood Forever and other landmark venues across the city. The series’ evolution, along with founder John Wyatt’s programming philosophy, is charted in the Los Angeles Times, which follows how a small, intimate idea turned into a quarter-century institution.
Practical tips
Tickets are available through Cinespia, with general admission around $30 and parking typically ranging from $24 to $36, according to Time Out. Plan to arrive early to grab a good spot on the Fairbanks Lawn, bring a blanket for when the temperature drops, and sort out your ride-share pickup in advance, since getting out after the credits can be slow.
