Austin’s AFS Cinema is turning a former event space into a third theater, with construction already underway and an opening planned for this fall. The 179-seat addition is aimed at solving a very cinephile problem: too many films, not enough screens.
The Austin Film Society, founded by filmmaker Richard Linklater in 1985, added its second screen in 2017. Construction on the latest expansion began early this year, and Holly Herrick, AFS’ head of film and creative media, told Community Impact that the work will not interrupt regular programming.
AFS is asking the community to help finish the project with a $250,000 fundraising campaign. The Austin Film Society says the cinema sells more than 84,000 tickets annually, and donations range from $30 to $10,000, with perks including memberships, donor-wall recognition and invitations to a future opening party.
The New AFS Theater Will Bring More Seats And Better Sound
The new room is expected to feature upgraded seating, 4K digital laser projection and 7.1 surround sound. According to The Austin Chronicle, the design will use several rows of bleacher-style seating, while the theater’s configuration will not support 35mm or 70mm film presentations.
For Austin moviegoers, the practical payoff should be more reliable showtimes and longer runs for independent, international and repertory films. AFS currently balances regular screenings with festivals, filmmaker conversations, classes, workshops and rentals, and Community Impact reports that the added screen is intended to expand those opportunities without turning the venue into a standard corporate multiplex.
Austin’s Community Cinema Is Making Room To Grow
The expansion also gives AFS more room to host filmmakers and festival partners while keeping its focus on classic, foreign and locally relevant cinema. The organization describes the project as more than an extra auditorium, and the Austin Film Society is pitching the new theater as an investment in Austin’s broader film culture.
