Opening in 1950, The Chabot Theater was facing closure in 2019. In spite of roadblocks courtesy of the COVID-19 pandemic, it was revived by Jared Callahan and Alex Largusa, with help from Smalltown Society and First Presbyterian Church of Hayward. Now it’s a Top 5 Finalist in SF Gate’s Best of the Bay Area Awards, in the “Best Movie Theater” category.
With one screen, the Chabot focuses on a curated selection of films, playing one popular new release for a few weeks before switching to new content—with classic favorites thrown in. The old theater building has a retro vibe and hosts community events and trivia nights as well as a movie club that meets several times a month for private screenings.
The theater has also hosted several Locals Only short film festivals, and it occasionally screens works by small local filmmakers. One such offering coming up on April 25 and 26 is a screening of “Bears on a Ship,” a homemade horror film with an all-local cast and crew, made by Eduardo Castrillo. Delivering perfectly on the title, the plot follows a group of hapless travelers trying to return home on a dilapidated ship, who unexpectedly confront a deadly threat (bears).
Voting for SF Gate will continue through May 5. The Chabot has a link to voting on their website as well as their schedule of upcoming shows.
Read a previous article by Tri-City Voice on The Chabot here
