Grand Illusion Cinema

A Grander Grand Illusion

In 2023, the building that has been our home for decades was sold by its longtime owner. The new landlord declined to renew our lease in February 2025. We knew this day would come and our plan has always been to relocate the cinema. We are deeply grateful for our home of the past 50+ years, but the time has come for us to build an even grander Grand Illusion! Give Big to help us recreate the magic of the Grand Illusion in a new location.

Mission

Our organization exists to maintain the historic Grand Illusion Cinema in order to provide a venue for the exhibition of a wide range of foreign, independent and repertory motion pictures. These films are shown in an effort to educate and entertain the public and promote a sense of community between filmmakers and film-goers. The Grand Illusion Cinema works to strengthen the film arts by exhibiting the work of emerging filmmakers and also provides production support.

Description

The Grand Illusion Cinema is the longest-running independent cinema in Seattle and has become a landmark of the film community. Opened in 1970 by Randy Findley in a converted dentist's office, the cinema became the city's first arthouse, showcasing foreign and revival films. The cinema was such a success it led to Randy's opening the Seven Gables Cinema and eventually starting the local Seven Gables Theatres chain, which inevitably got swallowed by the national Landmark Cinema Corporation. The Grand Illusion was never part of the Seven Gables chain and remained a popular independent venue throughout the 80s & 90s.

In the late 90s, the fledging Northwest Film Forum (then known as Wiggly World), took over the Grand Illusion from Paul Doyle. By 2003, Northwest Film Forum had secured a new home on Capitol Hill and in 2004 a group of former staff, volunteers and patrons formed a non-profit and took over operations of the cinema.

Today, the cinema is operated entirely by volunteers and continues to serve the community with screenings of all types of films and related events.