In a vibrant display of community spirit, Camilla Meoli and her neighbors rallied together at the Tiburon’s Cinelounge movie theater and community center, bringing in donations for a silent auction on April 29.
The event, supported by local eatery Malibu Farm, promises a festive evening complete with oysters, fresh food, signature cocktails, and drinks under the full moon.
This fundraiser is part of an initiative to keep one of Marin County’s few independent movie houses from facing closure.
Within the last two weeks, the Meolis launched a GoFundMe campaign to support their newly established nonprofit, the Belvedere Tiburon Film Society, which manages Cinelounge.
They have successfully raised $138,000 towards their $476,000 goal aimed at settling debts and securing the theater’s future.
Christian Meoli expressed his gratitude for the overwhelming support they have received from the community, stating, “About 10 days ago, we really were not sure if we were going to be able to keep the place open.
I have to say that my heart is so wide open and so grateful for the response that has come in – one, from this community, the residents of the Belvedere-Tiburon peninsula, and also the community that we’ve connected with online.”
Cinelounge offers a distinctive atmosphere, resembling a cozy collection of living rooms rather than a conventional movie theater.
With a colorful lobby featuring an orange theme reminiscent of playful films, the theater includes two viewing rooms with plush reclining chairs and sofas, all designed to create a welcoming environment.
Additionally, a spacious room with a performance stage further enhances the venue’s versatility.
Local entrepreneur Uri Savid, who was one of the first supporters of the fundraising campaign, shared his initial thoughts about the theater, stating, “We discovered Cinelounge one day and said, my God, what an amazing thing.
I wonder what this is going to be?”
As Christian Meoli elaborated on his vision for storytelling through film, Savid became increasingly enchanted, remarking, “We don’t have a lot of cultural centers in the middle of Tiburon.
And this could be a unique one that’s about storytelling through cinema.
You could look at historical films and unusual films and artistic films as well as current films.
So I just fell in love with that vision and started to apply myself to: How do we make that sustainable?”
Retired investment banker Brian Swift also felt compelled to contribute, recognizing the importance of the theater for both Belvedere and Tiburon.
He mentioned that the theater plays a crucial role in attracting customers to local restaurants, stating, “It’s important to the landlord to keep this business because it draws people to their other clients, the restaurants in particular, which are very dependent on this flow of customers.”
Discussing the theater’s vital role, Swift added, “It’s important to have a theater not close down.
And our approach has been to convert the theater from a for-profit business into a nonprofit business and support the things that Christian wants to be doing.”
Future plans for Cinelounge include re-establishing the Tiburon Film Festival, launching a children’s film festival, collaborating with San Francisco film organizations, and fostering connections between youth and local filmmakers.
Christian Meoli emphasized, “The only way that neighborhood theaters can survive now is with the nonprofit model.
But, you know what, we are ultimately in the bringing-people-together business.
If you’re doing something communally, it becomes a place for the community.”
image source from：https://www.marinij.com/2025/04/27/struggling-tiburon-movie-theater-gets-help-from-neighbors/
