ByTowne Cinema

About ByTowne Cinema

The ByTowne Cinema is a 650-seat single-screen repertory movie theatre located at 325 Rideau Street, at the corner of Nelson Street. It is one of Ottawa's main venues for independent, foreign, and art-house films, typically showing a different film each day. The cinema is named after Bytown, Ottawa's original name before it was incorporated as a city on January 1, 1855.

History

The building was constructed throughout the fall and winter of 1946 by Hyman Berlin and opened on February 10, 1947 as the Nelson Theatre. The name was selected by Mrs. J.H. Goyette through a naming contest that received more than 4,000 suggestions, winning her a $100 cash prize. When it opened, admission was 25 cents for general seating and 35 cents for the upper loge.

For decades, the Nelson was one of Ottawa's leading cinemas. On October 1, 1988, Bruce White and Jean Cloutier reopened the cinema under the name ByTowne, shifting the programming focus to independent, foreign, and repertory films. The cinema closed on December 24, 2020, but was purchased by new owners Daniel Demois and Andy Willick from Toronto. It reopened under the same name on September 8, 2021.

What to Expect

The ByTowne offers a curated selection of films that you won't typically find at mainstream multiplexes. Programming features a mix of new independent releases, critically acclaimed foreign films, documentaries, and classic repertory screenings. The single-screen format means each film gets a dedicated run, and the 650-seat auditorium provides an intimate yet spacious communal viewing experience. Check the website for the current schedule, as the film changes daily.