by John Dowd
It could be argued that movies are as American as apple pie, and as much a part of the American experience as a cheeseburger and a coke. Though nearly none of these originated here, all are made uniquely American by the history and culture of the United States and the people that live here.
Film is still a great American pass-time, and for those here in the Valley that want to go to a theatre and see a movie, they need to travel as far as Missoula to do it. However, there is a group within the Bitterroot Valley that wants to change that, and bring that classic form of entertainment back.
Hamilton Community Cinema has a five-member board who have come together to form a nonprofit with the goal of bettering cinema culture and access in the area. Two of the five board members, Chapter One Book Store owners Marisa Neyenhuis and Katrina Mendrey, spoke to the Star about the group’s mission.
Hamilton Community Cinema board members, l to r: Brooke Angst, Marisa Neyenhuis, Amy Liss, Heather Barber and Katrina Mendrey. Photo courtesy Hamilton Community Cinema.
According to them, the idea came from the now-defunct Roxy Theater, and its struggles over the last several years. It can be expensive these days to keep the doors of a movie theater open, with updated projectors costing nearly $100,000 before installation, along with license fees and more. However, board members Brooke Angst with SAFE, Heather Barber with the Bitterroot Water Partnership, Amy Liss with MissLiss Designs and the two Chapter One owners, all got together with the dream of eventually purchasing the Roxy, located on 2nd Street in Hamilton, or partnering with it or another facility to create a local movie theater.
Together, they formed a nonprofit in April 2025, and were awarded nonprofit status in November of this year. The group also has an extensive advisory committee, composed of 15 members, including community members, business owners and people involved with local arts, among others. Their mission website reads:
“Cinema has the power to bring people together, inspire empathy and unify community. The Roxy Theater has a long history of bringing together the Bitterroot Valley through the transformative power of cinema. We are building on that legacy,” and, “Our vision as a community led organization is to bring cinema back to downtown Hamilton for the next generation of Bitterroot residents and visitors.”
When asked why they are so passionate, Neyenhuis and Mendrey said there are a lot of reasons, but a big part is economic. There is potentially a lot of money that could stay in the valley.
“We just think it’s good to have this kind of entertainment in this community,” said Mendrey.
That is backed up by local statistics. According to Esri data, which looked at credit card expenditures between Stevensville and Darby spent only on movie ticket sales, the number amounts to more than $278,000 over the last year. That does not include food, shopping, accommodations, gas for travel and more.
The group’s mission statement reads:
“As a community-led non-profit organization, we are working to purchase, renovate, and open a downtown Hamilton movie theater for a new generation. The space will also serve as a location for cinema, live music and theater performances. Once opened, the theater will generate revenue to support cinema operations and educational programming.”
They hope, by getting a theatre open, they will be able to give Bitterrooters another option to “seek out entertainment closer to home,” said Neyenhuis.
To this end, they have been hosting pop-up films, mostly at the Bedford Building, but in other locations as well. They have premiered movies like “ET,” “Ratatouille,” “A River Runs Through It” and more. By the end of 2025 they will have shown 10 pop-up films, and they have more coming for 2026. The group has a calendar on their website for movies, showing times and locations.
For the upcoming Christmas and holiday season, they are going to be hosting several holiday movie showings. These will include “A Muppets Christmas Carol,” to show Dec. 6 at 4 p.m., and “Love Actually,” showing on Dec. 19 at 7 p.m. Both will be at the Bedford Building.
Each pop-up film costs the group around $1,000 for licensing, renting the space and the food and drinks they provide. Movies are by donation and concessions are available. According to Mendrey, these “pop ups are a way for us to raise awareness,” and also for raising money.
The group is thankful to sponsors that help support the showings, but they need to raise a lot of money to make the project viable.
Currently, they are working to show financial viability and become competitive for grants. Fortunately, “the community support has been pretty inspiring,” said Mendrey.
As to why they are coming together to bring cinema back to the valley, and to Hamilton, Neyenhuis said, “It brings all sorts of people together, who may not agree on things in life, but want to sit in the dark and enjoy this transformative experience together.”
For those interested in donating, the group suggests looking at the website, hamiltoncommunitycinema.org, or talking to board members in person.
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