The Palm, that iconic movie house in the heart of downtown San Luis Obispo, began a new chapter—a sequel of sorts—on July 1.
Owner Jim Dee, who first opened the theater in 1988, retired recently and handed over the keys to Skye McLennan and her team at the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival.
Dee remains the owner of the building, but McLennan, who has been the film festival director since 2020, is now responsible for programming and creating something unique for the Central Coast: a nonprofit movie theater.
The newly-christened SLO Film Center bills itself as a collaborative venture between the festival and the movie theatre.
“I’ve added a lot more to my plate,” McLennan admits. “But the film festival and Jim Dee both felt like this was the right move in assuring that film is still prevalent and that the Palm Theatre continues to exist for many, many years to come.”
The new collaboration, according to McLennan, reflects a growing trend of film festivals across the country jumping into movie theater programming year-round, including Sie FilmCenter in Denver, FilmScene in Iowa City, and The Eclipse by Breck Film in Breckinridge, Colorado.
But there is more to this vision than just screening movies. McLennan likens the idea to “a year-round film festival,” where the SLO Film Center can expand its programming—offering guest speakers, special screenings, educational events, and live music—and be a place where film lovers can hang out.
We’ve put a lot of thought into the transition and making sure that we still have the things that the community expects about the Palm.”
McLennan recently returned from a national conference where her colleagues were supportive. “They told me that we were doing the right thing as far as sustainability for both the film festival and the theater,” McLennan says. “Indie theater is different from mainstream theaters. They’re experimenting and trying things that have never been done before.”
It’s a delicate balancing act, juggling the old with the new. “We’ve put a lot of thought into the transition and making sure that we still have the things that the community expects about the Palm,” McLennan says. “That means affordable prices and the popcorn being made in the same way. We’ve also been able to keep some of the staff on board.”
McLennan says the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival, scheduled for next April, will retain its emphasis on “cutting edge” and new independent films. She also hopes to add even more short films to the event.
“Short films are great films you can’t see anywhere else outside of festivals,” McLennan says. “But now, with the film center, we’ll be able to offer screenings throughout the year and not just once.”
Upcoming films scheduled for July include many classics: Jurassic Park (July 18-19), Thelma & Louise (July 20-21), and La Dolce Vita (July 27-28).
But new releases also will be offered. Tuesday, a drama starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus, starts July 19 and a documentary, How to Come Alive with Norman Mailer, begins July 26.
The popular late-night “Red Eye Cinema,” featuring so-called B-movies and horror classics, will continue on Saturday evenings, driven by what McLennan calls “an untapped audience out there.”
The film center is a nonprofit venture, so box office receipts and popcorn sales will only go so far. Donations of any size are welcome online.
McLennan expects to be very busy between now and April, but for this Templeton native, taking over the Palm, well, it’s the stuff that dreams are made of.
“It was kind of a surreal moment for me,” McLennan says. “I grew up going to the Palm as a teenager, so to have the keys to the place is such a trip.”