Brattle Film Foundation

The Brattle Film Foundation is the 501(c)3 non-profit organization which programs and operates the Brattle Theatre. Our mission is to celebrate film as a fine and popular art form, with important cultural and historical value, through preservation, distribution and exhibition. The Brattle Film Foundation has three main goals: Continue the tradition of repertory film programming at the Brattle Theatre; Preserve films suffering from neglect; Distribute innovative and essential works nationwide.

The Brattle Film Foundation is working toward a time when innovative and essential works of cinema are respected, viewed, and preserved alongside other great works of art. The Foundation is committed to providing audiences access to quality and diverse film presentation, education, and information, in theatres and on-line. With the historic Brattle Theatre as a base, the Foundation seeks to expand the definition of great cinema to include works from all countries and cultures.

At a time when art houses and independent theatres continue to be consumed by large conglomerates, the Brattle Theatre has remained successful and true to its roots as a venue to see innovative and essential films. Starting with the programming of Cy Harvey and Bryant Halliday in 1953, the Brattle has been the unofficial film school for Boston-area residents, showing everything from Casablanca to Breaking the Waves, the works of Buster Keaton to Wong Kar-Wai. The Theater's diverse programming over the years has brought many films to view that might have been forgotten or missed.

The Brattle Film Foundation, EIN 04354099
2008 Annual Report (PDF)
2007 Annual Report (PDF)

We are grateful to our donors and sponsors for their support:
2008 Donor Roster
2007 Donor Roster
2006 Donor Roster
2005 Donor Roster
2004 Donor Roster
2003 Donor Roster
2002 Donor Roster
2001 Donor Roster

Brattle Theatre highlights
Donnie Darko - This ground-breaking independent film was premiered in Boston exclusively by the Brattle Theatre in January, 2002
Ivan the Terrible, Part 2 - Discovered after being thought lost forever by Brattle programmers Cy Harvey and Bryant Halliday
Humphrey Bogart - brought to cult status through the Bogie Cult at the Brattle Theatre in the 1950s, re-launching his career posthumously
Miss Julie - Brattle operators Bryant Haliday and Cy Harvey fought Cambridge blue laws, and won, in order to be allowed to screen this film
Bugs Bunny Film Festival - programmed and shown at the Brattle Theatre since 1995

Learn about the history of the Brattle Theatre on the Timeline of Brattle History page.

The Brattle Legacy Campaign
The Brattle Film Foundation launched and successfully completed the Preserve the Brattle Legacy Campaign in 2005-06. The support from the community was overwhelmingly positive, making us even more determined to continue to grow the Brattle Theatre and its legacy of repertory film programming for generations to come.