Joins us at the Rio Theatre for one of our favourite kind of documentaries – the ones about movie theatres – SCALA!!! (Or, the incredibly strange rise and fall of the world’s wildest cinema and how it influenced a mixed-up generation of weirdos and misfits.)

In Britain’s post-punk Thatcher years, the infamous and legendary Scala cinema showed a diverse range of films, from high art to cult classics, sexploitation, horror, Kung-Fu and LGBTQIA+. Nudging boundaries of convention, it became an inspiration for future famous creatives.

With interviews from nearly 50 contributors, previously unseen archive footage and film clips, Scala!!! is an anarchic, uproarious documentary telling the riotous inside story, with an original soundtrack by celebrated musician Barry Adamson. Transcending nostalgia, SCALA!!! is a universal testament to the power of cinemas, providing refuge and community for outsiders. A place where everyone is welcome.

Saturday, November 25
Doors 4:15 pm | Movie 4:45 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.
Advance tickets HERE

SCALA!!! (Ali Catterall, Jane Giles / 2023 / 96 mins) A feature-length big screen documentary telling the riotous inside story of the infamous sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll repertory cinema which inspired a generation during Britain’s turbulent Thatcher years.

*Minors OK. Must be 19+ w/ID for bar service.
*Rio Theatre Groupons and Rio Theatre passes are OK for any single film screening only. Please redeem at the box office.
*Online sales end an hour before showtime; unless otherwise noted, tickets are always available for purchase at the box office prior to showtime.  Our box office is typically open 30 minutes before showtime. All seating is General Admission; please arrive 20-30 minutes prior to showtime to ensure great seats and time for treats. All Rio Theatre tickets are final sale.
*If you are looking to redeem either a Rio Theatre gift certificate or Groupon to any regular Rio Theatre screening: You can either email us in advance <[email protected]> and give us a “heads up,” or do it at the box office prior to showtime. (We seat 400+ people and our regular screenings are very rarely at capacity – you should not have issues being admitted.)