Secret Mall Apartment
Let's all live at the mall.
United States of America | Jeremy Workman | English | 91 minutes
In 2003, eight Rhode Island artists created a secret apartment inside the busy Providence Place Mall and lived there for four years, filming everything along the way. They snuck in furniture, tapped into the mall’s electricity, and even constructed a wall, smuggling in more than two tons of cinderblock.
Far more than just a wild prank, the secret apartment became a deeply meaningful place for its inhabitants. It was a personal expression of defiance against local gentrification, a boundary-pushing work of public/private art, a clubhouse in which large-scale charitable art projects were planned, and, finally, a 750 square-foot “F you” to The Man.
Featuring never-before-seen footage of the space and revealing the identities of all the participants for the first time, SECRET MALL APARTMENT is more than just a bonkers true story. Director Jeremy Workman, whose LILY TOPPLES THE WORLD won the Grand Jury Prize at SXSW 2021, delivers a poignant exploration of a group of artists who discovered their purpose within the most commercial and improbable places.
“‘Secret Mall Apartment’ makes a compelling case that the project reverberates through the lives of the artists, and maybe even the city, to this day.” (New York Times)
“This is a delightful, thought-provoking movie that’s about a lot of things at the same time. It’ll make you see the world with fresh eyes, and probably wonder why there isn’t more art in it.” (RogerEbert.com)
“Like any fascinating meditation on the meaning of art and its potential as a political force, Workman’s doc asks more questions than it answers, which is a very good thing.” (POV Magazine)
Tuesday, May 6
Doors 5:45 pm | Movie 6:15 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.
Tickets HERE
SECRET MALL APARTMENT (Jeremy Workman, 2025 / 104 mins / NR) In 2003, eight Rhode Islanders created a secret apartment inside a busy mall and lived there for four years, filming everything along the way. Far more than a prank, the secret apartment became a deeply meaningful place for all involved.
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