At one time Havana had over 100 movie theaters with most dating from Many are now closed or in a state of disrepair. The buildings that have survived date from the mid-20th century. Don't expect to find many movie theaters with multiple screens under one roof yet, as in the U.S., Mexico or Costa Rica. Movie theaters show everything from subtitled Hollywood blockbusters to old and new Cuban films. It’s not uncommon to run across a mini-festival or film series of classic foreign or independent cinema.
There are a couple of good movie theatres in Havana. Admission is cheap, but the selection is limited. Currently most movies shown are from Argentina, Russia, Europe, Mexico and the U.S. Most Hollywood movies are shown after they have been released abroad. A lot of American films are pirated off satellites.
However, it is only a matter of time before these mammoth theaters will be built, enabling you to see first-run movies. Nevertheless, many English movies are now shown at tourist resorts and hotels on special cable channels.
Every year Havana is the site of the Festival del Nuevo Cine Latinoamericano (New Latin American Film Festival). It is the most important film festival in the Spanish-speaking world. Celebrities, big shot motion picture executives and movie lovers from all over the world attend.
The best movie theaters are:
Cine Acapulco - Avenida 26, between Calle 35 and 37, Vedado, Tel: 833-9573. The Acapulco was a luxury movie house that opened in mid 1958. It was a first run theater with a beautiful modern interior. Now it’s a little run down, but still shows some first run Cuban movies and a variety of other films.
Cine Charles Chaplin - Calle 23 # 1155, between Avenidas 10 and 12, Vedado, Tel: 831-1101. Considered one of the largest art movie theaters in Latin America and is the most modern in all of Cuba. It screens all sorts of films, sometimes dedicated to particular directors, countries, decades or themes. It also houses a second screening room, the Cinemateca de Cuba (aka Centro Cultural Cinematografico, ICAIC), which specializes in video presentations of cult movies.
Sala Glauber Rocha – Avenida 212, corner of 31, La Coronela, Tel: 271-8967 shows mostly movies from Latin America.
Cine La Rampa - Calle 23 #111 between O and P, Vedado, Tel: 878-6146.This large building has been converted to a complex with offices, a cafe, bar and cinema, which is on the first floor.
Cine Riviera - Calle 23 #507, between G and H, Vedado. It screens a range of films, including action movies from North America, England and Cuba and also a lot of Spanish language movies from Latin America.
Cine Payret - Paseo del Marti Prado #503–513 at Calle de San José, Old Havana, Tel: 863-3163. It is is one of the largest cinemas in Havana. Its programming consists of first-run Cuban films, occasionally a Hollywood blockbuster, and is one of the main venues for the Havana Film Festival.
Cine Yara - Calle 23 (La Rampa) at O Street, Vedado, Tel: 832-9430. Cine Yara opened in 1948 as the Teatro Radiocentro. This is one of the only multi-screen cinemas in Havana and is a three screen triplex.
Multi-Cine Infanta – Infanta. Esquina Neptuno y San Miguel, tel: 878-9323 has four scfeens under one roof.
For a list of Havana’s movie theaters see:
For movie theaters in the rest of Cuba see:
