This tiny cinema is showing movie clips in an East Van alley

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A pint-sized cinema is bringing whimsical movie charm to East Van.

Located at the fourth window from the alley at Venables between Clark and Commercial, East Van Vodville serves up a curated mix of short films, locally-made creations, and iconic movie scenes—all played delightfully out of context. As for admission, the only thing it’ll cost you is a bit of eye strain as you squint to watch the tiny scene. 

The theatre’s design tips its hat to Vancouver’s original Pantages Theatre, a vaudeville haven turned movie house that stood strong until its 2011 demolition. And don’t worry: Vodville’s spelling of “Vaudeville” isn’t a mistake. The 1933 bombing of the Pantages Theatre showed signage that spelled it “Vodvil,” a phonetic spelling likely chosen to save on lettering costs. With this itty-bitty theatre now showing video on demand (VOD), the name was repurposed with a fresh twist.

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Despite the informal setting, the Vodville adheres to Canada’s fair dealing laws, ensuring that all clips shown are for educational or critical purposes.

For those wondering about the mechanics behind this slice of miniature movie magic, the East Van Vodville is powered by a Raspberry Pi-controlled video player—proving that you don’t need a huge budget to make a big impact.

East Van Vodville Cinema is located at 1601 Venables, in the fourth window from the alley.

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