Montclair Film to reopen long-closed Bellevue Theatre uptown

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The long-shuttered Bellevue Theatre in Montclair is slated to reopen this fall under the aegis of Montclair Film, a local non-profit operating a series of events and arthouse cinemas in town.

The organization inked a deal with the theater’s owner, Jesse Sayegh inside the Bellevue on July 18, announcing the deal that afternoon. Terms of the agreement have not been released but a soft-opening in time for the 2025 Montclair Film Festival is anticipated by October, with a full reopening anticipated the following month, according to Montclair Film.

“Without an audience, there is no cinema,” stated Evelyn Colbert, president of the group’s board of trustees. “We are counting on that passion and enthusiasm to help us re-establish The Bellevue as a destination for new memories and experiences.”

The group seeks sponsorships and individual contributions to help finance renovations, which can be furnished through its website at MontclairFilm.org. Township Planning Board members approved the theater’s new floor plan as a three-screen cinema with retail and apartments in June 2024,

Montclair Film already operated The Clairidge on Bellevue Avenue, where it programs indie, foreign and other arthouse fare. Comparatively, the Bellevue will screen blockbusters and “in-demand” movies, according to the announcement.

The Bellevue Theatre first opened in 1922 before shutting down in 2017.

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