By: Bryanna Lapiner
Falling almost perfectly between San Francisco and Los Angeles is San Luis Obispo, a coastal California town populated by college students, retired residents and of course, cinephiles. Located in the historic Chinatown district in the busy downtown area stands the Palm Theatre, a long-time beloved hidden gem among local movie-goers and creatives.
Jim Dee was a Cal Poly student in 1973, a DJ for Cal Poly’s radio station, KCPR, and a pioneer of The San Luis Obispo Zoopraxographical Film Society, or Cinema Zoo. Fifty-one years ago, Dee and fellow mustang Paul Karlen displayed arrays of films across various screens around San Luis Obispo, charging guests only cents to attend. Cinema Zoo briefly returned in 1976, and in 1979, Dee and his wife, Patty, returned to create the Rainbow Theatre. The couple acquired 817 Palm Street in 1988, where the Palm Theatre became their sole endeavor, and have been presenting top tier films, both new and old, for audiences ever since. In 2004, they became the first movie theater in America to run entirely on solar power.
Since 1993, the Palm Theatre has hosted the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival. During the COVID-19 Pandemic in 2020, the Film Fest became a client of the Cal Poly Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) Small Business Development Center (SBDC). With the assistance of the SBDC and access to Covid-19 Relief Loans, the SLO International Film Festival was able to return in full-force in spring of 2022.
SLO International Film Fest showcases classic and independent films for six days at unique venues around San Luis Obispo, including the Palm, Downtown Centre Cinemas and Fremont theaters. The festival’s history of star-studded appearances, including Morgan Freeman and Adam West, and praise from attendees has aided in the success of this yearly event.
Due to their broad-mindedness on venture routes and vision for a greater purpose, the Palm survived the pandemic, an uncommon feat among movie theaters. In recent years, Cal Poly courses emphasizing film and various directors utilized the Palm Theatre to display movies and provide students the full cinematic experience. In 2024, the theater hosted themed nights in partnership with Cal Poly’s radio station KCPR, showing cult classics like “Almost Famous” and “Pulp Fiction”.
Starting July 2024, in partnership with SLOIFF, the Palm will be recognized as the SLO Film Center, a non-profit hub for independent films, guest speakers, and regularly scheduled movies. This establishment is vital for securing the survival of film history and will serve as an educational core of the Central California film scene. The center will provide resources and programs for all, through screenings, workshops, class courses and covering less common topics through movies and conversations.
“Establishing the Palm as the SLO Film Center is an incredible step for both the Palm and the SLO Film Festival,” says San Luis Obispo International Film Festival Executive Director Skye McLennan. “We aim to secure the future of the Palm theatre and celebrate independent film in our community for many years to come. Now more than ever we need your support in bringing this vision to life, and continuing the legacy of the Palm for future generations. We truly believe in cinema’s transformative power that expands minds, open hearts and entertains.”
The Palm remains a landmark as the last indie movie theater in San Luis Obispo and has created a place of community for decades to come.
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