Danielle Farina 
After nearly eight years of vacancy, Montclair’s historic Bellevue Theatre is officially getting a revival. In a press release sent out on Friday, July 18th, Montclair Film announced that it has signed a multi-year agreement to operate the three-screen theatre. The non-profit is aiming to reopen the theatre by fall 2025, just in time for its annual Montclair Film Festival, as a full-time cinema with a focus on current releases and in-demand films. Keep reading to learn more about the Bellevue Theatre’s reopening in Montclair, New Jersey.
Photo Credit: Montclair Film
Montclair Film Inks a Deal
In a press release sent on Friday, July 18th, Montclair Film — a nonprofit that “seeks to transform lives and communities through the power of film and filmmaking” — announced that it has signed a multi-year agreement to operate Montclair’s historic Bellevue Theatre. According to the press release, “the agreement was signed today by Montclair Film @ The Bellevue LLC, a single-member, non-profit LLC wholly owned by Montclair Film, and Jesse Sayegh, owner of the building in which The Bellevue Theatre operates.”
Photo Credit: Montclair Film
Upgrades and operational capacity are scheduled for fall 2025, just in time for Montclair Film‘s titular Film Festival taking place October 17-26. The team is expecting to be in full operation by early November.
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“We are so excited to be able to bring the movies back to The Bellevue Theatre,” said Evelyn Colbert, President of Montclair Film’s Board of Trustees. “Our community has been clear in sharing their desire to see The Bellevue Theatre thriving again, and we are counting on that passion and enthusiasm to help us re-establish The Bellevue as a destination for new memories and experiences.”
Jesse Sayegh, the property owner of the Bellevue Theater since 1996, added, “Not only do we honor the memories of so many patrons over the past 100 years of the theater’s existence… but we now have the opportunity to continue that tradition and create new memories for years to come.”
The Context
The Bellevue Theatre opened its doors in Montclair on May 13th, 1922. Its original form was a Tudor-style theatre with an indoor balcony and a tea room on the second floor. Its grand opening consisted of musical performances and a movie screening of a 1921 silent film, Orphans of the Storm.
Photo Credit: Montclair Film
According to NorthJersey.com, Bellevue Theatre originally closed in November 2017 after Bow Tie Cinema’s lease was up and the company chose not to renew it. In March 2018, plans were announced for a partnership between the theater owner and two other groups to renovate the facility into six theaters, a restaurant, and a bar, per Montclair Local. After three years of negotiations and a pandemic, the Township of Montclair’s Building Department placed a stop construction order on the front of the building in October 2023 due to construction being performed with improper permits or a lack of permits, per Montclair Local.
In 2022, the Township adopted the Bellevue Theatre Redevelopment Plan after various reviews and approvals. Montclair-based architecture and design firm RHG Architecture + Design took over the project in fall 2023. These renovations, which include a new retail space along the building’s east facade next to Upper Montclair Plaza, have been underway ever since, but the building has been awaiting a lease deal, per Montclair Local.
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