Richard P.
Yelp
As a wheelchair user, I must admit that I always approach my visits to historic theatres a little bit wary. Because I'm also a film journalist, it's something that I deal with fairly often even if I do primarily stick to my home state of Indiana. However, as I'm getting older I'm trying to get out and experience a variety of festivals and movie houses.
I'd long heard about the Belcourt Theatre in Nashville. This is partly because it is a frequent host of the Nashville Film Festival, but also because I've got friends in my area who had promised me I'd love it.
They were right.
A little bit about the history:
In 1925, the theatre opened as the Hillsboro Theater to show silent movies, with a Kimball organ, 800 leather-covered seats, and Nashville's largest stage. In the 1930s, it hosted the first performance of the Children's Theatre of Nashville and from 1934-36 even hosted the Grand Ole Opry. In 1937, it became the Nashville Community Playhouse. In 1966, it became Belcourt Cinema and returned to its movie roots. It went through several changes in ownership and became the Belcourt Theatre in 2007. Gradually, improvements were made over the next nine years before a truly major renovation in 2016.
In terms of accessibility, I was honestly majorly impressed. Accessible parking wasn't a huge surprise, but all entrances are accessible, all screening areas, public areas, and restrooms are accessible. There are spots for wheelchair users in "the 1925 Hall, the 1966 Hall, the Manzler/Webb Screening Room, and the Jackson Education and Engagement Space." (I confirmed all of this). There's also an elevator to the second floor.
Belcourt offers several assistive technology options at no charge - hearing loop, assistive listening, closed caption devices, and descriptive audio (it's important to note that closed captioning and descriptive audio both require the film to include it).
The Belcourt hosts a variety of events and does rent its spaces. The Belcourt is a non-profit film center.
The Belcourt does a terrific job of balancing its historic status with contemporary updates. It doesn't necessarily have all the bells and whistles of some cinemas, however, I was honestly impressed with how much they did have.
The staff was friendly and welcoming (though admittedly I probably dealt mostly with festival staff). I loved the facilities, overall feeling of the space, and even the organizational aspect of the theatre. They've done a wonderful job of creating a memorable experience. Ticket prices are reasonable and even better for members.
I'd always wanted to come here and was so happy that I did. When I go to a historic movie theatre, I want to get that sense of nostalgia. As a wheelchair user, I do need some basic creature comforts for accessibility. The Belcourt offers both and if you're in the Nashville area you likely already know this. There's no doubt I'll return upon future visits to Nashville or the film festival.
