The venerable Cinema Village reopens on Friday

Cinema Village, the historic theater at 22 E. 12th St. between University Place and Fifth Avenue, reopens Friday for the first time since March 2020.

And there were concerns that the theater, which has been here since 1963, would ever return... fueled in part by the sign in the front window in recent months — "we are closed for business." 

Back in March, owner Nick Nicolaou said that pipes broke in the lobby during the winter, prompting a major cleanup. (He reportedly called the lobby "a disaster.")

Cinema Village will fire up the neon signage and marquee with the 15th Annual Manhattan Film Festival.

With this, most local movie theaters have reopened... with the exception of the Metrograph, which is back with in-person screenings in September, and the Anthology Film Archives, which will continue with online programming for now.

It's nearly show time as NYC theaters prep for reopening

After being dark for nearly a year, movie theaters in NYC are permitted to reopen tomorrow at 25-percent capacity. 

However, don't expect to see all of the local movie houses up and running right away. 

Here's what to expect, starting with the Village East Cinema on Second Avenue at 12th Street (marquee photo above by Doug) ... which will have a new name...

We’re reopening Friday March 5, and we are excited to welcome @CityCinemasNYC to the Angelika Film Center family, as Village East by Angelika and Cinema 123 by Angelika!
For more information, visit us at https://t.co/K3mu1MJiw8.
See you at the movies! pic.twitter.com/T1W311Xu6p

— Angelika Film Center (@AngelikaFilmNY) February 26, 2021

Before the pandemic, the Village East Cinema showed movies that originally opened at the Angelika Film Center. Plus, the Village East Cinema is owned by City Cinemas, a branch of Reading International. The Angelika is also under the Reading International umbrella. So they're keeping it all in the Reading family.

Find the cinema's website here. 

Elsewhere in the downtown film community... (and masks are required to be theaters)...

• Angelika Film Center., Houston Street. Opening on March 5. Website here. 

• Anthology Film Archives, Second Avenue at Second Street. No reopening date. Will continue with virtual cinema. 

• Cinema Village, 12th Street. The small theater is hoping to reopen around April 1, per the Post. 

• Film Forum, East Houston. Opening on April 2.

• IFC Center. Opening on March 5. And per IndieWire: "Mandatory mask-wearing at all times, no concession sales, and no eating and drinking allowed in theaters." 

• Loews Village 7, Third Avenue at 11th Street. Opening March 5. Website here. 

• Metrograph, Ludlow Street. No reopening date yet. Will continue with virtual programming. 

• Regal Cinemas, Union Square and Essex Crossing. No return date just yet. 

• Quad Cinema, 13th Street. Opening on March 5. (Updated)