Cinephiles, you have another indie film mecca headed your
way. Angelika Film Center & Cafe, a boutique cinema whose original
SoHo location has been a go-to for New York culture vultures
since the late ’80s, is making its way to Washington. In September
the eight-screen theater will open at Mosaic, a new urban
district in Fairfax, and will begin screening independent, foreign,
and specialty films.
Angelika has been serving Texan film fans in Dallas
and Plano for more than a decade, hosting film festivals and special
events
such as “TV at Angelika,” which allows Dallas patrons to view
award shows, sporting events, and TV programs for free. The
new Fairfax location plans to do the same for the up-and-coming
Mosaic, which combines a residential community with dining,
retail, and entertainment complexes in one area.
Each of Angelika’s three current locations features a
three-tiered chandelier with neon blue accents and an illuminated
interpretation
of the “winged face of Angelika.” The Fairfax location will be
no different, and will also be home to a cafe, lounge, and
concession stand offering food curated by chef
Lee Anne Wong. A former
Top Chef finalist and contributor to the Cooking Channel’s
Unique Eats, Wong will develop a menu of global-fusion
dishes for Angelika’s cafe and will put a spin on traditional snacks at
the concession
stand. Moviegoers have the option of enjoying their meals in
the lounge or during the film, paired with one of the cinema’s
beer or wine offerings.
While Fairfax might not seem like the most likely of
destinations for an indie movie theater, it’s possible the developers
were put off by the prevalence of alternative movie theaters in
DC and Maryland. Landmark has locations on E Street and Bethesda
Row, while the Avalon in Friendship Heights and the West End
Cinema downtown both offer documentaries, low-budget films, and
foreign movies.
The Angelika will be located at the intersection of Lee Highway and Gallows Road, not too far from the Dunn Loring-Merrifield
Metro stop on the Orange Line. For more information, visit angelikafilmcenter.com.
