Permanent Recognition
Your name will be permanently recorded as one of the original 75 Founders of The Celluloid Lounge, with recognition planned both inside TCL and within its permanent history.
The Celluloid Lounge
The Founders Circle
Before there was an opening night, there were those who believed.
The Founders Circle recognizes the first 75 people who choose to help bring The Celluloid Lounge from an idea into a real place.
75 Founders. One beginning. A permanent place in our story.
Why It Exists
Places like this begin before opening night.
The Celluloid Lounge began with an idea.
That going to the movies could still feel like something.
That a theater could be more than a room where a film plays. It could be a place people looked forward to returning to. A place to discover something unexpected. A place where the conversation did not have to end when the credits rolled.
For a long time, that was all The Celluloid Lounge was.
An idea.
Since then, that idea has slowly begun becoming something more.
A name. A vision. A community beginning to form. And the search for a place we can eventually call home.
Places like this are built by people who believe they should exist.
The Founders Circle was created to recognize those who chose to believe in The Celluloid Lounge at the very beginning—before the first ticket was sold, before the first film appeared on our screen, and before anyone knew exactly how this story would unfold.
The First 75
75
There will only ever be 75 Founders. Not 75 every year. Not another group added later. Once Founder No. 75 joins, the Founders Circle closes permanently.
Your Place in the Story
What it means to be a Founder
Being a Founder means you were here when The Celluloid Lounge was still becoming.
Your Place in The Vault
The original Founders Circle becomes part of The Vault, preserving the people who chose to believe before opening night.
Inside the Journey
Founders will receive meaningful behind-the-scenes access as TCL moves toward opening, including milestone updates, private communications, and opportunities to witness significant moments in the theater’s development.
Founder Gatherings
Special gatherings will mark important milestones in TCL’s story, with plans to create an enduring Founder tradition after opening. Because some beginnings deserve to be remembered.
The Founders Pledge
You are not joining because a theater already exists. You are joining because you believe it should. Long before the marquee is lit... Before the first ticket is scanned... Before the first audience gathers... You chose to believe. Your name will forever be part of the story of The Celluloid Lounge—not because of what you gave, but because of what you made possible.
Near or Far
Belief has no zip code.
You do not need to live near The Celluloid Lounge to become a Founder.
The Founders Circle is for those who believe that independent cinema, shared discovery, and meaningful conversation deserve places to call home— wherever you happen to live.
A Founder can live in Coral Springs, California, London, or anywhere else.
What matters is the belief that places like The Celluloid Lounge should exist.
The Founding Gift
One Circle. One title.
$1,500
A place in the Founders Circle begins with a Founding Gift of $1,500. There are different ways to make that commitment, but there is only one Founder status.
A Founder is a Founder.
Whether someone gives $1,500 at once, completes the same Founding Gift over 12 months, or chooses to give more, every Founder holds the same place in the Circle. No Gold Founder. No Platinum Founder. No hierarchy.
Whether someone gives $1,500 at once, completes the same Founding Gift over 12 months, or chooses to give more, every Founder holds the same place in the Circle. No Gold Founder. No Platinum Founder. No hierarchy.
The Film Society
Supporting a cultural mission
The Founders Circle supports The Celluloid Lounge Film Society, Inc., an IRS-recognized 501(c)(3) public charity dedicated to advancing film culture through educational screenings, community-based film programming and discussion, and cinematic arts education.
The Founders Circle is built around patronage, belief, and helping create a lasting home for film, conversation, and community.
Founding Gifts are charitable contributions to The Celluloid Lounge Film Society, Inc. Tax deductibility may depend on applicable law and the value of any goods or services received in connection with the contribution. Donors should consult their tax advisor regarding their individual circumstances.
The Permanent Record
The First 75
This space belongs to the people who believed before opening night. As the Founders Circle grows, the original 75 names will become part of TCL’s permanent history.
01
02
03
04
05
06
07
08
09
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
The Story Continues
Every theater has a story before opening night.
The Founders Circle will forever be part of ours. The Vault preserves the story of how The Celluloid Lounge began—and the people who helped make what comes next possible.
Explore The Vault →