Oklahoma Film Exchange

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Oklahoma Film Exchange
Oklahoma Film Exchange
Interactive map of Oklahoma Film Exchange
Address701 W Sheridan Ave, Oklahoma City, OK 73102
Location Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Coordinates 35°28′00″N97°31′28″W / 35.466769997412335°N 97.5244497483432°W / 35.466769997412335; -97.5244497483432
Type microcinema
Construction
Built1919
Opened2025
Website
www.oklahomafilmexchange.com

Oklahoma Film Exchange (OFX) is a worker owned movie theater and microcinema located in the Film Row neighborhood of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, on the corner of W Sheridan Avenue and N Lee Avenue. The cinema operates out of the Paramount Building, a former affiliate of Paramount Pictures, and utilizes the last remaining film exchange screening room in the United States. [1]

Contents

History

The screening room was built as a film exchange in 1919 by the Oklahoma Specialty Film Company to service local theater operators. The building was soon acquired by the Paramount Film Distributing Corporation who renamed it the Paramount Building. [2]

In the early 2000s, the screening room opened as a one-room movie theater called the Paramount Reel Art Cinema. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the cinema closed in March of 2020. [3]

On June 18, 2021, the cinema reopened as a secondary location of nearby Rodeo Cinemas and was dubbed Rodeo Cinema on Film Row. [4] Rodeo Cinemas closed the location in the summer of 2025.

Faced with imminent closure and decommission, an Indiegogo campaign titled SAVE FILM ROW: America's Last Screening Room was launched by OFX in August of 2025. [5] The campaign sought $100,000 to fund the acquisition and preservation of the screening room. Despite only raising $15,000, accumulated cash donations allowed OFX to purchase the lease and establish the Film Exchange. [6]

The cinema opened as Oklahoma Film Exchange on September 11, 2025. [7]

Operation

OFX offers a wide array of daily event repertory screenings including arthouse films, genre movies, B-movies, animation, and experimental cinema. Their programming upholds stated values of promoting media literacy, queer advocacy, Indigenous advocacy, and support of local art. [8]

The cinema is single-screen and seats 50 people. Film and live event admission is pay what you can.

References

  1. ↑ "About". Oklahoma Film Exchange. Retrieved 1 December 2025.
  2. ↑ Bohannon, Alexandra (12 August 2025). "Solo Act: The Oklahoma Film Exchange on Saving Film Row's Historic Screening Room". LUXIERE Magazine. Retrieved 1 December 2025.
  3. ↑ "Rodeo Cinema on Film Row". Cinema Treasures . Retrieved 1 December 2025.
  4. ↑ Awasthi, Devraat (20 June 2021). "Rodeo Cinema expansion to Film Row captures past, points to future". Oklahoma City Free Press. Retrieved 1 December 2025.
  5. ↑ "Oklahoma Film Exchange Rallies Support to Save the Film Row Theater". The Cinematropolis. 1 August 2025. Retrieved 1 December 2025.
  6. ↑ McDonnell, Brandy (9 September 2025). "Thanks to fundraising, Oklahoma Film Exchange to start film events with grand opening". The Oklahoman . Retrieved 1 December 2025.
  7. ↑ Fieldcamp, Brett (11 September 2025). "On the Scene: The OK Film Exchange turns movie history into cinema sanctuary". KGOU.org. Retrieved 1 December 2025.
  8. ↑ "Our Values". Oklahoma Film Exchange. Retrieved 1 December 2025.
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