About the
Maplewood Film Society
It all began with a conversation among friends, bonding about how much we miss having a movie theater in our town.
In 2020, after 92 years of being a cultural presence in the heart of our town, the Maplewood Movie Theater closed. In 2024, the Town Committee revealed plans to redevelop the property, plans that may not necessarily include a movie theater in its future. Eager to ensure that an indie film theater remains a part of our culturally-forward community, the Maplewood Film Society was formed.
A brief history of the Maplewood Movie Theater.
-
The Maplewood Theater opens on March 15, 1927. Designed by architect William Lehman, it had more than 1400 seats.
-
Broadway producer Cheryl Crawford started bringing NYC-quality stage plays here — 48 in total.
-
Actor Paul Robeson had the speakers directed at the performers — inventing the first stage monitor.
-
Our theater had the exclusive rights to screen Jaws in Northern New Jersey. Lines snaked down to Baker Street, as audiences piled in to see CHS grad actor Roy Scheider’s hit film.
Our Mission:
NOW: Creating one-of-kind cinematic events that bring our community together to celebrate movies, conversation and the arts.
LONGTERM: Working to develop a thriving independent cinema on the site of our historic movie theater on Maplewood Avenue
Read more about Our Mission & the Case for Why Maplewood Needs Movies >>
Help us bring movies back to Maplewood.
Every little bit helps.
We can’t do this alone. Join us!
Our Team
Angela Matusik
Co-founder, Executive Director
A cinephile who has turned her passion into several careers, Angela Matusik is a journalist, producer, marketer and filmmaker. She has been creating stories for Fortune 500 companies, global platforms and film studios for over two decades. She is the producer of several award-winning documentary series, including MITSolve’s The Big Idea. As a journalist, Matusik extensively covered the entertainment industry, including reporting from film festivals and red carpets and interviewing more A-list stars than she can count. Angela moved to Maplewood in 2011, in part, because she found a house within walking distance to the movie theater. She is the editor-in-chief of Socko! magazine.
Lisa Cohen
Co-founder, Creative Director
As a proud Maplewoodian of 18 years, Lisa Cohen is involved with several organizations that enrich our community through the arts, including the Columbia High School Music Parents Association (CHSMPA) and the Maplewood Arts Council. Lisa earned her Master’s in interactive telecommunications from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. Before moving to the NYC area, Lisa was a projectionist for the University of Michigan's Film School, a radio DJ, a video editor, and a documentary filmmaker. After more than a decade working in Marketing and Communications at Bloomberg, Lisa is now the Creative Director at McGraw Hill.
-
Alison Dinerstein
Executive Board Member
-
Jay De Bari
Board Member, Finance
-
Felice Ecker
Board Member, Communications
-
Jane Ungaro
Board Member, Legal Counsel
In the News
Bringing Movies Back to Maplewood
Thinking Outside the Box, Maplewood Film Society Creates Cinematic Events
NJ Arts.net
Saving Small Downtown Movies Theaters
The Brian Lehrer Show
Backyard Movie Night Looks To Revive Movie Culture in Town
TAPintoSOMA
Maplewood Residents Fight To Save Historic Movie Theater
New Jersey News12
Residents Plead For Theater as Redevelopment Plan is Unveiled
Essex News Daily
Maplewood Theater to Reopen in 6 - 12 months
The Village Green
Screenings
Maplewood Film Society and SOMA Action Host Exclusive Screening of The Apprentice
The Village Green
Movie Fans Pack Screening for David Lynch’s Wild at Heart
The Village Green
Maplewood Screens The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert for a Special Night
TAPinto SOMA
Sinners Screening Highlights Black Joy
The Village Green
The Business of Indie Theaters
NJ Movie Theaters Adapt to Survive in Steaming Era
Bergen Record
Movie Theaters Need Saving. Small Towns Have Figured it Out
NYTimes
Audiences Want More Independent Movie Theaters, Study Says
IndieWire