Studio, Timisoara

Built in 1938 as the glamorous Scala, this Art Deco cinema underwent a peculiar transformation after nationalization in 1948. Renamed Timpuri Noi, it became a non-stop “documentary house” where admission was free and state-approved films looped continuously. Patrons could wander in and out mid-film at any hour, turning the cinema into an unlikely refuge for students, night owls, young couples escaping the rain, and locals seeking warmth and distraction. Even after ticket fees were reinstated, the price remained largely symbolic. What began as a propaganda venue evolved into an accidental social experiment: a heated public room with moving images constantly flickering in the dark.

Following an extensive renovation, workers preserved the original Art Deco facade while completely rebuilding the interior with modern projection and sound technology. The cinema reopened in December 2024 through an extensive rehabilitation project led and funded by the city hall, which took ownership in 2018, in partnership with the French Institute in Romania. Cinema Studio is now the only cinema in Romania with a rooftop screening concept – 80 seats where films play beneath the open sky.

Today, Timișoara is the only city in Romania with an active network of traditional cinemas – Victoria, Timiș, Studio, and Freidorf. From state-controlled film loops to curated European arthouse, the story of Cinema Studio mirrors the broader transformation of Romanian public culture over the past century.