The Brattle
The Brattle is a nonprofit repertory cinema in Harvard Square, Cambridge, MA, operating since 1953 under the Brattle Film Foundation. It screens classic, foreign, arthouse, and independent films, including 35mm presentations, for cinephiles and cultural audiences in Greater Boston.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1953
- HeadquartersCambridge, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What The Brattle does
The Brattle is a nonprofit repertory cinema located at 40 Brattle Street in Harvard Square, Cambridge, Massachusetts, operated by the Brattle Film Foundation (a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization, EIN 043540992, transitioned to nonprofit status in 2001). Founded in 1953, the single-venue theatre screens classic, foreign, arthouse, and independent films for film enthusiasts, cinephiles, film students, and community audiences in the Greater Boston area. Its core product is repertory film programming organized into themed series (e.g., National Treasures, Noir City: Boston, the Frederick Wiseman Retrospective), special events with filmmaker Q&As, theatrical premieres, and approximately 30% of programming presented on 35mm film via dedicated projection capability maintained through the 35mm Film Fund.
The Brattle's revenue model is diversified across individual ticket sales (with tiered pricing for general admission, matinee, child, senior, student, member, double feature, and special event tickets ranging from roughly $10 to $19.50), an annual membership program providing priority access and discounts, tax-deductible donations through the Brattle Film Foundation (including the 35mm Film Fund and leadership giving at $1,000+), concessions, private venue rentals, and grant support (including from the Cambridge Arts Council). Distribution is direct-to-consumer through the theatre's website (brattlefilm.org), the box office, and bundled series ticket packs. Marketing spans a website, email newsletter, a monthly podcast distributed on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, social media (Instagram, Facebook, Letterboxd, Bluesky), local press coverage, and an extensive network of co-presentation partnerships with film festivals and cultural organizations including the Film Noir Foundation, Screen Boston, IFFBoston, the Boston Underground Film Festival, the Massachusetts Historical Society, and others.
The organization is led by Executive Director Ivy Moylan, operates with 11-50 employees, and is governed as an independent nonprofit without parent or institutional investor ownership. Reinvestment is directed into programming and facility improvements, with a planned 10-day closure in late July 2026 for seat replacement, new carpeting, floor refurbishment, and aisle lighting. The venue shares Brattle Hall with Longfellow Bar and Alden & Harlow Restaurant and is one block from the MBTA Red Line, with two dedicated wheelchair positions and companion seating in the main auditorium.
The Brattle firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Brattle
- Legal name
- Brattle Film Foundation
- Website
- https://brattlefilm.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1953
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The Brattle is a nonprofit repertory cinema in Harvard Square, Cambridge, MA, operating since 1953 under the Brattle Film Foundation. It screens classic, foreign, arthouse, and independent films, including 35mm presentations, for cinephiles and cultural audiences in Greater Boston.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Brattle industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Repertory Cinema / Independent Film Exhibition
- NAICS
- Motion Picture and Video Exhibition (51213), Motion Picture Theaters (except Drive-Ins) (512131)
- SIC
- Services-Motion Picture Theaters (7830), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Screening Rooms & Cinematheques (Nonprofit/Institutional) (MPADAKAF)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Programming, Booking & Repertory Exhibition Services (MPADAKAL), Historical, Biographical & Archival Documentaries (MPADADAE)
Keywords
Where The Brattle is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cambridge
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Brattle business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Ticket Sales: Revenue from individual screening tickets sold at box office and online. Pricing varies by ticket type (General Admission, Matinee, Child, Senior, Student, Member). Special events and premiere runs command different price points.
- Memberships: Annual membership program providing benefits including advance ticket access, discounted tickets, calendar mailings, and donor recognition.
- Donations and Fundraising: Tax-deductible donations through the Brattle Film Foundation (501(c)3). Includes general annual fund, 35mm Film Fund, seat naming opportunities, and planned giving programs. Leadership giving at $1,000+ annually.
- Concessions: Food and beverage sales at the theatre venue.
- Private Rentals: The theatre space is available for private event rentals.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | General Admission |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Matinee |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Child |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Senior/Student |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Member |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Double Feature |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Special Event |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Noir City Boston Ticket Pack |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
The Brattle product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Brattle operates a single-screen repertory cinema in Harvard Square, Cambridge, MA, screening classic, cutting-edge, foreign, and arthouse films. Programming is organized into themed series (National Treasures, Noir City: Boston, Friday Film Matinee, 35mm Screenings, Special Events, Theatrical Premieres) with approximately 30% of screenings presented on 35mm film. The theatre sells tickets at the box office and online, supplemented by memberships, concessions, gift cards, private rentals, and a podcast.
Product overview
The Brattle is a nonprofit cinema in Cambridge, MA, offering repertory film programming focused on classic, cutting edge, foreign, and arthouse films since 1953. The core offering consists of daily film screenings across multiple programming strands including repertory series, theatrical premieres, special events, and 35mm format presentations. Supporting offerings include The Brattle Film Podcast (available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify), membership programs, private rentals, gift cards, and the 35mm Film Fund for donor support of celluloid projection. The theatre is operated by The Brattle Film Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Film Screenings (Repertory Programming)
Companies that use The Brattle
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
The Brattle technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
The Brattle partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Film Noir FoundationcoreAnnual collaboration on Noir City: Boston festival, featuring classic film noir screenings with Foster Hirsch from the Film Noir Foundation. Includes special 35mm screenings of films like Gilda, To Have and Have Not.
- Screen BostoncoreCo-presents the Friday Film Matinee program at The Brattle. Screen Boston serves as a guide to repertory listings and special screenings at Greater Boston independent theatres.
- Cambridge Arts CouncilminorThe Brattle Film Foundation receives grant support from Cambridge Arts Council, a city agency, as part of its nonprofit funding.
- Boston Underground Film FestivalcoreThe Brattle serves as a venue host for the Boston Underground Film Festival, which runs March 18-22, 2026 at the Brattle and Coolidge Corner Theatre.
- Independent Film Festival of Boston (IFFBoston)coreThe Brattle hosts IFFBoston Fall Focus screenings, bringing festival circuit films to Cambridge audiences.
- Cambridge DayminorLocal press coverage and reviews of Brattle programming through Cambridge Day film critic Oscar Goff.
- STArt Film StudiominorPresents special premiere screenings including Living the Land and Cui Hu with director Q&As.
- Chinese Wushu Research InstituteminorPartnership with Bow Sim Mark's school for the 50th anniversary screenings featuring Donnie Yen films and live martial arts performances.
- GRRL HAUS CinemaminorInternational screening program dedicated to independent films by women, trans, and non-binary filmmakers. GRRL HAUS is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Massachusetts and Berlin.
- Boston Palestine Film FestivalminorThe Brattle serves as a venue host for Boston Palestine Film Festival screenings.
- Massachusetts Historical SocietyminorPartnership for Boston on Film programming exploring how Boston is depicted in movies.
- Do It Your Damn Self National Youth Film Festival (DIYDS)minorYouth film festival screening its yearly showcase at the Brattle, focused on teen filmmakers and diverse representation.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
The Brattle competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Coolidge Corner Theatre: Independent nonprofit arthouse/repertory cinema in Brookline, MA, screening classic, independent, and foreign films with similar community-supported funding model and overlapping audience with The Brattle in Greater Boston. Co-presents programming including the Frederick Wiseman Retrospective.
- The Somerville Theatre: Historic single-screen cinema in nearby Somerville, MA, programming repertory films, cult classics, and special events to a similar Greater Boston cinephile audience. Comparable in scale, programming philosophy, and geographic catchment.
- Museum of Fine Arts Boston (Film Program): Boston cultural institution that screens classic, foreign, and arthouse cinema as part of its programming, including retrospective series and filmmaker events. Collaborates with The Brattle on initiatives like the Frederick Wiseman Retrospective and competes for the same cinephile audience.
- IFC Center: Independent nonprofit-adjacent arthouse cinema in New York City specializing in independent, foreign, and repertory programming. Closely comparable in curatorial mission, special-event programming, and filmmaker engagement model.
- Film Forum: Nonprofit repertory cinema in New York City operating three screens dedicated to independent, foreign, classic, and documentary films. Most direct functional comparable to The Brattle in terms of nonprofit status, repertory focus, and curator-driven programming.
- Belcourt Theatre: Nonprofit arthouse cinema in Nashville, TN, programming independent, classic, and foreign films with similar community-supported mission and event-driven curatorial approach to The Brattle.
Broad incumbents
- Landmark Theatres: Largest U.S. chain specializing in independent and arthouse cinema with locations nationwide. Offers overlapping repertory and indie programming at commercial scale rather than community-nonprofit scale.
- Alamo Drafthouse Cinema: National dine-in cinema chain with curated repertory programming, special events, and themed series that overlap with The Brattle's event-driven approach, though operating at commercial scale rather than nonprofit.
Emerging players
- The Brattle is uniquely tied to Harvard Square, so comparable theater neighbors include the Harvard Film Archive: Nonprofit repertory cinema located on the Harvard University campus, programming classic, silent, and archival film screenings to an overlapping intellectual/cinephile audience in Cambridge, MA.
Regional players
- American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.): Adjacent Harvard Square arts institution offering live performance programming; not a cinema peer, but shares the Cambridge cultural ecosystem, donor base, and audience overlap relevant for benchmarking nonprofit arts operations.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Brattle social profiles
Digital presenceThe Brattle financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Brattle leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
The Brattle funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Brattle M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Brattle
What does The Brattle do?
The Brattle operates a single-screen repertory cinema in Harvard Square, Cambridge, MA, screening classic, cutting-edge, foreign, and arthouse films. Programming is organized into themed series (National Treasures, Noir City: Boston, Friday Film Matinee, 35mm Screenings, Special Events, Theatrical Premieres) with approximately 30% of screenings presented on 35mm film. The theatre sells tickets at the box office and online, supplemented by memberships, concessions, gift cards, private rentals, and a podcast.
Is The Brattle a public or private company?
The Brattle is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was The Brattle founded?
The Brattle was founded in 1953. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is The Brattle based?
The Brattle is headquartered in Cambridge, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Brattle make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Ticket Sales are the primary driver. The others are memberships, donations and Fundraising, concessions and private Rentals.
Who are The Brattle's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Coolidge Corner Theatre, The Somerville Theatre, Museum of Fine Arts Boston (Film Program), IFC Center, Film Forum and Belcourt Theatre. Broad incumbents are Landmark Theatres and Alamo Drafthouse Cinema. The Brattle is uniquely tied to Harvard Square, so comparable theater neighbors include the Harvard Film Archive is listed as an emerging player. American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.) is listed as a regional player.
Does The Brattle have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Brattle.
What industry is The Brattle in?
The Brattle's product category is Repertory Cinema / Independent Film Exhibition. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPADAKAF, Screening Rooms & Cinematheques (Nonprofit/Institutional), with a secondary code of MPADAKAL, Programming, Booking & Repertory Exhibition Services. Its NAICS code is 51213 and its SIC code is 7830.