Film At Lincoln Center Closes Two Movie Theaters, Postpones New Directors/New Films

Film at Lincoln Center has closed the Walter Reade Theater and the Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center as of 5 pm ET Thursday and is postponing the 49th New Directors/New Films in response to health concerns related to the coronavirus. The news comes as New York State moves to ban large gatherings and cultural institutions across the city shut down

FLC said New Directors/New Films as well as the 46th Chaplin Award Gala honoring Spike Lee will be rescheduled for later this fall.

Performing arts institutions on the Lincoln Center campus including the New York Philharmonic, the Metropolitan Opera  and Lincoln Center Theater also suspended public performances. The theater, and all of Broadway, will be closing as New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced plans to ban gatherings of more than 500 people in the state. 

The Metropolitan Museum of Art said it would temporarily shut its Fifth Avenue flagship and two other locations — the Met Breuer, on Madison Avenue, and the Met Cloisters in northern Manhattan — on Friday. It didn’t announce a reopening date but said it’s going to do a thorough cleaning and provide an update next week.

Lincoln Center said, “We regret any inconvenience caused by these changes; information regarding refunds and exchanges will follow. We are continuing to monitor the situation closely in consultation with our LCPA colleagues as well as government and health officials and will provide updates as needed.”

FLC Executive Director Lesli Klainberg said the organization’s top priority “remains the health, wellness, and safety of our staff, audiences, and artists. We remain committed to our nonprofit mission—supporting the art and elevating the craft of cinema.