Cine Yara
Calle L 363,
Vedado,
Havana
Calle L 363,
Vedado,
Havana
1 person
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Previously operated by: Warner Bros. Circuit Management Corp.
Architects: Martin Dominguez, Miguel Gaston, Emilio del Junco III
Firms: Junco, Gaston & Dominguez
Functions: Movies (Film Festivals), Movies (First Run)
Previous Names: Teatro Warner Radiocentro
Nearby Theaters
News About This Theater
- Jan 5, 2010 — Havana's old movie houses offer escape
Cine Yara was built between 1945 and 1947, it opened on 23rd December 1947 as the Teatro Warner Radiocentro with 1,650 seats, and was operated by Warner Bros. It is located in the Vedado district of Havana on Calle L at Esquina 23.
It is a pioneering building of the ‘Modern Movement’ in Cuba and was designed by architects Emilio de Junco III, Miguel Gaston and Manuel Domiguez. The cinema is part of a complex which includes an office block that contains its stage fly-tower. The main auditorium is used for film, with three 30-seat capacity rooms for video projection, located upstairs.
It is considered the ‘main’ cinema in Havana and hosts many film festivals and gala screenings. In 2015 it became one of the first cinemas in Cuba to be equipped with digital projection. It retained a 35mm projector to allow screening classic films.
Contributed by
Lost Memory
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Recent comments (view all 24 comments)
Hi have just posted picture of when it was Radio Centro Cinerama
Lostmemory, I have a list of most (134) movie theaters and a few photographs in Havana and environs, with their seating capacity. Does the site have an e-mail address where I could send it? I’m not on Facebook, YouTube, don’t have a scanner, don’t tweet or anything modern, my limit is e-mail.
Guarina. If you click on ‘About’ at the top right of the page, you will be sent to a page which will give details of how to contact us by clicking ‘Contact’. You can send your list & photos to us by clicking on the ‘theatre updates’ address….
This theater first opened on December 23, 1947 with the name Warner (Warner-Pathé) as part of the CMQ Radiocentro complex, owned by brothers Goar and Abel Mestre. I remember seeing Los Chavales de España on stage. It was later adapted for Cinerama. It is erroneously positioned on the street map in El Cerro, it was on L and 23 Streets in Vedado.
Pic of Cine Yara in 1940’s as Warner, added to Photo Section.
guarina, are the newer digital projection / film systems in use in this or other Cuban Theater’s? Just curious about the fascinating Cuban Theater history and evolution. Thanks
This vintage photo of the Warner from the University of Miami Libraries Cuban Heritage Collection probably dates from 1949 or 1950. The feature film on the marquee, Los amantes, starring Cornel Wilde and Patricia Knight, was originally released in the United States in 1949 as Shockproof.
Cimarron, I left Cuba in July 1961 and don’t know what systems are in use now, but, judging by the decay of quality of life in the last half a century, I doubt they have any new digital systems. You just have to look at the state of the facades.
guarina, that makes sense. Hopefully, things will improve for the Cuban People and Country. Thanks
Yara is a river in Oriente province.