After decades of closure, comings and goings, and much mystery surrounding its future, Cine Copan is finally reopening its doors!
Almost 40 years after closing its doors, the historic cinema is back in business on the ground floor of the Copan building.
In this new phase, the space is now called Nu Cine Copan, in reference to its sponsorship by Nubank. The bank’s goal was to breathe new life into the venue, which has been part of São Paulo life for decades. In this way, the brand connects with the movement to revitalize downtown São Paulo.
Photo: Disclosure/Nubank
Nu Cine Copan and the revival of street cinema
Opened in 1970, Cine Copan was born as a synonym for sophistication. With a design integrated into Oscar Niemeyer’s masterpiece, the cinema had a capacity for around 1,200 people, velvet seats, and advanced projection technology for the time.
For this (and other reasons), it was a benchmark among São Paulo’s street cinemas until it closed its doors in 1986, following the emptying of the city center and the migration of audiences to shopping malls.
In the following years, the space underwent a long period of decharacterization and abandonment—including occupation by an evangelical church. Finally, it closed its doors permanently for more than a decade.
Its reopening as Nu Cine Copan closes a seemingly endless cycle for one of the city’s most symbolic movie theaters.
Photo: Disclosure/Nubank
What’s opening now and what’s still to come
The reopening of Cine Copan will take place in stages, so check out what the schedule will look like.
Between February and April, the public will be able to return to the space even before the major renovation, in a phase considered “transitional.”
During this period, the cinema will host the show “Hamlet, sonhos que virão” (Hamlet, dreams to come), starring Gabriel Leone, with a season of 69 performances. The idea is to allow the public to circulate around the building again and reactivate the space as a cultural meeting point.
Structural work will begin in May and continue until June 2027. This is because the renovation involves the complete refurbishment of the projection room, foyer, accesses, and common areas, with a focus on accessibility and multiple uses.
When completed, Nu Cine Copan should function as a multipurpose cinema, equipped for festivals, premieres, special screenings, debates, and events related to Brazilian audiovisual media.
Photo: Disclosure/Nubank
A new cultural hub within Copan
The revival of the cinema also reinforces a larger movement of cultural reoccupation of the Copan building. The cinema foyer is integrated with the Pivô space, a contemporary art institution that has been operating in the building for over 15 years. The idea is that both spaces will occupy the mezzanine originally designed by Niemeyer as a circulation and meeting area.
With approximately 1,500 m², the foyer will operate in an integrated manner for the first time since the building’s inauguration, reinforcing Copan not only as an architectural icon, but also as an active cultural hub in downtown São Paulo.