Theater group to hold benefit film screening

Nonprofit plans to open cinema

The Village Theater Co., a nonprofit organization that hopes to break ground in the summer for a multi-screen movie theater in Sewickley, will host a documentary film screening fundraiser at 5 p.m. Thursday in Lawrenceville.

The documentary will be shown at 6 p.m. in the Row House Cinema, 4115 Butler St. Doors open at 5. Tickets are $55, with proceeds benefiting the theater project.

“The Rise and Rise of Bitcoin” follows Daniel, a 35year old programmer from Pittsburgh who becomes intrigued with the digital currency known as bitcoin. The film exposes viewers to the impact of bitcoin through Daniel’s involvement with the currency.

“The film was made by brothers who grew up in Sewickley,” said Village Theater Co. executive director Katherine Jones. “Presenting local filmmakers and locally made films is part of the programming goals of the Village Theater Co.”

The film also features interviews with business leaders and their views on the social and political impact of bitcoin. “The Rise and Rise of Bitcoin” was nominated for Best International Documentary Film in 2014 at the Zurich Film Festival.

Daniel Mross, subject and co-producer of the film, was raised in Pittsburgh and works there as a software developer. His brother, Nick, is an independent film producer who is involved in Pittsburgh’s film industry.

Another producer of the film, Ben Bledsoe, has appeared in television shows such as “The Mentalist” and “Glee.” He met Nick Mross on the set of the film “Riddle,” starring Val Kilmer. Mr. Bledsoe founded 44th Floor Productions in 2005.

There will be a questionand-answer session following the screening with several of those involved in the production of the film.

The theater company has raised about $1.5 million.

Construction of the theater is expected to take about a year.

The Village Theater Co. has named the building the Vanguard Theater and introduced a new logo in varying shades of red and white. The logo depicts V-shaped klieg lights, used in filmmaking. The “V” in the logo also represents the trusses of the Sewickley Bridge.

The design of the building is by Balog, Steins, Hendricks & Manchester Architects Inc., and will include two film screening rooms: one with approximately 160 seats and the other with about 85 seats. The theater will also feature a multi-use community room.

“We definitely plan to break ground at 418 Walnut St. this summer,” Ms. Jones said.

They are continuing to raise money with the goal of raising an additional $1 million, “to achieve our plan of opening debt-free,” she added.

Original plans and the construction date had to be changed to avoid Hoey’s Run, an underground stream that winds under the property, through Sewickley and into the Ohio River. What Ms. Jones called “a wrinkle in the plan” was discovered in the fall.

“A new lot location and architecture plans changed the shape of the building and the footprint on the property,” she said.

Planners had to move the building away from the stream. It will be pushed back from Walnut Street, allowing for a plaza on the front of the site, which will be maintained by the borough.

In November, council approved spending nearly $11,000 for emergency work to repair the culvert beneath the building site.

Tickets: http://villagetheatercompany.com/.