Nairobi Film Centre

Uchumi House, 2nd Floor, Aga Khan Walk,
Nairobi

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Additional Info

Previously operated by: Fox Circuit

Functions: Movies (Independent)

Previous Names: Nairobi Cinema

Phone Numbers: Box Office: 2542.033.8058

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The Nairobi Cinema was a modern single screen cinema which opened in 1972. Seating was provided in stalls and balcony levels. It was built by the Kenyan Government and leased out to the Kenya Film Corporation (a Government owned film distributor). It played movies from Paramount, Columbia, Universal & MGM. It boasted the largest screen in East Africa. It was built to compete against 20th Century Fox who operated the Kenya Cinema and the 20th Century Cinema, both located just a few blocks away. From 1996 it was operated by the locally owned Fox Theatres chain, who had taken over the theatres operated by 20th Century Fox.

Sadly, the Nairobi Cinema was closed on 12th October 2010, a victim of DVD piracy and the internet. It stood vacant for several years and was later reopened as the Nairobi Film Centre for upcoming directors and actors. It is the only surviving single screen cinema in Kenya. In May 2023 it was declared to be a historical building.

Contributed by Ken Roe

Recent comments (view all 3 comments)

Mike Rogers
Mike Rogers on February 19, 2011 at 3:21 am

Geez,Ken what kind of Films were even allowed to be played in that Dicatorship.

HH1
HH1 on July 2, 2011 at 9:33 pm

hollywood movies….only! royal circle was very comfortable; curved screen meant you could sit right by the wall and still view the screen comfortably; few cinema that had a projection room on the ground floor

HH1
HH1 on July 2, 2011 at 9:36 pm

this cinema was originally built by the govt run Kenya Film Corporation in the 1970’s until KFC became insolvent in the mid 1990’s.

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