New People Cinema Reopens Feb. 14-15 with Nippon Vibes Japanese Film Weekend

New People Cinema will reopen in San Francisco’s Japantown with a two-day festival that brings contemporary Japanese hits and classic cinema back to a small underground theater at 1746 Post St. The “Nippon Vibes: Japanese Cinema Weekend at New People” program, presented in collaboration with The Roxie, runs Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 14-15, and pairs modern blockbusters with midcentury milestones.

Organizers describe the weekend as focused on “awakening - a moment of return, renewal, and rediscovery through cinema across genres and generations.” The program lists four titles: Your Name (2016), Kokuho (2025), Godzilla (1954), and Throne of Blood (1957). Kokuho is billed in local coverage as “the highest-grossing Japanese live-action film ever” and is reported to begin a regular theatrical run at the Roxie and other venues on Feb. 20.

The screenings take place in the basement-level B1F space inside the NEW PEOPLE complex. NEW PEOPLE’s site describes the venue as a 143-seat underground cinema equipped with HD digital projection, 35mm film projection and a THX®-certified sound system, calling it “home to the local film community.” At least one local outlet described the theater as a 43-seat basement venue, a discrepancy that has not been reconciled publicly. Ticketing status similarly conflicts: the New People event page indicates “Tickets available HERE,” while other local listings say the Saturday-Sunday bill is already sold-out. Prospective attendees should verify live ticket inventory through Eventbrite or New People’s ticket page before heading to Japantown.

The Roxie Theater is listed as the presenting partner. The Roxie, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit at 3125 16th Street, lists support from the City and County of San Francisco, the National Endowment for the Arts, Community Vision, the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and its donors, members and volunteers. The Roxie’s phone number is (415) 431-3611; the venue also posts a land acknowledgement noting its location on the unceded Tribal lands of the Ramaytush and Muwekma Ohlone people. The Japantown Cultural District event listing includes contact details tied to the public posting: phone 650-224-5501 and email Njahs@Njahs.org, and it directs interested parties to “RSVP VIA EVENTBRITE.”

For local audiences, the reopening signals a return of curated film programming to a cultural hub on Post Street, offering both family-friendly anime and repertory classics in a concentrated weekend. The technical capabilities listed by New People - including 35mm projection and THX-certified sound - suggest organizers may present some titles in vintage or archival formats, a draw for collectors and cinephiles.

What comes next for readers is largely practical: check Eventbrite or New People’s ticket page for updated availability, and note the possible Feb. 20 roll-out of Kokuho at the Roxie if you want a wider selection of showtimes. The weekend serves as a test of local demand for repertory and international programming in Japantown, and its success will likely shape whether pop-up weekends become a regular fixture for San Francisco film communities.