BC MOMA will be two years old this year, so I took a subway down to Dongzhimen to visit the cinema complex and see what leeway had been made in China’s supposed underground film Mecca. For those unfamiliar, BC MOMA—not to be confused with the Museum of Modern Art—has an adorable architectural program, something like Sino-Modern if I may coin the term. Imagine a host of contemporary impulses all finding expression in the numerous buildings housed in one residential block.

As you stroll through the complex you’ll notice lovely hues of every colour poking out from the grey. Grand MOMA claims these are all colours picked in semblance to Buddhist eves and minority group heritages. All are arranged according to the Book of Changes. At night, one could imagine the reflection pool capturing ghostly images projected onto the surface of the central diamond building. The complex is easy to spot from blocks away, and it’s the most eye-catching piece of architectural work in city next to the derelict eyesore, which is the former CCTV tower.

The larger project of the Grand MOMA complex is not exactly centred on film—it just so happens that theatres occupy the physical centre. Grand MOMA claims the residential project is meant to bring Beijing into the spiritual future (of consumerism). Residents can boast of the hefty rent tag (16, 000 RMB per month) as well as their compound providing a toast to the town’s greatest musicians, chefs and painters; located in the metropolitan centre of Beijing (Dongzhimen). It’s also a completely green complex. Steven Holl Architects have crafted Grand MOMA on the blade’s edge of sustainability. All rooms feature constant humidity and temperature, a ground source heat pump, fresh air replacement and gray water treatment. Each of the nine towers is connected by sky bridges, which also feature luxurious amenities like indoor swimming, pubs, and a gallery. If none of those suit you, the ground level theatres keep mainstream releases in regular rotation.

If you’re interested in interior design, check out the Kubrick bookstore. It’s a lovely shade of chartreuse but features very few foreign language books. They do, however, keep a large stock of theatrical release posters from a range of generations in film. Looking for something to cover up that empty corner? Check here. 

The lending library is also available on the ground floor and has an excellent selection of films on DVD. If you’d like to browse their selection before making the trip over, check their online database. You might need a Chinese friend to help because the English version of the BC MOMA site is still under construction.

To be fair, every Saturday starting at 19:00, BC MOMA hosts a selection of documentaries produced in a variety of places—mainly Chinese places. Sure, the theatre has every intention of soliciting more contemporary, European treasures, but little has been done to increase traffic of foreign directors. Similarly, little has been done to complete the Kino Pub on the ground floor. If Disney has a hard time getting films on mainland theatres, it’s highly questionable whether there is such a government ordained audience for European features here. At any rate, the verdict on BC MOMA is that while the physical location is nice, it’s a long way from captivating global audiences.

Broadway Cinematheque MOMA 当代MOMA百老汇电影中心 View In Map
Add: Building T4, Northern Estate, 1 Xiangheyuan Lu, Dongzhimen Wai, Chaoyang District, Beijing
地址：北京市 东城区东直门外香河园路 1 号当代MOMA 北区T4 座。东直门地铁西北口转 18 路香河园路站
Opening hours: 18:10-22:00 (during trial period. Hours will be extended in late November)
Tel: 010 8438 8257, 8438 8202
Website: http://www.bc-cinema.cn
Getting there: Take the subway to Dongzhimen. Exit the station from the northern exit, then take bus no.18 to Xiangheyuan Lu stop.

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Keywords: Hong Kong Cinematheque in Beijing BC MOMA BEIJING Arthouse Film Beijing