De Roma, built in 1928, was once the largest movie theatre in Antwerp with over 2000 seats. As such, Cinema Roma played an essential role in establishing Antwerp as ‘cinema city’.
However, in the late fifties, beginning sixties the attraction of the classic movie theatres began to dwindle and competition got harder. Around this time Cinema Roma showed itself fit for not only film, but moved on to being an excellent stage for Belgian cabaret acts. In the seventies it even became a regular rock temple with artists as Lou Reed, Iggy Pop, Paul McCartney and Ry Cooder making it to its billboard.
Sadly, in 1982 the curtains fell over this once glorious film and music temple, and the prestigious building slowly turned into a city cancer to be finally forgotten. Until almost 20 years later a local theater house, Rataplan, decided to reopen the old cinema. Together with hundreds of volunteers De Roma has been restored to almost all of its previous splendor, and since 2006 it can boast a year round cultural programme featuring film, theatre and music.
