GOLD2023

THE FRIDA CINEMA

Orange County's year-round film festival.

Santa Ana, CA   |  www.thefridacinema.org

Mission

The Frida Cinema is dedicated to enriching, connecting, and educating communities through the art of cinema.

Ruling year info

2010

Executive Director, Founder

Logan Crow

Main address

1505 17th St. Ste. 116

Santa Ana, CA 92705 USA

Show more contact info

Formerly known as

Long Beach Cinematheque

EIN

27-0950151

NTEE code info

Arts, Cultural Organizations - Multipurpose (A20)

Other Art, Culture, Humanities Organizations/Services N.E.C. (A99)

IRS filing requirement

This organization is required to file an IRS Form 990 or 990-EZ.

Sign in or create an account to view Form(s) 990 for 2019, 2018 and 2017.
Register now

Communication

Programs and results

What we aim to solve

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

At a time of great and challenging changes to the film exhibition industry, the very continued existence of an "art house"-model cinema is a rare accomplishment. The Frida opened at a time when the industry-wide conversion to digital cinema threw a major financial hurdle to cinemas around the world, and the rise in accessibility and popularity of film streaming platforms and devices was spreading fear that the theater-going experience would soon be obsolete - a conversation that continues today, with art houses sounding the alarm bell for survival. Our connections to, and investment in, our community continues to be strong, as are our passion for programming and commitment to our mission. Our largest challenge continues to be funding. Our museum of cinema - like any museum - cannot survive on admission alone; we rely on the fiscal support of community film and arts enthusiasts, local businesses, and non-profit donors to continue to provide quality, diverse cinematic programming.

Our programs

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?

In-Person Cinema (Paused due to COVID)

The Frida hosts hundreds of screenings annually at its two auditorium theater in Downtown Santa Ana. Each auditorium seats two hundred twenty (220) and two hundred five (205) guests respectively. Screenings include both first-run independent films and repertory screenings curated by Executive Director Logan Crow and Director of Programming and Special Events Trevor Dillian, who possess a combined two decades of independent film programming experience. Additionally, The Frida hosts a number of independent film festivals and independent film premieres throughout the year.

Population(s) Served

The Frida’s Pop-Up Drive-In Cinema welcomes hundreds of guests to each safely
social distanced film event. Primarily focused on retro classics and family friendly films, recent screenings include the familyfriendly independent animated international film Wolfwalkers, the cult classic Gremlins, the acclaimed film Taxi Driver, and a Bruce Lee double feature with Fist of Fury and The Way of the Dragon. Additionally, The Frida continues its tradition of regularly screening The Rocky Horror Picture Show at drive-ins during the COVID pandemic.

Population(s) Served

Streaming Cinema is The Frida’s newest cinematic and curatorial venture. Including a catalog of independent cult classics, repertory screenings, and first-run independent films, Steaming Cinema utilizes the same curatorial expertise of the organization’s on-site screenings while allowing community members to view films from the safety and comfort of their homes. This innovative streaming platform, utilizing the cutting-edge Eventive digital screening service, has presented more than 125 titles from around the world, with a laser-focus on the same diversity of genres and styles that The Frida’s in-person curated programming reflects.

Population(s) Served
Families
Ethnic and racial groups
Sexual identity
Families
Ethnic and racial groups
Sexual identity
Families
Ethnic and racial groups
Sexual identity

In addition to screening more than two dozen curated films monthly, The Frida also serves as a cinematic arts hub featuring screenings of local and university-level independent filmmakers’ works and hosting numerous independent film festivals and screening series annually. Prior to the COVID pandemic, regularly hosted events included Horrible Imaginings Film Festival, Hola Mexico Film Festival, Los Angeles Arts Society Semi-Monthly Film Screening series, Next Generation of Filmmakers Festival, Orange County School of the Arts Steampunk Film Festival, and SIKHlens Film and Arts Festival. The organization also welcomes high school and college students seeking a cultural institution where young creative minds can exhibit their works and/or receive mentorship through quarterly internship programs which provide students an opportunity for hands-on experience in fields including graphic design, marketing, video editing, and creative writing. The Frida also provides a supportive home for independent filmmakers by offering services including film marketing, hosting premiere screenings, exhibition technical assistance, and fiscal sponsorship, where appropriate, for film production.

Population(s) Served
Students
Artists and performers
Students
Artists and performers
Students
Artists and performers
Students
Artists and performers
Children and youth
Young adults
Activists

Where we work

Videos

Our Sustainable Development Goals

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.

Goals & Strategy

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.

Charting impact

Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.

We believe that an inherent element of our mission, and in serving one's community as a cultural institution, is the ability to take risks. An art house cinema is inherently a risk-taking organization; it is risky, for example, to bring you a quality genre or documentary film from a micro-budget distributor or studio with zero marketing dollars, rather than play a sure-fire hit that has posters plastered on buses and cereal boxes. We exist to provide our community the opportunity to experience such films. It’s similarly risky to provide some of our films and events free of charge, or offer a double-feature for the price of one ticket, or price an event at far less than what a competing cinema might charge - but access to enriching art without breaking the bank is important to us. Such is our Mission - to enrich, connect, and educate communities through the art of cinema.

Our strategy to ensure the success of our mission statement is to dedicate resources to grant writing, sponsorship outreach, and partnerships with local community leaders and educational institutions. Attaining grants that provide funding for our screenings will alleviate the financial burden of earning a profit from ticket sales, thus allowing us to program more films that are deemed essential Art House films. Sponsorships will hopefully achieve this same goal, while also supporting small, local buisnesses.

We have a small staff consisting of an Executive Director, Creative Director, Programming Director, and Operations Manager. We are supported with our daily back-end operations by interns through a partnership with a local university, and also a large roster of volunteers. Our limited staff aligns with the personality of our organization, which is being personal and making every person to feel as if someone real is interacting with them, not some faceless entity. We have a decent social media following,

Amidst the global pandemic, as an organization, we have been able to successfully pivot into Drive-In screenings and Virtual Cinema as a means to keep ourselves afloat. All of our events have been successful with a significant turnout and we are introducing ourselves to large groups who have not heard of us before.

How we listen

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.

done We shared information about our current feedback practices.

  • Who are the people you serve with your mission?

    The Frida Cinema serves film enthusiasts, children and youth, families, artists, and area nonprofit organizations through its diverse programming.

  • How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?

    To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals

  • What significant change resulted from feedback?

    The Frida has conducted a quantitative survey of audiences to gauge programming efficacy. As a result of feedback provided, The Frida increased the availability, diversity of genres, and quantity of Streaming Cinema programming and plans to expand drive-in screenings in the year ahead as well.

  • Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?

    We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on demographics (e.g., race, age, gender, etc.), We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive, We ask the people who gave us feedback how well they think we responded

  • What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?

    It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback, We don’t have the right technology to collect and aggregate feedback efficiently, It is difficult to find the ongoing funding to support feedback collection, Staff find it hard to prioritize feedback collection and review due to lack of time

Financials

THE FRIDA CINEMA
lock

Unlock financial insights by subscribing to our monthly plan.

Subscribe

Unlock nonprofit financial insights that will help you make more informed decisions. Try our monthly plan today.

  • Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
  • Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
  • Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations

Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights?
Learn more about GuideStar Pro.

Operations

The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.

lock

Connect with nonprofit leaders

Subscribe

Build relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.

  • Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
  • Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
  • Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations

Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.

lock

Connect with nonprofit leaders

Subscribe

Build relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.

  • Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
  • Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
  • Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations

Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.

THE FRIDA CINEMA

Board of directors
as of 01/19/2023
SOURCE: Self-reported by organization
Board chair

Allen Moon

Allen Moon

Tish Leon

Atalia Lopez

M. Giselle Crow, PsyD

Laura Vasquez

Board leadership practices

SOURCE: Self-reported by organization

GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.

  • Board orientation and education
    Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes
  • CEO oversight
    Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? No
  • Ethics and transparency
    Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes
  • Board composition
    Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes
  • Board performance
    Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? No

Organizational demographics

SOURCE: Self-reported; last updated 1/3/2023
info Candid has made improvements to the race and ethnicity options.

Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.

Leadership

The organization's leader identifies as:

Race & ethnicity
Hispanic/Latino/Latina/Latinx
Gender identity
Male, Not transgender (cisgender)
Sexual orientation
Gay, lesbian, bisexual, or other sexual orientations in the LGBTQIA+ community
Disability status
Person with a disability

Race & ethnicity

Gender identity

 

Sexual orientation

Disability

Equity strategies

Last updated: 01/20/2022

GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more

Data
  • We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and / or portfolios.
  • We analyze disaggregated data and root causes of race disparities that impact the organization's programs, portfolios, and the populations served.
  • We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
  • We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
Policies and processes
  • We use a vetting process to identify vendors and partners that share our commitment to race equity.
  • We have a promotion process that anticipates and mitigates implicit and explicit biases about people of color serving in leadership positions.
  • We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
  • We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
  • We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
  • We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.