Hanoi already had movie theaters a century ago. More opened after 1954. They helped spread culture and met people’s entertainment needs. Today, photos of old cinemas are often reposted on online forums that preserve memories of Hanoi and recall the art and entertainment scene from earlier decades.
Pathé Cinema opened on Aug. 10, 1920. According to the National Archives Center No. 1, Hanoi held its first film screenings in the early 20th century at the Metropole Hotel. They were later expanded to other venues and attracted middle class audiences. A French businessman named Aste rented land near Ba Kieu Temple and built Pathe Cinema after seeing strong business potential in the film industry
Its name was changed later to Variétés, though it is not clear when. The building stood near a tram line and several religious sites. Over time, officials considered it unsuitable for its surroundings. The cinema closed after 13 years when the land lease expired.
Chuong Vang Cinema (Golden Bell cinema) was located at 72 Hang Bac Street. The building first operated as Thang Long Theater and hosted traditional Vietnamese performances such as tuong and cheo.
In 1925, the theater focused on cai luong performances and changed its name to Cai Luong Theater.
In the early 1940s, members of the Chinese community on Ta Hien Street bought the theater, renamed it Cinema Trung Quoc (Chinese Cinema) and screened Hong Kong films.
In 1951, artist Kim Chung and her husband Tran Viet Long bought the place, formed the Kim Chung cai luong troupe, and renamed the theater Van Lang. Following their move to the South after 1954, the theater came under public management, and the Hanoi Department of Culture officially renamed the venue Chuong Vang in 1956
An early 20th century postcard shows Cinema Palace in a classical French architectural style. The building was financed and constructed by Indochine Films et Cinéma.
In his 2012 book "Walking Across Hanoi," writer and journalist Nguyen Ngoc Tien wrote: "The first films shown in Hanoi were silent movies. Audiences did not watch talking films until the mid 1930s, when cinemas screened "All Quiet on the Western Front." However, the film was in French, and so only French speakers could understand it. To attract more viewers, cinemas translated the films into Vietnamese and hired narrators to explain them."
Photographer Harrison Forman captured cyclo drivers and rickshaw pullers standing in front of Eden Cinema on Paul Bert Street, now Trang Tien Street, circa 1940.
Cinema Palace later became Eden Cinema. In 1954, its name was changed to Cong Nhan Cinema. It later became the headquarters of the Hanoi Drama Theater.
Journalist Daniel Roussel photographed crowds of people on bicycles riding past Thang Tam Cinema (August Cinema) while serving as Vietnam correspondent for the newspaper L'Humanité from 1980 to 1986.
This photo was displayed at the Vietnam Crossroads exhibition held in Hanoi in November 2025.
Thang Tam Cinema opened in the 1940s as Majestic on Dong Khanh Boulevard, now Hang Bai Street.
It initially served only French officers, civil servants and wealthy Vietnamese families, but later became a popular destination for the general public.
During the 1980s and 1990s, many people considered Thang Tam Cinema one of Hanoi's most luxurious theaters because of its central location and large screening halls.
A photo from around 1950 shows Kinh Do Cinema at 57 Cua Nam Street. The venue became a nightclub in the 1990sand is now an amusement complex and business center.
In his 2018 book "A Time When Hanoi Sang," writer Truong Quy said Hanoi had 16 cinemas, when the new government took over in 1954.
A 1953 photo shows the premiere of the film "Ben Cu" at Olympia Cinema on Duong Thanh Street. It was completed in 1936 mainly to serve the French.
After the French were overthrown in 1954, its name was changed to Hong Ha Cinema, and it hosted tuong, cheo and cai luong performances.
In 2001, the Ministry of Culture and Information transferred management of Hong Ha Cinema to the Vietnam Tuong Theater, which later became the National Traditional Theater of Vietnam.
*All photos are compiled from the archival sources of the National Archives Center I, Harrison Forman, and Daniel Roussel
