ROBERT PACILIO

In 1947, the Grand Opening of the Art Deco styled Village Theater on the island of Coronado, just a ferry ride from downtown San Diego, is a by-invitation-only affair. A jubilant audience, hopeful that war will never again appear on the American horizon, is treated to the Best Picture of the Year: Gentleman’s Agreement. However, the decades to follow are anything but peaceful. The headlines scream of assassinations, racial hatred and jungle warfare.

 

Into this vortex, four young lovers try to navigate to safety. Jack Adams and Greg Larson discover that the scars of Vietnam are far more permanent than any medals pinned to their uniforms, and their wives Abby DiFranco and Raquel Mendez bear the brunt of the sorrow these men carry home. But at least they have Hollywood, and the Village Theater becomes an escape from these turbulent decades. Couched in red plush seats, they witness the evolution of America’s bright innocence transform to dark cynicism and heartbreaking tragedy.

 

Fifty years later, the Village Theater, dilapidated and eventually shuttered, becomes an eyesore on Orange Avenue. The Restoration of that theater parallels the lives of those lovers and the belief that by returning the Village Theater to its original grandeur, they are actually restoring themselves—heart and soul. In The Restoration, it becomes clear that “you have to break down walls to reconfigure, remodel, and renovate…you have to leave the best memories and create new ones.” The Restoration of Village Theater, its closure, and eventual renovation is based in fact. However, its fictional characters discover that 'the movies' can enlighten, inspire, and heal one's broken heart.