28-07-2025
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
Free outdoor movie nights bring classic films to San Francisco's Union Square
Imagine watching the opening scene of Alfred Hitchcock's ' The Birds,' with star Tippi Hedren crossing in front of San Francisco's Union Square as the title creatures begin to amass, while actually seated on Union Square.
That will happen, thanks to 'Cinema on the Square,' a free three-film Saturday night outdoor movie series that begins Aug. 16 with ' Mrs. Doubtfire,' Chris Columbus ' 1993 San Francisco-shot comedy classic starring Robin Williams. The evening begins at 6 p.m. with a preshow that includes a Mrs. Doubtfire look-alike contest.
Other screenings include ' Big Hero 6 ' (2014), an animated robotics and tech movie set in 'San Fransokyo,' on Sept. 20; and 'The Birds' (1963), which was filmed mostly in Bodega Bay, on Oct. 4. Each screening will be preceded by a preshow featuring movie trivia, prizes and entertainment. For more information, go to
The series is presented by Mayor Daniel Lurie, the Office of Economic and Workforce Development, Alamo Drafthouse and Biederman Redevelopment Ventures Corporation, a consulting firm tasked with programming and reimagining Union Square.
'Our administration is working every day to bring energy and vibrancy back to downtown, and events like Cinema on the Square are building on that momentum,' Lurie said in a statement. 'When downtown is dynamic, visitors come to our city and support our businesses and restaurants — that's how we support our economic recovery.'
Cinema on the Square is billed as the latest in BRV's 200 days of programming in Union Square, part of Lurie's efforts to reinvigorate the beleaguered district, which the city says is visited by 10 million people a year and offers more than 4.8 million square feet of retail space.
'We want everyone to feel like there's something for them downtown. Whether you're a shopper, food-lover, or just enjoy people-watching — there's a lot of new energy in and around Union Square, and these free movie nights add another reason to make a day of it,' said OEWD Executive Director Anne Taupier in a statement.
And watch out for those birds.
