Emelyn Stuart made history as the first Afro-Latina to own a movie theater in New York City and she did it on her own terms.
Faced with rejection from major theatrical distributors who said her content wasn’t “good enough,” Stuart didn’t fold. Instead, she went all in, selling her house and her BMW to bring independent films to the big screen in her Brooklyn community.
“I couldn’t get theatrical distribution for my films,” Stuart explained in an NBC New York interview. “So we sold the house. Sold my BMW. You name it, we sold it.”
That bold decision led to the creation of Stuart Cinema & Café in Greenpoint, a community-centric theater that feels more like home than Hollywood. Guests are greeted with homemade empanadas and slices of tres leches cake, proving that comfort and culture can share the marquee.
“I’m a servant,” Stuart says. “I believe that you can be a for-profit business and still do good for your community—and make money.”
The learning curve was steep. In her early days, Stuart didn’t even know she needed studio licensing. But she learned fast. Since then, her theater has become a hub for independent filmmakers and underserved audiences looking for more than the traditional blockbuster fare.
Now, Stuart is expanding.
A second screen is being built next door. New locations are coming to Moore Street Market and Brownsville, bringing accessible entertainment and opportunity to even more neighborhoods in Brooklyn.
More than a businesswoman, Emelyn Stuart is a mother, a risk-taker, and a community visionary.
“You don’t know who owns the AMC or the Regal,” she said. “But here—I’m easy to find.”
