La Rampa Cinema

Black, red, grey, orange—these bold colours spell out “La Rampa” up on your right. You’re approaching the main street of Vedado, but that’s not all. Those seven large letters, in a 1970s-style font, also mark the name of the iconic La Rampa cinema, on the corner of Calle O. It’s been one of the neighbourhood’s top entertainment spots since 1955. Back in the day, this wasn’t a cinema, but home to a popular bowling alley called “Boleras Tony”. Over time, the space expanded and evolved, becoming a cafeteria, a bar, offices, and finally, a cinema, but not just any cinema. La Rampa is one of only five cinemas in the country with special privileges: it houses the national film archives and hosts exclusive preview screenings before films are shown anywhere else. Its excellent sound and projection quality—converted to digital in 2015—sets it apart. La Rampa also hosts several festivals throughout the year, including the Latin American Film Festival every December.