6. The Film Forum – West Houston Street
The Film Forum is one of the city’s largest independent film theaters. It was founded as a nonprofit in 1970 for the screening of independent films and was originally a single room with 50 folding chairs, one projector, and a $19,000 budget. It is known for its unusual selection of films and is hailed as one of New York’s leading art house theaters. Today, the theater operates three screens and controls a $4.3 million budget.