From Berkshire International Film Festival:
Great Barrington — The Berkshire International Film Festival (BIFF) announced on Friday, March 20, a transformative $600,000 gift to The Triplex Cinema to support critical capital improvements over the coming years. The funding, through an anonymous donor, will underwrite essential upgrades to seating, sound, and projection systems, ensuring the long-term sustainability and modernization of the beloved cultural institution in downtown Great Barrington.
“When I first approached Richard Stanley in 2005 about starting BIFF, it marked the beginning of a truly special relationship,” said BIFF founder and Artistic Director Kelley Vickery. “For 20 years, The Triplex has been more than a venue for BIFF. It has been a gathering place for storytellers, artists, and our entire community—a place where creativity, connection, and the love of cinema come alive.” She continued, “I am deeply grateful to our generous donor and to everyone who worked to save this beloved theater, not only for BIFF, but for our entire community.”
This significant investment reflects BIFF’s continued commitment to strengthening the region’s independent film ecosystem and preserving the theatrical moviegoing experience in the Berkshires.
In addition, BIFF and The Triplex solidified a long-term deal for the theater to continue as the official home of BIFF’s festival weekend for the foreseeable future. The partnership will anchor key festival events at the theater, which will also serve as a hub for BIFF’s year-round programming, further deepening the relationship between the festival and one of the county’s most important cultural venues.
“BIFF is honored to contribute to preserving the future of The Triplex,” said BIFF Board Chair Pat Fili-Krushel. “For two decades, our partnership has been essential to the growth of both organizations, and we’re excited to keep expanding, engaging, and connecting audiences through film.”
Through this ongoing partnership, BIFF and The Triplex will support one another in advancing their respective missions in the Berkshires while collaborating on select screenings and events.
“The Triplex is enormously appreciative of this generous contribution from BIFF,” stated Triplex Board Chair Gail Lansky. “Since 2023, when the community rallied to save The Triplex and purchase the cinema, we’ve been tackling essential renovations as funding allowed. With this infusion for capital improvements, we can now move forward with major upgrades to Theater 1 and Theater 3 and key improvements throughout the building, bringing the Triplex significantly closer to the goal of a state-of-the art movie theater. Through this gift, BIFF has affirmed the shared mission of our two organizations to bring great films and a vibrant moviegoing experience to the Berkshires.”
