Genesis Cinema

Genesis Cinema occupies a Mile End Road building with roots as a music hall dating back to 1848, rebuilt as the Paragon Theatre in 1885 and converted into a 1,974-seat cinema in 1939. After the venue closed in 1989 and stood derelict for a decade, local electrician Tyrone Walker-Hebborn bought the building and reopened it as Genesis in 1999. The cinema now runs five screens, including two forty-seat studios for smaller, more intimate screenings, alongside a bar and food service. Genesis has stayed independent throughout its expansion, programming first-run releases next to festivals, poetry slams and other live events rather than sticking solely to mainstream distribution. The name nods to Walker-Hebborn's fondness for Star Trek. Its survival through a difficult period for independent exhibitors has made it a fixture for East London filmgoers today.