Independent theaters are considered essential for a city’s cultural memory, offering audiences films with a unique appeal, according to visitors. “The film selection is fantastic. I imagine the curators are very thoughtful people who want audiences to see the kind of movies they themselves would love to watch,” one moviegoer said.

At LT3, curator Costa personally selects the lineup, focusing on art-house films from Brazil and abroad. During a recent visit by The Associated Press, the theater was showing a restored screening of Paris, Texas, part of a citywide retrospective celebrating German director Wim Wenders’ 80th birthday.

For 63-year-old regular Maída Alves, the theater holds emotional significance. After seeing public spaces empty during the pandemic, she values LT3 as a rare place for shared experiences. Alves also praised Costa’s hands-on involvement, noting that he sells tickets, makes popcorn, cleans, runs films, and answers phones. “It fascinates me. It shows how you have to take initiative to pursue a dream, which I imagine is his life’s dream,” she said.

Costa admitted running an independent theater can be challenging, particularly financially, but said he is happy doing what he loves. Inspired by Cinema Paradiso, he has a painting of Toto—the film’s protagonist—outside the theater, reflecting his own lifelong devotion to movies.

Observing audiences every day for the past three years, Costa says he has gained insight into human nature. “Some people leave a film crying while others don’t understand it at all. What affects one person emotionally doesn’t have the same effect on another,” he said. He added that cinema has the power to transform people and that no one leaves a theater the same as when they entered.