The Last Picture Shows | Seattle News

When filmmaker Rustin Thompson set out to document the dying breed of small-town movie theaters across the American West, he expected decay—until he met Tiny Pedersen, the passionate owner of the Desert Theater in Burns, Oregon, who convinced him to pivot from gloom to hope. What emerged was “The Last Picture Shows,” a moving portrait of community resilience, featuring theaters still thriving against all odds—from a century-old Ruby Theatre in Chelan to a newly opened cinema in Winthrop, Washington. Thompson’s hands-on, no-frills approach—showing up unannounced, chatting with concession workers, and capturing raw, unfiltered voices—gave the film its soul. Now celebrated at festivals and in theaters nationwide, the documentary is also being used as a free fundraising tool, with Thompson hosting screenings across Washington to help these cultural lifelines survive. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/ed5fcdf7cc0ebc5c