(BRADLEY BEACH, NJ) -- Arianna Bocco, President of IFC Films, and Heidi Sirota, Chief Pet Officer of Nationwide, have joined Bradley Lab, a subsidary of the movie theatre development and management company, Cinema Lab, in their reopening of The Bradley (formerly The Showroom), it was announced by Luke Parker Bowles, Cinema Lab’s CEO. Bocco, a Bradley Beach resident, and Sirota, a Bradley Beach native, have joined the team to update the venue to create a community focused, technology-first movie going experience, featuring a slate of the latest studio films along with a thoughtfully curated selection of independent releases, film series and conversations with filmmakers that celebrate the diverse and proud culture of the Jersey Shore. The Bradley is expected to be open for business in late 2022.
“Arianna’s passion and love for Bradley Beach and cinema as a whole, was the engine that got this project rolling, and we are thrilled she brought this project to our attention,” said Parker Bowles. “Both Heidi and Arianna appreciate the historical significance of the local landmark and the intrinsic need for the community to have their cinema back. Community is core to our mission, and having a team of people who understand the importance of this amazing town ensures we will have the opportunity to give back and support the community in the best way we know how – with an elegant, safe and first-class theatrical experience. As Board Members for The Bradley, Arianna and Heidi will be our local voices and community builders and having served with Arianna as respective Chairs of BAFTA New York, I know first hand that there are few better advocates.”
“Growing up in Freehold was formative to my love of the movies and my eventual career,” said Bocco. “And reviving the Bradley Beach movie theater is essential to ensuring that future generations have access to the same kinds of experiences. Going to the movies is irreplaceable, and I am so proud to partner with Heidi and the Cinema Lab team to bring this theater back to life, in an exciting and modern way that will give this incredible community which I now call home, a first class destination.”
“I’ll always call Bradley Beach home,” said Sirota. “The iconic movies I saw at the cinema were part of the storybook of my youth. It is an honor to be part of the team that is bringing back Main Street’s gathering place as The Bradley, continuing the charm and hospitality of this special shore community.”
Prior to being promoted to President in 2020, Bocco spent over a decade overseeing acquisitions for IFC Films and IFC Midnight, the multi-platform film distribution labels owned and operated by AMC Networks, Inc. Throughout her tenure, she has acquired 800+ films for the company, including some of the most revered independent films of the last decade. Prior to IFC Films, Bocco was head of the independent feature packaging division of the Gersh Agency, and previously, she worked at Miramax Films as SVP of Acquisitions. Before Miramax, Arianna was the LA based VP of Acquisitions and Co-Production at New Line Cinema and Fine Line Features.
Heidi Sirota serves as Nationwide’s Chief Pet Officer, leading the nation’s first and largest provider of pet insurance protecting more than 1 million pets. She joined Nationwide in 2018 as vice president of marketing for the Retirement Solutions business and led an expansion of its capabilities and markets. Prior to joining Nationwide, Heidi held executive positions with UnitedHealth Group, Aetna, Connecticare, and The Phoenix Companies. She sits on a number of Boards including the Human Animal Bond Research Institute and the Second Harvest Food Bank in Orange County, California.
The partners and investors behind The Bradley share a dedication to the cinematic experience at the local level, with a team that includes a pedigree of film industry and business leaders with close ties to New Jersey: IFC President Arianna Bocco and Nationwide Chief Pet Officer Heidi Sirota join film and television industry veteran and former BAFTA New York Chairman Luke Parker Bowles; Original member of the Soho House North American team, Andy Childs and film marketing executive Brandon Jones, who act respectively as the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Marketing Officer of Cinema Lab. The executive team is rounded out by actor and director Patrick Wilson, entertainment industry veteran Vincent Onorati and media executive Erik Diehn.
Having officially opened in 1915 as a vaudeville theatre named The Palace, then known as The Beach Cinema and most recently as The Showroom Cinema, the theater was forced to close its doors during the pandemic in 2020. Upon renovations envisioned for completion in late 2022, Cinema Lab will be reopening The Bradley as a community-first experience including 3 auditoriums with state-of-the-art technology. To give back to the Bradley Beach community, the theatre will offer free screenings for families with special needs children and additionally act as a venue for events and fundraisers. The Bradley will be the second iconic New Jersey cinema to be reimagined by Cinema Lab. The Village at SOPAC was the first to open on July 22, 2021 and just over a year later, The Bradley will debut. Cinema Lab also runs The Cañon (Cañon City, CO) and is planning to add several other sites, including The Maplewood (in Maplewood, N.J.), are planned for openings later this year/early 2023. The company aims to open roughly fifteen venues in the next five years across the United States.
Cinema Lab is a movie theatre development and management company focused on community-vital cinemas. We believe movie theatres are the metaphorical and literal heart and soul of creating culture and driving economic growth for many towns and cities. We focus on a technology-first experience with expanded hot and cold menu options and a wide complement of studio, independent and uncommon alternate programming.
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