Founded in 2009, The Flicks is Phnom Penh’s first independent art house movie theater, known for its cozy atmosphere, community-focused events, and diverse indie movie lineups. After closing in 2021 due to the pandemic, we relocated and relaunched the beloved venue into a fully renovated Khmer townhouse on Street 320 in BKK3, opening in September 2026.
From 2009 to the Present Day, The Flicks Community Movie Theater is a beloved part of Phnom Penh’s cultural scene — the city’s only independent, licensed art house movie theater dedicated to screening the Better Films for the local expat, tourist, and local communities.
Founded with heart and sustained by passion, The Flicks offers a unique alternative to mainstream cinema: a cozy air-conditioned 28-seats movie room, The Best Popcorn in Town, and a rotating lineup of foreign films, festival winners, classics, documentaries, and indie gems on a big screens with Dolby Atmos Surround Sound. Whether you are lounging in our comfy seats or sharing a drink before the show, you are part of something special.
Where It All Began
The Flicks journey started in early 2009 when a New Zealand couple, Martin and Jeanette Robinson, transformed a pre-Khmer Rouge villa into the first Flicks Festival Movie House. Located on Street 95 near Tuol Sleng, it quickly became a local favorite.
In 2011, after an online fundraising campaign saved the venue from closure, a young Dutch entrepreneur took over. Under his guidance, the movie theater was revitalized — the bar expanded and the lobby upgraded. It became more than just a movie theater; it became a community hub.
Three locations and a new chapter
The success of the original location led to the opening of The Flicks 2 on Street 130 in 2012, and The Flicks 3 on Street 258 (now The Box Office) in 2014. Together, they created a cozy movie network across Phnom Penh — until 2017, when The Flicks 2 and 3 closed their doors. The Flicks 3 location continued for another year as the Tarantino Movie Theater.
The original Flicks on Street 95 carried the torch beautifully until August 8, 2021, when the curtain temporarily fell due to the ongoing challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and its landlord doubling the rent. Phnom Penh’s indie film scene went quiet.
The Relaunch: Rolling the Reels Again
But you can’t keep a good community movie theater down. In 2025, the Dutch entrepreneur returned to Phnom Penh with one singular mission: bring the movie magic back. Thanks to the overwhelming support of our community, a successful crowdfunding push, and months of searching for the ideal space, a brand new home as found in a fully renovated traditional Khmer townhouse on #29, Street 320, in BKK3 (just next to the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum). Featuring a ground-floor lobby lounge bar and an air-conditioned movie room upstairs that fits 28 people in comfort.
The Flicks Experience
Community Movie Theater: Keeping independent movie culture alive and thriving in Phnom Penh.- Perks: Legendary popcorn, cold drinks, and outside food orders from our partners delivered directly to your seat during your screening.
- Atmosphere: Fully air-conditioned, relaxed, and intimate — the way movie experiences should be.
The space is also available for private screenings, birthday parties, corporate events, or simply for those who want a cinema room all to themselves.
Powered by Community
The Flicks has always been more than a business — it is a non-profit community project, run and backed entirely by cinema lovers. All profits are reinvested into the cinema and used to support or sponsor Phnom Penh’s broader cultural scene, just as we have historically done with:
- The Phnom Penh Players amateur theatre group
- Nerd Night Phnom Penh (a bi-monthly intellectual social gathering)
- Comedy in Cambodia
- Annual performances of The Vagina Monologues
- Open air cinema nights, literary journals, expat city guides, and more
