Boxcar, located in downtown Opelika, is a nonprofit establishment opening in early 2026 that will primarily screen unique films from a variety of genres. It will have a cinema, a lounge area and a bar, while showcasing other forms of art through live performance.
The building will serve as the official venue for the Opelika-Auburn Film Arts Collective (OAFAC), an educational arts organization committed to connecting the community through film and art.
Bay Kelley and Jeffery Bennett co-founded OAFAC in 2021 to bring film education and culture to Auburn and Opelika by screening compelling, out-of-the-ordinary films. The organization has hosted educational workshops, held social gatherings and supported local artists through performances and galleries.
“The Opelika-Auburn Film Arts Collective was sort of this effort to grow interest in film, or, you know, at once measure [interest] and grow it,” said Kelley, co-founder and president of OAFAC.
Before the construction of Boxcar, OAFAC would host weekly pop-up screenings in The Jailhouse at Rock 'N Roll Pinball to see if it could garner interest to rationalize moving to a physical building. The community response proved to be enough to invest in an official space.
“We became a stage and screen for local artists to show original work while, at the same time, providing a weekly drip of content for inspiration," Kelley said. "After four years of running shows out of The Jailhouse, we ultimately decided that there was an eager audience for the kind of stuff we’re doing and that we would take a chance with opening our own nonprofit space.”
OAFAC has built a community of creatives, cinephiles and anyone who enjoys experimentation in the film and art scene.
“With Boxcar, we are building the world we want to live in," Kelley said. "One night a week in a borrowed space was lovely, but there is much more to do, and we have the energy, volunteers and patrons to do just about anything.”
Boxcar will show various film screenings five days a week, using its expansive catalog of past films rather than playing current releases.
Each day will have its own “ritual” or consistently themed night. For example, Wednesdays will primarily play horror-related pictures, while Thursdays will show more avant-garde or experimental-type films.
Similar to a commercial theater, a preroll will play before each showing. However, instead of just typical trailers, Boxcar invite local filmmakers to create commercials for local businesses and shoot mini-documentaries on influential community members.
Boxcar’s theater will have a capacity of 50 to 80 people, with tickets estimated to cost between $5 to $10. Since Boxcar will be a nonprofit, all of the money will help pay for film licensing, business expenses and anything to make the space better for patrons.
The space currently has the main theater room, a lobby area with seating, a bar serving refreshments and popcorn and a room filled with VHS tapes. The walls are also lined with paintings from artist RC Hagans, who used the previously abandoned building as a “sketchbook” for his work.
Wanting the space to evolve as it grows, Boxcar is not going to follow a set formula of only showing films. The space will also be used to highlight paintings, play music and show other art forms, such as dance and acting.
“I hope that [Boxcar] is forever changing, and I never have a firm sense of where it’s going," Kelley said. "I want it to reflect the community we have already learned in our four years.”
Visitors can expect a warm welcome when they first enter. Kelley believes that people will see and experience a space filled with heart and innovation, with unlimited possibilities for new ideas and creativity.
“I was a train-hopper back in the 90s and [longed], at times, for the escapism of riding the rails [again]," Kelley said. "I imagine the landscapes passing by the open door of the boxcar and hope to provide a similar escape for our patrons in front of the screen in a dark room.”
Kelley hopes that the experience of Boxcar will simulate an environment of curiosity, creativity and open-mindedness. He believes that by showing more obscure and “out there” films, people will gain a new perspective on life and art.
After each screening, patrons are encouraged to discuss the film in the lobby. Boxcar is not only a theater, but it is also an avenue to foster discussion and promote new perspectives for anyone willing to try.
“I think [Boxcar] is a necessity," Kelley said. "I think that it’s for a lot of people like me, artist types, creatives. We need those outlets, and we need weird stuff, and we need places to feel at home. So yeah, [Boxcar] feels like a way to provide respite and inspiration for folks."
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Sam Bainter, sophomore in English Language Arts Education, is the assistant lifestyle editor for The Auburn Plainsman.
