Cines Verdi 100. 1926-2026

This book commemorates the one hundred years of history of the Verdi cinema, one of the most unique cultural emblems of the Gràcia neighborhood and the city of Barcelona. A cinema, but also a cultural space that, from its origins as a performance venue at the end of the 19th century to its transformation into a modern nine-screen complex, has influenced the cinematic tastes of its audiences, cultural habits, and the neighborhood itself. Cines Verdi 100 (1926-2026) is a cultural chronicle but also a collective memory that reconstructs the key moments that have marked its trajectory. Guided by journalist and writer Josep Maria Contel, a profound connoisseur of Gràcia's history, we review the beginnings of this cinema and its evolution up to the risk of closure in 1982. We also explore its firm commitment to auteur and independent cinema under Enrique Pérez, its expansion in the 1990s, and its consolidation as a national and international benchmark. The book also stands out for its rich graphic content, with photographs that accompany the narrative and allow readers to observe the passage of time not only in the cinema's architecture but also in the urban and human landscape of the Gràcia neighborhood that houses it. This material transforms the book into a veritable album of memories, evocative and deeply connected to the emotional experience of generations of viewers.