During most journeys by air, watching movies is an on-plane activity. Unless, that is, you’re stuck on a layover and try to entertain yourself with movies on your tiny phone screen. 

But if you’re at the Portland International Airport (PDX), you don’t have to content yourself with the small screen. A marquee advertising the Hollywood Theater glitters in the C concourse, drawing weary passengers to venture into its dark interior.

With 22 seats and a rotating slate of locally made short films, the Hollywood Theater is a rare opportunity to enjoy yourself in the airport without spending any money (admission is free.) The theater itself, which opened in 2017, also represents a slice of Portland history. The actual, full-sized Hollywood Theater sits on Sandy Boulevard a little more than five miles away. When it opened in 1926, it showed both vaudeville and silent film. Today, it hosts live shows, as well as showing modern and classic movies. The theater, which is a non-profit, accepts submissions for the short films and documentaries that screen at PDX’s mini movie hall.