Angelika Saleh, Namesake of Iconic Angelika Film Center, Dies at 90

The German-born co-founder of the influential indie cinema in New York City passed away after complications from Alzheimer's disease.

Published on Mar. 11, 2026

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Angelika Saleh, the co-founder of the renowned Angelika Film Center in New York City, has died at the age of 90. Saleh, who was born in Germany and later moved to the U.S., started the iconic indie cinema with her husband Joseph in 1989. The Angelika became known for its focus on independent, foreign, and art-house films, as well as its cafe and unique basement theater spaces. Saleh oversaw the programming at the Angelika, helping to launch the careers of filmmakers like Kevin Smith. The theater was sold in 1996 but the Angelika name lives on with multiple locations across the U.S. and Australia.

Why it matters

The Angelika Film Center was a pioneering indie cinema that helped shape the landscape of independent and foreign film distribution and exhibition in New York City. As one of the few remaining independent movie theaters in Manhattan, the Angelika became a hub for cinephiles and helped launch the careers of influential filmmakers. Saleh's passing marks the end of an era for this iconic New York institution.

The details

Angelika Saleh and her husband Joseph started the Angelika Film Center in 1989 after working as film producers themselves. They wanted to create a space where "more mature, better educated people" could come to see independent and foreign films and discuss them afterwards in the theater's cafe. The couple renovated the basement of the historic Cable Building to house six theaters, taking advantage of the building's former use as a cable car maintenance facility. The Angelika became known for its rumbling subway sounds that could be heard in the theaters, adding to the raw, urban experience.

  • Angelika Saleh was born on August 18, 1935 in Munich, Germany.
  • Angelika Film Center opened in September 1989 in New York City.
  • Angelika Saleh and her husband Joseph sold the Angelika Film Center in 1996 for around $12 million.
  • Angelika Saleh passed away on February 12 at the age of 90 due to complications from Alzheimer's disease.

The players

Angelika Saleh

The co-founder of the Angelika Film Center in New York City, who gave the iconic indie cinema her name. She was born in Germany and later moved to the U.S., where she met and married her husband Joseph.

Joseph Saleh

Angelika Saleh's husband, who co-founded the Angelika Film Center with her in 1989. He provided the baklava recipe for the theater's cafe and helped renovate the historic Cable Building basement to house the six theaters.

Kevin Smith

The filmmaker who had his first experience watching an independent film at the Angelika Film Center on his 21st birthday, which inspired him to make his own indie film "Clerks" that later screened at the Angelika.

Whit Stillman

The filmmaker who rented an office in the Cable Building, where the Angelika Film Center was located, and shot several scenes of his movie "Barcelona" there.

Larry Clark

The filmmaker whose movie "Kids" had an early screening at the Angelika Film Center.

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What they’re saying

“I know a whole bunch of fun facts about the Angelika, but I never knew it was named after an actual person.”

— Lea Valls, Angelika Film Center employee (Instagram)

“Our plan is to create an atmosphere where more mature, better educated people come to see special-interest domestic and foreign films and hang around later at the cafe to nosh and talk about Fellini.”

— Joseph Saleh, Co-founder, Angelika Film Center (Newsday)

“I was really just taken aback by it, like, 'Wow, this counts as a movie? Nothing's happening, really.' I was, like, 'Well, I could do this. I mean, if this counts as a movie, count me in.'”

— Kevin Smith (PBS)

What’s next

The Angelika Film Center continues to operate multiple locations in New York City, California, Texas, Virginia, and Washington D.C., as well as two theaters in Australia, carrying on the legacy of Angelika Saleh and her vision for independent cinema.

The takeaway

The Angelika Film Center, founded by Angelika Saleh and her husband Joseph, became an iconic institution that helped shape the independent film landscape in New York City. Saleh's passing marks the end of an era for this pioneering theater, but the Angelika name lives on, continuing to serve as a hub for cinephiles and a launchpad for influential filmmakers.