In 1917 the Cine Ideal was opened, one of the most important cinemas of the neighbourhood in Barcelona and popularly known as “El Rellis or El Rellisquín”, after the old roller skating rink that was one of the first offers of leisure for the working class of the neighbourhood.
In 1920, according to plans by architect Manuel Joaquim Raspall y Mayol, the premises were enlarged to accommodate 2,600 spectators in an area of 2,500 square metres.
In 1928, the Ideal Cinema was acquired by the Cinematográfica Nacional Española Sociedad Anónima (CINAES). During these years and during the Second Republic, political events were held, organised both by organisations and by the parties themselves.
During the 1970s, the cinema was acquired by the company of Pedro Balañá, owner of many cinemas in Barcelona, which meant modernising the centre to adapt the design of the building to the new times. In the mid-20th century, this cinema was an important place of popular entertainment, where queues formed in front of the building on weekends, so that some spectators had to watch the movies standing up. The cinema, with its more than 2500 seats, was in operation until May 13, 1984, when it closed its doors with the screening of the films Psicosis II and Paco lo seguro.
