Tony Powell, “The Last Guest Of The Holloway Motel”
The documentary The Last Guest Of The Holloway Motel by filmmaking duo Nicholas Freeman and Ramiel Petros offers a poignant look at the intersection of sports history and the evolution of West Hollywood.
The film follows Tony Powell, a standout defender for Norwich City (a professional English soccer team) in the 1970s whose career was defined by the silent burden of being a closeted athlete in the British spotlight.
After disappearing from the public eye in the 1980s, Powell found a new kind of sanctuary as the manager of the Holloway Motel on Santa Monica Boulevard.
This setting serves as a powerful metaphor throughout the film; for decades, he lived a life of quiet transit, managing the baggage of others while keeping his own history tucked away in the shadows of the lobby.
The narrative reaches its emotional climax as the Holloway Motel, a landmark fixture and the last of its kind on historic Route 66, is officially shut down by the City of West Hollywood to be converted into interim housing.
As the property prepares for its transition into a community service hub, Powell is forced to confront the end of his self-imposed exile and the closing of a chapter that spanned decades of LGBTQ+ history.
Following its successful premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival, the documentary is scheduled for a limited theatrical run at the Lumiere Cinema at the Music Hall in Beverly Hills from May 22 through May 28, 2026.
This screening provides a rare opportunity to witness a story of personal reconciliation set against the backdrop of a changing urban landscape.
WATCH THE TRAILER:
