Culture
This Summer’s Best Outdoor Cinemas
IntroMultiplexes are great, art houses are cool, but there’s something about seeing a film in the great outdoors that makes cinema seem a little bit more special. During the summer season in particular, anything can potentially be a cinema – beaches, castles, even a caravan! Here are our picks for this summer’s best and most spectacular places to catch a film around the world…
0/22
Culture
This Summer’s Best Outdoor Cinemas.
StarsStars And Stripes Drive-In Theater, Texas – Where better to start than with a real, authentic American drive-in? The US cinema tradition is a part of pop culture, but has been dying off in recent years. Happily, this small chain of movie fans keep the dream alive, showing movies on three screens all year round. driveinusa.com [Photo: Jim Flynn, Courtesy Photo/Stars & Stripes Drive-In Theatre]
1/22
Culture
This Summer’s Best Outdoor Cinemas.
VivoVivo Open Air, Brazil – Running for several years, a giant 325sqm screen takes over several Brazilian cities to show classics, blockbusters, new releases and an array of accompanying entertainment. The programme usually starts later in the year, just in time for the Brazilian summer. recife.openairbrasil.com.br
2/22
Culture
This Summer’s Best Outdoor Cinemas.
VOXVOX OUTDOOR, Dubai – While most outdoor cinemas are a special event, Middle Eastern cinema chain VOX have set up a permanent one on the roof of the Galleria Mall in Dubai. Essentially a rooftop terrace with a cinema screen, the lush decking and comfortable seats ensure a touch of luxury alongside the outdoor experience. uae.voxcinemas.com
3/22
Culture
This Summer’s Best Outdoor Cinemas.
SommerkinoSommerkino Kulturforum, Berlin – Another benefit of outdoor cinema is often the backdrop, accompanying the best of the silver screen with breathtaking panoramas. This al fresco festival offers you a deckchair (with sloped seating for an unencumbered view), hit films and, most spectacularly, a view of the area surrounding Potsdamer Platz. What more could you ask for? yorck.de/kinos/sommerkino-kulturforum [Photo: Yorck Kino Gruppe]
4/22
Culture
This Summer’s Best Outdoor Cinemas.
Summer KinoSummer Kino Festival, Rome – The Eternal City boasts one of the more vibrant outdoor film festivals, with surrounding stalls and events giving it the feel of a block party. With Italy’s rich cinematic heritage, the festival has become a must-see for visitors every year. Non-Italian speakers beware, however – all films are shown in their native language! ilkino.it
5/22
Culture
This Summer’s Best Outdoor Cinemas.
BijlmerbiosBijlmerbios, Amsterdam – Want to feel at the pulse of the city? This BYOS (bring your own seat) festival screens movies under a metro station bridge, free of charge, featuring a variety of challenging and thought-provoking films. The next edition begins in August and is a must for those seeking something truly different. iamsterdam.com
6/22
Culture
This Summer’s Best Outdoor Cinemas.
YotelRooftop Cinema Club At Yotel, New York – Ever wanted to watch Annie Hall – or any other of the countless movies set in New York City – surrounded by the skyline that inspired it? While skyscrapers on view will remind you where you are, the ambient city noise can be cancelled out with complimentary headphones as you watch classics old and new. yotel.com
7/22
Culture
This Summer’s Best Outdoor Cinemas.
CinespiaCinespia At Hollywood Forever Cemetery, Los Angeles – The spirit of Tinsel Town surrounds you, quite literally, as this popular LA venue shows old favourites near the graves of icons such as Mel Blanc, Rudolph Valentino and Cecil B Demille. The macabre feel also makes it a popular place for horror screenings, like the Season 7 premiere of The Walking Dead. cinespia.org [Photo: Kelly Lee Barrett]
8/22
Culture
This Summer’s Best Outdoor Cinemas.
ForestForest Movie Festival, Tokyo – There’s an otherworldly feel to this unique festival, which screens short films and features in serene wooded surroundings, all through the night. One of the first entirely outdoor festivals in the country, it’s earned a loyal following from patrons who have helped crowdfund the event in the past. forest-movie-festival.jp
9/22
Culture
This Summer’s Best Outdoor Cinemas.
KamariKamari Open-Air Cinema, Santorini – As if the Greek island itself weren’t paradise enough, Santorini boasts a popular outdoor cinema which runs every year from May right through the summer season. Now in its 30th iteration, the surrounding trees and amphitheater seating are the perfect blend of classic and modern. cinekamari.gr
10/22
Culture
This Summer’s Best Outdoor Cinemas.
Royal BotanicThe Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh – More than simply a green space, the variety of plants and landscape design in these gardens will transport you far from the city lights; and with The Jungle Book lined up to open this year’s programme, the surroundings will truly make the experience feel immersive! thelunacinema.com [Photo: Ham/Wikimedia Commons]
11/22
Culture
This Summer’s Best Outdoor Cinemas.
Kensington PalaceKensington Palace, London – If you’re looking to feel regal, how about an evening of cinema in the home of the future king of England? Kensington Palace is a world-renowned venue, and the fact that it’s the official residence of Princes William and Harry may distract you from the adventures of The Goonies, Bridget Jones or JK Rowling’s Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, all showing this year. thelunacinema.com
12/22
Culture
This Summer’s Best Outdoor Cinemas.
Cardiff CastleCardiff Castle, Wales – A royal palace not good enough? How about an ancient castle? You’ll easily be enthralled by the 11th-century architecture, or at least be put in the mood for an atmospheric movie! You can watch the first Harry Potter film and more this year, against the backdrop of this imposing landmark – the perfect setting for a magical night. thelunacinema.com
13/22
Culture
This Summer’s Best Outdoor Cinemas.
CineThisioCine Thisio, Athens – A truly astounding site for any movie fan, Greece’s oldest outdoor cinema is regularly considered one of the world’s best. Featuring a screening almost engulfed in greenery, the venue’s USP is of course the towering Acropolis, offering a view you will not get anywhere else in the world. cine-thisio.gr [Photo: Vasilios Koutroumanos]
14/22
Culture
This Summer’s Best Outdoor Cinemas.
BondiBondi Beach, Sydney – Each year during the Australian summer (Dec-Feb), sun-kissed Bondi Beach shows a number of new releases (the past season saw Oscar-winning La La Land and Will Smith’s Collateral Beauty, among other), in what the organisers describe as an atmosphere more akin to a music festival. openaircinemas.com.au/bondi
15/22
Culture
This Summer’s Best Outdoor Cinemas.
Hot TubHot Tub Cinema – Now in its 5th year, Hot Tub Cinema combines two elements – hot tubs and cinema, obviously – to create a night out you never knew you needed. Immensely popular in the UK, the nights have expanded to New York and Ibiza, even playing host to the premiere of Harmony Korine’s Spring Breakers. hottubcinema.com
16/22
Culture
This Summer’s Best Outdoor Cinemas.
Red RocksRed Rocks Amphitheater, Denver – Though it’s of course man-made, this open-air structure seems to be a natural part of the overwhelmingly beautiful landscape. The amphitheatre most regularly serves as a concert venue due to the remarkable acoustics, but the site also hosts a season of films in June, creating an almost alien environment perfect for sci-fi screenings – or simply seeing your favourite films a little differently. redrocksonline.com [Photo: Adam Reeder/Flickr]
17/22
Culture
This Summer’s Best Outdoor Cinemas.
Brockwell LidoBrockwell Lido, London – While watching Jaws in the water sounds horrifying to us, it’s made this South London public pool an unlikely hit with cinephiles. The slightly less intimidating ‘80s comedy Splash is also on the programme for this year, and viewers can either watch the action unfold from the side of the pool or in the dinghies available! thelunacinema.com
18/22
Culture
This Summer’s Best Outdoor Cinemas.
Out of the boxCinema Out Of The Box, Montreal – Cinema gets sustainable in this mobile Canadian event featuring films powered by people on bicycles! This unusual method allows the cinema to be portable and versatile, meaning the educational project has been popping up all over the city. facebook.com/mobilecinemamontreal
19/22
Culture
This Summer’s Best Outdoor Cinemas.
Sol CinemaSol Cinema, UK – A hit at music festivals, this solar-powered ‘microplex’ may not strictly be outdoors, but it certainly is a different way to watch movies. Set inside a caravan with space for just 8 people, the diminutive yet classic cinema has all the mod cons of a multiplex (surround sound, digital projection) and the added bonus of being able to come to you! thesolcinema.org
20/22
Culture
This Summer’s Best Outdoor Cinemas.
Street Food CinemaStreet Food Cinema, USA – Based in LA, Phoenix and San Diego, these hip events offer a combination of two current crazes: outdoor movies and outdoor food. Street food vendors line the outside of the screenings, which range from Golden Era gems to family favourites, with the option of camping for those who want a full weekend of movie magic. streetfoodcinema.com [Photo: Get Drea Photography]
21/22
Culture
This Summer’s Best Outdoor Cinemas.
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