ATHENS (dpa) – As dusk falls on the Greek capital, young and old gather on rooftops or in jasmine-filled gardens to indulge in an decades-old tradition: watching movies in the open.
Whether the Acropolis acts as a backdrop, or the stars, going to the movies at an outdoor cinema in Athens is more than just an outing – it is an event.Most open-air cinemas have deck chairs and small tables with an abundant menu of souvlaki, gyros, moussaka and hotdogs, while other venues are equipped with fountains and bars.Unlike their winter counterparts, outdoor theatres are seen as more of a social venue with smoking and conversation allowed during the showing.“Because it rarely rains during the summer in Greece, the outdoor cinema season can last from May until October. You can enjoy a film with stars as the background, while inhaling the aroma of honeysuckle and jasmine and eating popcorn,” said Theodoros Ringas, head of the summer cinema association.Seen as one of the most popular forms of entertainment during the hot summer months, outdoor cinemas have recently regained their popular status after years of decline.Like American drive-ins, outdoor theatres were hugely popular during the silent-movie era and kept right on into the era of the “talkies”. But during the building frenzy of the 1960s and 1970s, hundreds of neighbourhood theatres across Greece were sold and turned into apartment complexes or supermarkets.Movie attendance further dwindled when audiences turned their attention to television and later videocassettes and air-conditioned cinemas.“It was considered unbusinesslike at the time to own a summer cinema and neglect to construct a building in its place or sell the property,” Ringas said.But as multiplexes multiply, and as screen sizes continue to shrink, more and more people today are turning towards the nostalgic alternative.“Greeks love being outdoors during the hot summer evenings, and do not enjoy being shut inside an air-conditioned movie threatre. Going to the movies is a part of the culture here,” Dora Stilarezi, the owner of Athens´ historic Cine Psyrii, said.Dozens of abandoned theatres have reopened while others have received facelifts. One outdoor cinema recently reopened on the roof garden of a just-completed shopping center in the Athens suburb of Vironas after its old premises were demolished a decade ago.Another venue, To Asteri Tis Aphrodite (Aphrodites Star), underwent massive renovation after being used for decades as a junk yard and reopened in 1999.The owner, Eleni Kakoyianni, decided to upgrade the theatre by installing high-tech projectors and digital sound systems. Reclining chairs were also added to the front rows and the menu was revamped to include a buffet.“I have customers who first came to the theatre as children and have returned with their own children and grandchildren now that it is restored,” said Kakoyianni.While some theatres still show documentaries and classic films, the majority have been drawing large crowds with Hollywood blockbusters or reruns.“It is the ideal opportunity for people to catch up on many new movies they may have missed during their release in the winter,” said Ringas.The majority of neighbourhoods throughout Athens now have their own open-air cinema and even the tourists are taking part in the trendy culture.“Where else can you watch a movie and look at the Acropolis and the stars at the same time?” said Andreanna Cortes, a visitor from Spain at an outdoor theatre in Thiseo.
