In a tough time for cinemas, where one after another turned into parking lots and supermarkets, and in an equally tough modern age, where platforms flood the internet with all kinds of films, summer cinemas have kept and keep the flag of the evening high. breathing in the urban fabric, the character of the green between the apartment buildings and the choice of a cinephile entertainment.

The summer cinema has a long tradition in our country, it is associated with carefree summer moments of another, more innocent era, the average citizen feels connected to the summer movie theater of his neighborhood and so it seems, Loukianos Kilaidonis was probably right when he said that what he sees as staying after all “is something moonlit nights in the summer cinemas”.

Summer cinemas are revving up again, the season is just starting and many municipalities have programmed movie nights, even in open spaces such as schoolyards and squares.

In Ilioupoli

The municipality operates its summer cinema “Melina Merkouri» for more than 25 years. It is preserved in summer, it has 400 seats and the residents love it and it shows, since it fills up almost every night

On Mondays and Tuesdays there are children’s films, on Wednesdays the Cinematographic Club of Ilioupoli shows, on Thursdays and Fridays award-winning films from Festivals are shown and on the weekend first-run films

“Melina Merkouri” will premiere on June 14 and the first screening of the season will be dedicated to Maria Callas. The well-known film with Fanny Ardan about the life of the leading speaker will be shown and the director Tony Wolff is expected to attend.

In Peristeri

On the opposite side of the basin, the summer cinema of the municipality of Peristeri bears the name “Beyond“, which refers directly to the historical district of Constantinople. As Peristeri is a refugee municipality with Citizens and Asia Minors.

“Peran” has been operating since 1997, always as a municipal cinema, initially in collaboration with the city’s Film Club and then taken over by the municipality alone.

In Petersburg

The municipal summer cinema of Petroupoli bears the name of the city. Speaking to APE-MPE about “Cine Petroupoli» the mayor Stefanos Gavriil Vlachos, stands particularly in the romantic element. “It reminds us of the good old days, which have of course passed and the summer cinema is one of the few left to remind us of them,” he says characteristically.

The beginning of its operation goes back several decades and 35 years ago the municipality bought it and thus saved it.

In Heraklion

The summer cinema of the municipality of Heraklion also exudes romance, since its name is “Nostalgia». It is located a few meters from the ISAP station and opened its doors for the first time in 1968. Since then it has been operating continuously every summer, under the responsibility of the municipal enterprise of the municipality of Heraklion K.E.A.E.D.H.A.

It has 250 seats with tables and its program includes first-run films, award-winning films, as well as old classics. And of course children’s movies and even accompanied by Shadow Theatre.

In New Smyrna

The municipality of Nea Smyrni again, is proud to have not only one, but two municipal summer cinemas. It is the historicalPhilip“, which, as the official website of the municipality informs us, was built in 1938 in the center of the city, in a green, cool and spacious garden.

It is also the historical “Sporting“, which opened in 1939, is winter (with two theaters) and also has a summer cinema. Both since the municipality took them over, renovated them, they now have state-of-the-art digital equipment and rent them out.

In Alimos

A little further south, in Alimos, the summer cinema of the municipality, the “Cine Alimos” is right next to the sea and had its premiere last Thursday (1/6) with the film “Cheap Cigarettes” by Renos Charalambidis.

Every Monday, free children’s films are shown, while during the screening of Greek films, artists and creators are often hosted in the space, who talk to the public about their work.

Screenings start at 21:15, while general admission is 4 euros and a reduced ticket (citizens, pupils, students, over 65, disabled) at 3 euros.

This year, the Cine Alimos program includes several re-releases of old classic films, such as Atithasos, East of Eden, Mad Cat, Men Prefer Blondes, Cabaret, Chinatown, Frankenstein Jr. and others.”

The revival of the historical “Zaira” in Galatsi

Finally, in the municipality of Galatsi, they are preparing to relive summer movie nights, in one of their historic summer cinemas. As previously reported by APE-MPE, the municipal authority has announced that 66 years after the first film screening and 25 years after its demolition, it will proceed with projects for the regeneration of the “Zaira” cinema, which this time will feature and bioclimatic characteristics.

The cinema started its journey in 1957 and “worked” non-stop until 1993. The mayor of Galatsiou George Markopoulos has signed the relevant contract for its reconstruction, as well as for the creation of an underground parking lot on the same plot, which is located on Galatsiou Avenue . In the coming summers, “Zaira” will come to accompany the summer evenings of the Athenians again.