North Hobart’s State Cinema to celebrate 110th birthday in celluloid style
Making it through two World Wars, the launch of television and years of renovations and redevelopments, one of Tassie’s famed cultural hubs is celebrating a major milestone – celluloid style.
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North Hobart’s State Cinema has beamed movie magic to its screens for a whopping 110 years and now it is celebrating the milestone – in true celluloid style.
Over nearly two weeks, the heritage theatre will showcase its eleven highest grossing films since opening in 1913.
The 12-day flick festival will commence on Friday at 6.30pm with the acclaimed 2017 drama Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.
Former State Cinema owner-turned-landlord and Councillor John Kelly will attend the festivities, saying the theatre is a “cultural hub”.
“The spirit of the cinema has been maintained since changing hands,” he said.
“This unique venue, with the intimacy of small cinemas right through to the historic main cinema one has become a once neglected now loved part of the North Hobart strip.”
Selling the business in 2019 to US company Reading Cinemas, Mr Kelly was a part of the restoration of the theatre from one screen to 12 and growing viewing capacity from 20,000 to 250,000 a year – adding on a bar, cafe and library to become what he calls the “beating heart of Hobart”.
“It was really instrumental in the revival of North Hobart,” he said.
“I have fond memories of celebrating the 100th anniversary with the then Governor and other film industry people.
“To know have the 110th celebrations within those same walls and against those same screens is really powerful.”
A gala event for the 2016 film Lion will mark the conclusion of the birthday celebrations, with a live orchestra performing the film’s score, giveaways and a champagne reception for one of Tasmania’s most critically acclaimed stories.
State Cinema Marketing co-ordinator Chris Upton said the cinema offered a major point of difference by showing independent films as well as blockbusters.
“We lock the blockbuster, but we still have a strong core of independent, European and arthouse cinema you’d be hard-pressed to find elsewhere in Tassie.”
Tickets can be purchased at the door.
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Originally published as North Hobart’s State Cinema to celebrate 110th birthday in celluloid style
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