Tamir family has plans to establish Sparkly Bear Cinemas at Barkly Square in Brunswick

IT COULD be a case of lights, camera and action with plans afoot for a new 10-screen cinema in Brunswick.

Eddie Tamir and son Benji at the site of the proposed Sparkly Bear Cinemas. Picture: Hamish Blair

IT COULD be a case of lights, camera and action with plans afoot for a new 10-screen cinema in Brunswick.

The Tamir family — which owns the Lido, Cameo and Classic cinemas — wants to transform a site on Weston St, behind Barkly Square, into a film and entertainment hub.

Spokesman Eddie Tamir said it was early days, but the family aimed to please all movie lovers by screening a mix of new release blockbusters, art house, foreign language and retro classic films.

The space would include a rooftop cinema, live performance room and small eateries with a focus on local produce.

The complex has adopted the affectionate spoonerism Sparkly Bear Cinemas as its name.

“We think Brunswick is a very exciting place to consider our next step,” Mr Tamir said.

“Cinema is a pretty old-school experience and there are lots of challenges ahead, with streaming and piracy, but there is something beautiful about the shared human experience of going to the movies.”

Mr Tamir said he had scoured the area for an appropriate site.

“We thought it was in the Brunswick spirit to recycle an industrial building and give it a new life,” he said.

Brunswick was once home to several cinemas including a 1930s art deco building on Sydney Rd which was demolished in 1982.

Last month a pop-up cinema screening cult classics ran at the Brunswick Mechanics Institute.

Sydney Road Brunswick Association president Tristan Anderson said a cinema would be a positive addition to the area.

“It’s great it is more of a boutique-type theatre. Hopefully it will showcase locally produced films as well,” Mr Anderson said.

Mr Tamir said he wanted people to have their say about what they wanted to see at the venue by emailing [e-mail]