Thornbury Picture House to open in March giving cinema lovers a home in Melbourne’s north

THE Thornbury Picture House will open next month, offering filmgoers a chance to relive the golden age of cinema.

The exterior of the old motor garage being transformed into the Thornbury Picture House. Picture: James Ross.

CINEMA lovers will have a new home in the north when Thornbury Picture House opens its doors in March.

The building will be transformed from its 1920 motor garage roots into a new 57-seat cinema and accompanying bar.

Independent film curator Gus Berger, who was responsible for the George Revival in St Kilda, said he’d had his eye on the site for years.

His team is honouring the history of the garage, spending hours stripping back layers of paint to use the original tiles underneath.

Mr Berger hopes the development will inspire people to pause their Netflix accounts and come to see what once made cinema so special.

“We hope to return to the magic of the early single-screen cinemas that have flourished in the area for 100 years,” Mr Berger said.

The cinema will offer low tickets prices and homemade popcorn.

The picture house will screen old and modern classics, limited release films, and provide a platform for Melbourne filmmakers to premiere independent features.

The accompanying bar will serve local beers, spirits and wines, as well as food from nearby favourite Umberto Espresso Bar.

Bookings will be available from early march at thornburypicturehouse.com.au