5 Things You Need to Know About The Galileo Open-air Cinema [Review]
Great news for film buffs in Cape Town, The Galileo Open-air Cinema is back for another summer season! If you’ve never been, then make this the year that you experience one of these super fabulous events. And, for regulars, there’s so much more to look forward to this time around. The cinema officially opened their run this past week and WomenStuff was there to check it out and give you the inside scoop. So, here are 5 things you need to know about The Galileo Open-air Cinema in 2015!
1. Take a stroll down memory lane
The Galileo Open-air Cinema is all about the classics. If you’ve secretly (or boldly) wished that you could go back in time and catch Topgun or The Breakfast Club on the big screen again then The Galileo is the place for you. This season you can expect to see loads of old favourites on the big screen as well as a few documentaries and short films. But perhaps the best thing about the lineup is that there’s something for everyone. For a girl’s night out to remember, make sure you grab a bottle of wine for the screenings of Mean Girls, Dirty Dancing, Grease, and Mamma Mia. If the little ones are tagging along then The Lion King, Toy Story, and Finding Nemo will make for great family-friendly fare. Romantic date nights with your special someone call for The Notebook, Casablanca, Love Actually, and Shakespeare in Love. If you just want to watch cool movies with your friends then don’t miss out on legendary favourites like Back to the Future, Top Gun, Anchorman, The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, Pulp Fiction and The Great Gatsby.
2. There’s a screening near you!
We’ve all been to screenings at Kirstenbosch and the Hillcrest Quarry but this year The Galileo Open-air Cinema has added some exciting new venues to the mix. As usual, screenings will take place at Hillcrest Quarry on Tuesdays, Kirstenbosch Gardens on Wednesdays, and the V&A Waterfront on Thursdays but this year they’ve also added Friday night screenings at rotating venues around the city and Saturday screenings in the winelands (happy dance!) The new Friday night screening venues include The Palms in Woodstock, Central Park in Century City, Fedisa rooftop in the city centre, Meerendal Wine Estate Durbanville, and UCT in Rondebosch. As for the winelands you can catch screenings every second Saturday, from November to April at spots like Knorhoek Wine Estate Somerset West, Lourensford Wine Estate Stellenbosch, Anthonij Rupert Wine Estate Franschhoek, Warwick Wine Estate Stellenbosch, Backsberg Wine Estate Paarl, and Boschendal Wine Estate Franschhoek.
3. It’s a foodie paradise
If you were thinking of eating before you head to the movie, think again! Each screening offers movie-goers a mini food market selling everything from freshly made pizzas to sushi. Sugar & Pop will sort you out with popcorn, candy floss, toffee apples, soft drinks, and sweets for the movie while vendors like Argies, The Mexican Nacho, Food We Love, Nuri Sushi and Gusto Paella will fill you up with delicious handmade eats. Each venue offers something a little bit different in terms of food vendors so there’s lots to explore. Each screening also has a coffee stand and a craft beer bar selling a wide selection of beers and other alcoholic drinks for thirsty customers. I tried a delicious pizza from Maggino Bros Artisan Pizza at the Kirstenbosch screening this week – it was the perfect pre-movie snack but I won’t lie, with so many amazing food options on the night it was hard to settle on just one!
4. They’re shaking things up!
I attended a screening of Cocktail at Kirstenbosch and loved that the organisers went all out to bring some movie-themed fun and entertainment to the evening. Before the screening, there was a cocktail bar with barmen flaring their hearts out and free shots for everyone who wanted one. It was such a great addition to the event and it got us excited to see the movie again. This year movie-goers can look forward to loads more entertainment at screenings including a Savanna Premium Cider stand offering free photo booth prints with every cider purchased.
5. You can now pay for VIP treatment
If you’re always late for screenings and have secretly wished that a fairy would save you the best spot in the house then the new VIP package is for you. For just R149 per person, you can now get a movie ticket, popcorn, a Savanna, Frey Chocolates, blanket, chair and reserved premium seating. This package is perfect for those who can’t arrive at 18:00 to secure their spot as well as those of us who can’t be bothered to bring anything along with us to the movie. We were treated to the VIP treatment and I must say being able to just show up with nothing but the clothes on our backs was the best. We had nothing to carry with us when we left and made a quick exit through the back after dropping off our chairs and blankets – simple! Standard tickets are R79 so to get all that stuff for just R70 more is a steal. If you don’t want to spring for the VIP package then you can also rent chairs for R20 each and blankets for R10 each when you arrive.
Tickets for the screenings are now available to purchase online but hurry because they sell out fast! For more information on the screenings visit The Galileo website.
