:: Spotlight :: St.George OpenAir Cinema on Sydney Harbour 2006

By: Carmine Pascuzzi

St.George OpenAir Cinema returns to Sydney Harbour for an extended 40 night season commencing January 5, 2006. Featuring a three-storey high screen and harbourside restaurant located before a backdrop that spans the Harbour Bridge, Opera House and city skyline, St.George OpenAir Cinema is an extraordinary celebration of the Sydney lifestyle.

Over nine years this event has established a position as one of the harbour city’s sought after tickets. Last summer more than 17000 tickets sold in the first day of pre-sales alone, with the opening night premiere
selling out within three hours. Within weeks advance sales for 35 of the 36 programmed nights had sold out.

2006 program highlights will include Australian premiere screenings of Mel Brooks' “The Producers” featuring Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick in their Tony award winning roles, the wickedly funny British comedy “Keeping Mum” starring Rowan Atkinson, Maggie Smith, Kristen Scott Thomas and Patrick Swayze, and the acclaimed Johnny Cash biography “Walk the Line” starring Joaquin Phoenix & Reese Witherspoon.

Altogether the program will feature eight premiere screenings, as well as a broad selection of recent art-house and mainstream releases (from In Her Shoes and 40 Year Old Virgin to Mad Hot Ballroom & Little Fish), and a repertoire screening of the film that epitomises 70s cool Dirty Harry.

The features of St.George OpenAir Cionema are an 1800 seat grandstand / 350 square metre cinema screen, hydraulically raised from water-level at nightfall / 32 speaker surround sound / Harbourside bar & restaurant.
The season will run from January 5 to February 16 (excluding January 14, 21, 28)
Gates will open from 6.15pm each night with films commencing shortly after nightfall (approx. 8.30-8.45pm)

The location is at Mrs Macquaries Point, Sydney - adjacent to Royal Botanic Gardens

Ticket prices:
Advance Bookings*: General $20.50/concession $18.50 + booking fee
Door Sales*: General $21.50/concession $19.50
*additional costs may apply for special presentations.

Bookings via the official website or by telephoning 136 100, or via any Ticketmaster7 outlet.

Here is the official programme

February

5 - Preview: Goal!
6 - Premiere: Transamerica
7 - Pride & Prejudice
8 - Harry Potter & the Goblet of Fire
9 - The Family Stone
10 - Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride
11 - Good Night, and Good Luck
12 - Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room
13 - Broken Flowers
14 - Preview: Little Manhattan
15 - Fun With Dick & Jane
16 - Preview: Separate Lies