Somebody pop the Champagne – Sydney’s most stunning outdoor cinema has confirmed a return season. Westpac OpenAir will take over Mrs Macquaries Point again this summer, with panoramic views of the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge as its staggering backdrop.
Running over 40 nights from January 10 to February 20, there’s more than iconic views and the latest blockbusters in store. You can also expect pre-show DJs, as well as multiple food and beverage options and dining experiences to choose from. With big name chefs like Mike McEnearney (Kitchen By Mike) taking charge of the nosh in previous years, you can expect that this year’s refreshments will be nothing to sneeze at.
The glittering waterside setting will play host to the Australian premieres of Robert Connolly’s sequel to The Dry, Force of Nature: The Dry 2, as well as Dear England, another epic stage-to-screen presentation from the UK's National Theatre Live. You can also catch Australia’s own Jacob Elordi in the masterfully made (and somewhat disturbing) thriller Saltburn, and as Elvis in Sophia Copolla’s critically acclaimed Priscilla. Other new releases on the line up include the friendship-focused comedy Two Tickets to Greece and Ridley Scott’s action epic Napoleon, with old favourites including Mean Girls and The Notebook also appearing on the bill.
Pull up a folding chair, grab a snack (or an entire bottle of Champagne, ice bucket and all) and settle down to a film projected on the huge 350-square-metre, three-storey-high screen that lights up as night falls over the harbour.
If you really want a run-up for the view, take a stroll through the Royal Botanic Gardens to the cinema (but word to the wise, don't leave it too late, lest you be caught wandering through a maze of dead ends in the dark and missing the start of the movie... true story).
You'll always have something to awe at, even if the film you've chosen doesn't turn out to be to your taste – though that's unlikely, given your plethora of options.
For the full line-up, visit Westpac OpenAir's website here, and you can sign up for updates via their newsletter here.
