Media expert Maurice Vergeer immediately thinks of a memorable scene from the 1988 Italian film Nuovo Cinema Paradiso, written and directed by Giuseppe Tornatore. In the Netherlands, the film was released as Cinema Paradiso. Vergeer: “The film tells the story of Salvatore, a celebrated film director, who returns to his Sicilian hometown for the first time in thirty years. He reflects on his youth and how he developed a passion for cinema thanks to the projectionist Alfredo. As a little boy, he watched from behind the scenes at Cinema Paradiso and saw how the audience responded to the film projector. But at one moment in the film, the projector isn’t aimed at the screen. It’s aimed outside, at a building. The result? The entire town square can watch the film. It instantly creates a sense of community.”
This is why open-air cinemas are a hit year after year
It's summer, and we prefer to be outdoors as much as possible - even in the evening to watch a movie. Nijmegen is responding to this trend perfectly. This year, the Waalkade will once again transform into an open-air cinema, and tickets are flying out the door. Lux will also be showing a selection of free outdoor films in August during its annual Open Air event. But why do we enjoy watching movies outside so much?
Full moon
That, according to Vergeer, is exactly the power of an open-air cinema. “With TVs and soundbars, you really don’t need a cinema anymore. Yet the idea of watching a film on a big screen with a large group of people, whether in a cinema or outside on a summer evening, evokes a very special feeling. A romantic feeling, even, where you hope there will be a full moon that night. In this concept, the film itself isn’t even the main focus — it’s the atmosphere.”
The trend of outdoor cinemas comes from the United States, Vergeer explains. In the 1950s, the U.S. had over 4,000 of these cinemas, hidden in forests or in open fields in the countryside. “The drive-in cinema is a typical American concept. You don’t have to sit in a theater seat to watch the movie. You can stay in your car. The sound plays through your car radio, and by rolling down the window, you can easily order something to eat or drink. That adds to the romance. Watching a movie in your car as a couple feels semi-private, and you forget that many others are watching the same film.”
Umbrella
Last year, tickets for C-Nimma’s outdoor cinema sold out in just ten minutes. Even in Nijmegen, where tickets go like hotcakes, one thing remains uncertain in our rainy little country: the weather. Vergeer: “Open-air cinemas are also popular in warmer countries. But with the unpredictable Dutch summer, it’s possible you’ll need to bring an umbrella along with your popcorn and comfy cushion.”
But that doesn’t really matter. Watching movies under a starlit sky remains a wonderful experience: “Open-air cinemas continue to be a hit. And the fact that they’re rarely organized only makes the concept more special.”
Want to watch an outdoor movie in Nijmegen?
This summer, Radboud Recharge recommends several outings related to this article.
After two successful editions, the open-air cinema C-Nimma returns to the Waalkade from August 18–24. Check out the film selection and available tickets here. Lux is also offering three sultry summer movie nights in the open air during Lux Open Air. These screenings are free to attend on the Mariënburgplein. View Lux’s film selection here.
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Photo: Andre Ouellet via Unsplash
Contact information
- Organizational unit
- Faculty of Social Sciences
- About person
- Dr M.R.M. Vergeer (Maurice)
- Theme
- Media & Communication, Summer special