Melbourne's Northside Is Getting a New Independent Cinema

Melbourne is about to add another independent cinema to its collection, as Thornbury Picture House prepares to open its doors in March. Making its home within a former garage, the art nouveau theatre and adjoining bar are the brainchild of Gus Berger, whose name you might remember as the one behind St Kilda's George Revival Cinema back in 2013 and 2014.

For his latest project, Berger has created a moviegoer's dream: a 57-seat cinema rocking a big six-metre screen, a top-notch Krix 5.1 sound system and an expertly curated program of big screen gems.

In addition to showcasing an impressive mix of documentaries, cult classics, festival favourites and international titles, Thornbury Picture House will be giving plenty of screen-time to local filmmakers. It's the new home of Berger's long-running Red Hot Shorts event and there are plans for it to host a new northside film festival in the not so distant future.

Meanwhile, the site's interiors pay homage to the building's art nouveau origins, sprinkled with historic film gear and classic movie posters. The bar, too, is a nod to the good old days, with the original garage features brought to life alongside recycled wooden furniture and pops of green foliage.

Here, you'll be able to chase a film with Aussie spirits, local beers from the likes of Stomping Ground and Hawkers, a tidy selection of independent wines and batch brew coffee by Padre. Of course, there'll be plenty of homemade popcorn to round out the moviegoing experience.

Thornbury Picture House is set to open late March or early April at 802 High Street, Thornbury. A full-price ticket will set you back $18.50 — you'll be able to book them at thornburypicturehouse.com.au soon.