Underground Cinema: La Guerre

Overview

Underground Cinema — Melbourne-born innovators of secret immersive film experiences — have announced their latest Sydney instalment: La Guerre. These are the people who take cinema out of the cinema and into boatyards, beaches and after-hours schools, creating a world in sync with the evening's film though real-life actors, evocative food, intricate sets and costumes. It's all themed to set the scene and get guests guessing, because the film, of course, is a secret.

So what do we know? We know that UGC La Guerre will transport guests back to the 1940s, for a cinema event that's more like walking onto a film set than anything else. Think World War II, sepia tones, pin curls and la Resistance. Wear your '40s best. The dates confirmed for Sydney are Friday, July 18, and Saturday July 19, at 7.30pm, as well as Sunday, July 20, at 5pm.

Whatever the film is, viewers can expect immersion bordering on camp. In the past they've taken toga-clad cinema-goers to ancient Rome (for Life of Brian) and given out white jumpsuits, student cards and medical examinations before filing people into a snow-covered Swedish academy (Let the Right One In). As distinct from World Movies Secret Cinema, the focus is really on interactivity, immersion and theatricality, quite like the UK institution Secret Cinema. Sometimes the screening location takes a back seat (the Life of Brian space was in Moore Park; the screening, Hoyts).

Because of the popularity of their previous vintage-themed events, UGC have added an extra Sydney show this time around, but predictions are they'll all sell out anyway — so depechez-vous! Tickets go on sale on Tuesday, June 24, at 1pm sharp. There's a cash bar and hot food on site, and all ticketholders will be sent details of the location via SMS on the day. Keep an eye on the UGC Facebook page for more details.