Underground Cinema: Patriot

Overview

Underground Cinema — Melbourne-born innovators of secret immersive film experiences — have announced their latest Sydney instalment: Patriot. 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 Patriot will transport guests back to the 1950s for a cinema event that's more like walking onto a film set than anything else. Think Cold War, blacklists, espionage and presidential motorcades. Dress is "1950s city sleek", and you're mysteriously required to bring an A4 envelope, a notepad and pen. The dates confirmed for Sydney are Friday, March 27, and Saturday, March 28, at 7pm.

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).

Tickets are on sale on Tuesday, February 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.