• A man stacks popcorn boxes beside movie posters of the 1955 drama Rebel Without a Cause and the 1939 historical romance Gone with the Wind at the canteen of the Thisio outdoor summer cinema, near the ancient Acropolis in Athens. Cine Thisio is one of the oldest open-air movie theatre in Athens, built in 1935.
    A man stacks popcorn boxes beside movie posters of the 1955 drama Rebel Without a Cause and the 1939 historical romance Gone with the Wind at the canteen of the Thisio outdoor summer cinema, near the ancient Acropolis in Athens. Cine Thisio is one of the oldest open-air movie theatre in Athens, built in 1935.
  • People watch the movie The Immigrant at the Thisio outdoor summer cinema as the Ancient Acropolis is seen lit up in the background.
    People watch the movie The Immigrant at the Thisio outdoor summer cinema as the Ancient Acropolis is seen lit up in the background.
  • Passers-by looks at movie notices outside the Thisio outdoor summer cinema where moviegoers watch films under the ancient Acropolis.
    Passers-by looks at movie notices outside the Thisio outdoor summer cinema where moviegoers watch films under the ancient Acropolis.
  • Film and tools lie on a table next to a poster of the 1978 war movie Wild Geese, starring Richard Burton, at the Amigo outdoor cinema in Halandri, north of Athens.
    Film and tools lie on a table next to a poster of the 1978 war movie Wild Geese, starring Richard Burton, at the Amigo outdoor cinema in Halandri, north of Athens.
  • A cinema technician stands in front of the screen at Fleri outdoor movie theatre, near central Athens. The cinema reopened this summer after being closed for four years during the country’s crippling financial crisis.
    A cinema technician stands in front of the screen at Fleri outdoor movie theatre, near central Athens. The cinema reopened this summer after being closed for four years during the country’s crippling financial crisis.
  • Pavlos Lepeniotis handles strips of film at the Zefyros vintage-movie cinema in Petralona, near central Athens.
    Pavlos Lepeniotis handles strips of film at the Zefyros vintage-movie cinema in Petralona, near central Athens.
  • A light from the back of a projector shines on the wall inside the projection booth at the Amigo outdoor cinema in Halandri, north of Athens.
    A light from the back of a projector shines on the wall inside the projection booth at the Amigo outdoor cinema in Halandri, north of Athens.
  • Moviegoers watch the 2014 romantic comedy Blended, starring Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler, at the Nostalgia outdoor cinema, surrounded by apartment blocks at the northern suburb of Neo Iraklio in Athens. The municipal cinema offers discounts to the unemployed, disabled and large families. Local authorities have taken over many of the Greek capital’s outdoor movie theatres which are struggling to stay in business during the country’s severe financial crisis.
    Moviegoers watch the 2014 romantic comedy Blended, starring Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler, at the Nostalgia outdoor cinema, surrounded by apartment blocks at the northern suburb of Neo Iraklio in Athens. The municipal cinema offers discounts to the unemployed, disabled and large families. Local authorities have taken over many of the Greek capital’s outdoor movie theatres which are struggling to stay in business during the country’s severe financial crisis.
  • A moviegoer gets up during the intermission at the Dionysia outdoor movie theatre, near central Athens. The cinema reopened last summer despite the country’s crippling financial crisis. The financial downturn left most Greeks struggling to find ways to have an affordable night out, but cinema owners say audiences have declined drastically from a few decades ago.
    A moviegoer gets up during the intermission at the Dionysia outdoor movie theatre, near central Athens. The cinema reopened last summer despite the country’s crippling financial crisis. The financial downturn left most Greeks struggling to find ways to have an affordable night out, but cinema owners say audiences have declined drastically from a few decades ago.
  • Moviegoers take their seats in front of hand- painted posters of the 1968 musical drama Oliver! starring Mark Lester and the 1966 western El Dorado starring John Wayne and Robert Mitchum, at the Zefyros vintage-movie cinema in Ano Petralona, near central Athens. Most Greeks watch movies outdoors during the summer, but businesses are under threat from the country’s financial crisis and cost of switching to digital projection.
    Moviegoers take their seats in front of hand- painted posters of the 1968 musical drama Oliver! starring Mark Lester and the 1966 western El Dorado starring John Wayne and Robert Mitchum, at the Zefyros vintage-movie cinema in Ano Petralona, near central Athens. Most Greeks watch movies outdoors during the summer, but businesses are under threat from the country’s financial crisis and cost of switching to digital projection.
  • A moviegoer walks past an old projector on display at the entrance of the Zefyros vintage-movie cinema in Ano Petralona, near central Athens.
    A moviegoer walks past an old projector on display at the entrance of the Zefyros vintage-movie cinema in Ano Petralona, near central Athens.
  • Pavlos Lepeniotis operates his equipment and peers out from the projection booth at the Zefyros vintage-movie cinema in Petralona, near central Athens.
    Pavlos Lepeniotis operates his equipment and peers out from the projection booth at the Zefyros vintage-movie cinema in Petralona, near central Athens.
  • French American Eddie Constantine is shown on the screen in the 1965 French science fiction movie Alphaville, after sunset at the Zefyros vintage-movie cinema.
    French American Eddie Constantine is shown on the screen in the 1965 French science fiction movie Alphaville, after sunset at the Zefyros vintage-movie cinema.
  • A cat walks up an aisle at the Zefyros vintage-movie cinema in Ano Petralona.
    A cat walks up an aisle at the Zefyros vintage-movie cinema in Ano Petralona.
  • Pavlos Lepeniotis operates his equipment in his projection booth at the Zefyros vintage-movie cinema in Petralona.
    Pavlos Lepeniotis operates his equipment in his projection booth at the Zefyros vintage-movie cinema in Petralona.
  • A 1965 French science fiction movie Alphaville is shown on a screen at the Zefyros vintage-movie cinema in Ano Petralona. The subtitles reads in Greek “Think the word love”. Unlike most other Mediterranean countries, films in Greece are shown with subtitles and are not dubbed, making audiences more familiar with English.
    A 1965 French science fiction movie Alphaville is shown on a screen at the Zefyros vintage-movie cinema in Ano Petralona. The subtitles reads in Greek “Think the word love”. Unlike most other Mediterranean countries, films in Greece are shown with subtitles and are not dubbed, making audiences more familiar with English.
  • Moviegoers watch the 1965 French science fiction film Alphaville, at the Zefyros vintage-movie cinema in Ano Petralona.
    Moviegoers watch the 1965 French science fiction film Alphaville, at the Zefyros vintage-movie cinema in Ano Petralona.

In pictures: Greece’s struggling movie theatre business

Olive Obina

August 10, 2014

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Many Greeks struggle to find ways to have an affordable night out due to the crippling economy in Greece. Local authorities have taken over many of the Greek capital’s outdoor movie theatres which are struggling to stay in business. All photos by Petros Giannakouris / AP photo.

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