Palace Cinemas (Australia) Explained

Palace Cinemas
Type:Company
Location:Melbourne, Australia
Key People:Benjamin Zeccola (CEO)
Area Served:Australia
Industry:Film exhibition, film distribution

Palace Cinemas is an Australian cinema chain that specialises in arthouse and international films.

Their head office are based in the Melbourne suburb of South Yarra and they operate locations in New South Wales (Central Park,[1] Norton Street, Byron Bay, Ballina[2] & Oxford St),[3] Victoria (Coburg, Brighton Bay, Northcote, Balwyn, Brighton, South Yarra, Melbourne, Moonee Ponds & The Astor Theatre),[4] Western Australia (Raine Square),[5] Queensland (Brisbane & Fortitude Valley)[6] & Canberra.[7]

Operations

Palace Cinema operate a variety of locations that specialise in international and local art-house films and cinema events. Palace has been managed by the Zeccola family since its inception.[8]

Palace Moore Park has a non-competition deal with its neighbouring cinema Hoyts to not screen mainstream titles.

While Palace only owns one cinema in WA, it also operates several others in partnership with Luna Cinemas. The Luna Palace Cinemas line have their own independent website, membership program and offers.[9] Palace Cinema's regular nationwide membership and offers in other states, are therefore not valid at these cinemas. Luna Palace uniquely operates two seasonal outdoor cinemas, one in Leederville (opposite their traditional cinema) and one in Mosman Park.

Film festivals

Palace also operate a series of international film festivals, highlighting a range of films from a chosen country.[10] Festivals include the Alliance Française French Film Festival,[11] the Lavazza Italian Film Festival,[12] the Spanish Film Festival,[13] German Film Festival and the British Film Festival.

History

Palace Cinemas was founded by Antonio Zeccola in 1965.[14] Zeccola's first cinema, Pix Theatre in Noble Park, was originally only open on weekends and operated as a dance theatre for the rest of the week.[15]

In late 1994, Palace opened The Como and The George cinemas in Melbourne. The George originally focused on "new Australian films as well as experimental fare and cinema of a more quirky nature, whether sexual, social or political", while The Como highlighted "films selected from the Cannes, Venice, Toronto and Berlin festivals".

In 1995, Palace acquired the Academy Twin cinema on Oxford Street in Sydney and opened the four screen Verona complex.[16] Nicole Kidman officially opened the Verona site on Valentine's Day in 1996.

In 2000, Palace Norton Street held Australia's first professionally organised Italian film festival.[17]

In 2005, Cinema Como received a $1 million renovation.[18] Antonio Zeccola announced that Brighton Bay, The George and Palace's Sydney locations would receive similar refurbishment. In December, Palace announced they would take over and reopen Sydney's Chauvel cinema.[19]

In 2016, Palace moved their head office to South Yarra.[20]

In 2017, Palace Cinemas opened Palace Central.[21] The venue features 10 standard cinemas and three Palace Platinum cinemas. Two of the cinemas feature floor to ceiling windows that curtains obscure when a screening begins.

The Pentridge Cinema opened in 2020 in the shopping centre located inside the old HM Prison Pentridge in the northern Melbourne suburb of Coburg. It was the first Palace Cinema to open with a Dolby Atmos dedicated auditorium.[22]

In November 2023, Palace announced that it would be permanently closing Palace Verona in February 2024. The site would be replaced with a new location at The Entertainment Quarter in Moore Park.

In December 2023, Palace's Moonee Ponds location Penny Lane opened to the public.[23] The cinema has 11 indoor screens and a rooftop cinema.

Palace Verona closed on 25 February 2024.[24]

Locations

Adelaide

Brisbane

Byron Bay

Canberra

Melbourne

Perth

Cinemas in partnership with Luna Cinemas.[9] The outdoor cinemas run during the summer months only.

Sydney

Closed cinemas

Adelaide

Perth

Sydney

Palace Films

Palace has produced and distributed such Australian films as Kokoda and Chopper, and distribute many foreign language films in Australia.[30] [31]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: The best cinemas in Sydney . Dent . Nick . 2023 . . 30 November 2023 . 23 January 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220123124954/https://www.timeout.com/sydney/film/the-best-cinemas-in-sydney . live .
  2. Web site: Ballina Fair Cinemas is now part of the Palace Cinemas family . 2023 . . 30 November 2023 . 24 July 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230724095506/https://www.echo.net.au/2023/07/ballina-fair-cinemas-is-now-part-of-the-palace-cinemas-family/ . live .
  3. Web site: Sydney's 'thriving' Verona cinema is closing. Here’s where the indie films will go . Maddox . Garry . 2023 . The Sydney Morning Herald.
  4. Web site: The best independent cinemas in and around Melbourne . Barber . Riley . 2023 . Beat Magazine . 30 November 2023 . 20 November 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231120061906/https://beat.com.au/the-best-independent-cinemas-in-and-around-melbourne/ . live .
  5. Web site: Perth’s Best Cinemas To Catch Your Next Flick At . Ardon-Coppinger . Renée . 2023 . Urban: List . 30 November 2023 . 15 May 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230515055710/https://www.theurbanlist.com/perth/a-list/cinemas-perth . live .
  6. Web site: Grab The Popcorn, Here Are 13 of the Best Cinemas in Brisbane . Dinushka . Gunasekara . 2023 . Style . stylemagazines.com.au . 30 November 2023 . 8 November 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231108142929/https://stylemagazines.com.au/things-to-do/best-cinemas-brisbane/ . live .
  7. Web site: Canberra's Barbie fans flock to films preview screening at Palace Cinema . Martin . Amy . 2023 . . 30 November 2023 . 19 July 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230719195357/https://www.canberratimes.com.au/story/8276379/tickled-pink-barbie-fans-flock-to-films-preview-screening/ . live .
  8. News: Palace of dreams . Lambert . Catherine . 26 September 2010 . Sunday Herald Sun.
  9. Web site: Luna Palace Cinemas official website . 26 March 2013 . 31 March 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130331041629/https://lunapalace.com.au/ . live .
  10. Web site: How Palace Cinemas took over Australia's film festival industry . Furze . Andrew . 2017 . The Guardian. London . The Citizen.
  11. Web site: Alliance Francaise French Film Festival Website . 20 February 2009 . 25 February 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090225160352/http://www.frenchfilmfestival.org/ . live .
  12. Web site: Lavazza Italian Film Festival homepage . 20 February 2009 . 18 February 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090218130401/http://www.italianfilmfestival.com.au/ . live .
  13. News: Say hola to cultural freedom . Mathieson . Craig . 30 April 2010 . . 23 February 2011 . 28 June 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110628193809/http://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/movies/say-hola-to-cultural-freedom-20100430-txv4.html . live .
  14. Web site: Roll the Credits: Paddington's Verona Cinema Is Closing, but It's Not All Bad News . Joyce . Emma . 2023 . Broadsheet.
  15. News: Film in the Blood And on the Pulse . Weiniger . Peter . 17 November 1994 . . Melbourne.
  16. News: Cinema for a New Age . Holgate . Ben . 30 August 1995 . . Sydney.
  17. News: Talking in Italian / SYDNEY LIVE. . Cazzulino . Michelle . 29 November 2000 . The Daily Telegraph.
  18. News: Cinema finds a comfort zone . Lyndall . Crisp . 15 April 2005 . The Australian Financial Review.
  19. News: No money in Chauvel makeover . Garry . Maddox . 5 December 2005 . The Sydney Morning Herald.
  20. News: Palace crowns success with a shift to South Yarra . 2 March 2016 . Herald Sun.
  21. Web site: The Palace Central Cinema Complex Has Opened and It's Beautiful . 3 November 2017 . Broadsheet . Fraser . Ellen.
  22. Web site: Pentridge Cinema . Pentridge Coburg . 21 May 2021 . 21 May 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210521095733/https://pentridgecoburg.com.au/directory/palace-cinemas/ . live .
  23. Web site: Sarah. Ward. Now Open: Palace Penny Lane Is Moonee Ponds' Brand-New Movie Haven with a Rooftop Cinema . Concrete Playground . 21 December 2023.
  24. Web site: Palace Verona Closed . 25 February 2024 . Twitter.
  25. Web site: Adelaide Film Festival, Oct 14 - Oct 25 . Palace Nova . 11 February 2021 . 29 October 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201029081505/https://palacenova.com.au/special-events/adelaide-film-festival-2020-oct-14-oct-25 . live .
  26. Web site: About Palace Nova Cinemas Adelaide and Prospect . Palace Nova . 11 February 2021 . 24 February 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210224213223/https://palacenova.com.au/about-us . live .
  27. Web site: Palace Raine Square . Palace Cinemas . 1 September 2022 . 14 November 2022 . 14 November 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20221114093000/https://www.palacecinemas.com.au/cinemas/palace-raine-square/ . live .
  28. Web site: Sydney, get ready for the new Palace Central! Palace Cinemas . palacecinemas.com.au . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20170425000534/http://www.palacecinemas.com.au/blog/sydney-get-ready-new-palace-central/ . 25 April 2017.
  29. News: Art-house Cinemas Enter Foreign Territory . Thompson . Geoff . . 1995 . 22 May 1995.
  30. Web site: Palace Films Website . 20 February 2009 . 25 February 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090225111623/http://palacefilms.com.au/ . live .
  31. Web site: Palace Cinemas Website . 20 February 2009 . 20 February 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090220120622/http://palacecinemas.com.au/ . live .

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