Lido Cinema’s First Birthday
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Lido Cinema’s First Birthday

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Despite Tamir’s enthusiasm, it hasn’t been easy crafting the Lido’s beauty. The original Lido Cinema closed in the sixties, and the ravages of time – including brick drains and a creek running alongside it that undermined the foundations – caused several initial issues. The building required serious love and attention – which, thankfully, Tamir was more than happy to provide.

“I’m a bit of a sucker for old, derelict cinema buildings,” Tamir says. “Somehow, it gets me up in the morning, to connect to the history of those buildings and bring them back to life for the present, and well into the future. I’m into that.”

As an owner of the Classic cinema in Elsternwick and the Cameo cinema in Belgrave, Tamir understands the importance of a building’s architectural individuality. Both cinemas have similar origins to the Lido: The Classic (which was built in 1889) initially closed in the ’90s, and the Cameo (originally opened in 1935) was shut a couple of years before Tamir took the reins in 2003. For The Lido, it’s a freshness that encapsulates the surreal retro-futuristic spirit of the French New Wave.

“I’m not sure how we actually did it, because I’m not that cool,” Tamir says. “But I think we’re kind of known as the cool place in town at the moment. The architect, Aidan Halloran, was very clever. He hints at inspiration with the film Alphaville – which is a ’60s, sort of futuristic film – and he’s bought that into the aesthetic there.”

Tamir relishes the thrill of being a cinema-goer experiencing the unexpected. From the intimate ambience of the Jazz Room to the open awe of the Rooftop Cinema in the summer, the Lido is a gorgeous clash of clever lighting and lush colours. Tamir instills surprising little touches everywhere: He has a selection of local boutique beers on tap, a unique menu (with the likes of cheese platters, toasties and steamed dumplings), fresh popcorn served in the old-school recycled popcorn boxes, and has even taken time to wallpaper some of his favourite movie scripts on the bathroom walls. For Tamir, it’s not just a business – it’s a communal experience.

“I don’t watch TV,” Tamir laughs. “Because I’m an only child, I overdosed on television until the age of 15, through the golden era of ’60s television. I don’t like that experience. I feel kind of claustrophobic… When I’m in a cinema space, I’m transported into another place physically and emotionally. I find that incredibly compelling, and I never get sick of it.”

The Lido is known for showcasing a wide variety of film from independent sources to huge blockbusters. You immediately understand why when you ask Tamir about his tastes. If asked for a favourite film, he’ll say Federico Fellini’s La Strada, but he’s also keen to see Sausage Party in the near future.

“With all of those films, one person may love all of them,” Tamir says of the Lido’s variety. “We just want to offer up great film, and great film takes many forms. We don’t ‘pigeon-hole’ and say, ‘we’re going to be the cinema that’s only going to show this type of film’. That same person that might want to see a foreign language film could be the same person that wants to see Independence Day, have a ginormous popcorn and live it up in that way. Who are we to say? We love it all.”

BY JACOB COLLIVER