Grab your picnic rug, outdoor cinema season at Abbotsford Convent is here
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EntertainmentFilm & TV
25.11.2025

Grab your picnic rug, outdoor cinema season at Abbotsford Convent is here

Words by staff writer

Grab your picnic rug and settle in for another season of outdoor screenings at one of Melbourne's most picturesque locations.

Sunset Cinema is back at the Heritage Lawn at Abbotsford Convent for another summer season, bringing a lineup of festive favourites, cult classics and new releases to the historic grounds. Running from 4 December to 4 January, the annual outdoor cinema transforms the convent’s sprawling lawn into an open-air movie haven, complete with hi-fi headphone audio, a licensed bar and food trucks to keep you fuelled through the evening.

The headphone setup is a signature feature of Sunset Cinema at Abbotsford, delivering crisp audio without disturbing the peaceful surrounds or the neighbours. Gates open at 7pm with films starting at last light, giving you plenty of time to grab a drink from the Fever-Tree bar, settle into a bean bag or your own picnic setup, and soak in the atmosphere before the screen lights up. So without further ado, here are 10 films worth catching.

Sunset Cinema, Abbotsford Convent

  • When: Thursday 4 December to Sunday 4 January
  • Where: Heritage Lawn, Abbotsford Convent, 1 St Heliers St, Abbotsford
  • Tickets: Available at sunsetcinema.com.au

Stay up to date with what’s happening in and around Melbourne here.

Dirty Dancing

Nobody puts Baby in a corner, and nobody should miss the chance to watch this 1987 classic under the stars. Jennifer Grey and Patrick Swayze’s chemistry remains as electric as ever in this tale of summer romance and forbidden dance moves at a Catskills resort. The film’s blend of coming-of-age drama, class commentary and killer choreography has kept audiences returning for nearly four decades.

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Michel Gondry’s mind-bending romance gets an airing early in the season, proving that melancholy and summer nights pair surprisingly well. Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet star as former lovers who undergo a procedure to erase each other from their memories, only to rediscover their connection in the process. It’s the kind of film that rewards repeat viewings and late-night conversations afterwards.

Before Sunrise

Richard Linklater’s 1995 romantic drama follows two strangers who meet on a train and spend one night wandering Vienna, talking about life, love and everything in between. Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy’s naturalistic performances turned this low-budget film into a generational touchstone, spawning two beloved sequels. If you’ve never seen it on a big screen, this is your chance.

Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery

Daniel Craig returns as detective Benoit Blanc in the latest instalment of Rian Johnson’s whodunit franchise. Following Glass Onion’s sun-soaked Mediterranean setting, this third outing promises more sharp writing, an ensemble cast of suspects and Craig’s increasingly enjoyable Southern drawl. Details on the plot remain under wraps, but if the previous films are any indication, expect twists, laughs and at least one outrageous knit sweater.

Home Alone

Macaulay Culkin’s Kevin McCallister defends his suburban fortress against bungling burglars in this 1990 holiday staple. The film screens twice during the season, giving families plenty of opportunity to introduce a new generation to the Wet Bandits, elaborate booby traps and that iconic aftershave scream. It’s slapstick perfection that hasn’t aged a day.

Love Actually

Richard Curtis’s interconnected love stories have become as much a part of Christmas as pavlova and backyard cricket. The sprawling ensemble cast, the airport arrivals scene, the cue cards at the door – it’s all here across three screenings, including a Christmas Eve session for those who want to make it a pre-celebration tradition. Whether you find it heartwarming or emotionally manipulative is entirely up to you.

Die Hard

Yes, it’s a Christmas movie. Bruce Willis’s John McClane battles terrorists in Nakatomi Plaza on Christmas Eve, making this 1988 action classic as festive as any holiday film in the canon. Alan Rickman’s Hans Gruber remains one of cinema’s great villains, and the film’s quotable one-liners have only improved with age. Yippee-ki-yay.

The Holiday

Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet swap homes for Christmas in Nancy Meyers’s 2006 romantic comedy, with Diaz heading to a snowy English cottage and Winslet landing in a Los Angeles mansion. Jack Black and Jude Law round out the love interests in a film that’s become comfort viewing for anyone who’s ever fantasised about escaping their life for the holidays.

Wicked: For Good

The second part of the blockbuster musical adaptation continues the story of Elphaba and Glinda as their friendship faces its ultimate test. Following the first film’s massive success, this conclusion promises more spectacular musical numbers, elaborate Oz production design and the central performances from Cynthia Erivo and Ariana Grande that made the first instalment such a phenomenon.

Zootopia 2

Disney’s animated buddy cop comedy returns with Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde back on the case in the mammal metropolis. The original film’s sharp writing and surprisingly pointed social commentary made it a hit with adults and kids alike, and this sequel aims to recapture that magic with a new mystery for the unlikely duo to solve.

The Heritage Lawn sits at the rear of the Abbotsford Convent precinct, accessible from the main carpark via a mix of sealed and unsealed paths. The grassed seating area accommodates picnic setups, bean bag hire is available, and the Sunset Lounge offers premium seating with unlimited popcorn for those wanting to upgrade. Wheelchair accessible parking is available with access to most areas of the gardens, and dogs are welcome on leash.

Early bird tickets are currently on sale, making now the time to lock in your preferred screenings before the summer rush hits.

For more information, head here.

This article was made in partnership with Abbotsford Convent.

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