Good friends and local residents Tom Longhurst and Charles Silver had the idea of an outdoor cinema five years ago.
“We wanted to create a wonderful space to enjoy the Algarve evenings; sitting under the stars watching old classic movies seemed the perfect project,” they told Tomorrow. “After years of hunting for the best location and many failed meetings with the Lagos Câmara, we both became disheartened and put the project on hold.”
Last December, the parents of Burgau’s primary school asked Tom’s company, Algarve Marquees, to help them with their Christmas fair. “Creating an event in this unused space reignited our passion for the cinema,” explains Tom.
Vila do Bispo Câmara have supported the project and agreed that the space could be used as a cinema during the school holidays. “We both hope this brings a new exciting element for the residents and tourists,” adds Charles.
This year they aim to show one film a week during August and into September. The films will all be shown in English with Portuguese subtitles. Movies will commence when darkness falls around 9 pm, but the doors will be open at 7.30 pm in order to enjoy the chill-out bar and music.
The movies will be projected onto a state-of-the-art 20ft screen and moviegoers will be supplied with their own headphones to watch the film at their own volume. “It will allow the films to be shown late at night with no disturbance to the village,” says Tom.
They have chosen family classics such as Stand By Me and The Goonies to screen this summer. But their plans don’t stop there. “We both have big plans for the company, with themed weeks throughout the year, such as surf, Halloween and Christmas showings. Next year we hope to open a second site in Lagos Marina.” Watch this space!
Info and tickets: www.creativeapecinema.com
