Movie Open-air cinemas: organizationally demanding and yet indispensable
It's summer and open-air cinemas are being set up everywhere. However, there are hardly any big ones left. Edna Epelbaum, President of the Swiss Cinema Association, talks about the major changes: in technology, costs and the range of films on offer.
25.06.2025, 13:01
25.06.2025, 13:07
SDA
Cinema in the summer means open-air movie-going throughout Switzerland, rather than indoors. It is particularly noticeable that in the last 15 to 20 years, there have been fewer large open-air cinemas, but more and more small open-air cinemas are springing up - in swimming pools, backyards or gardens.
This impression is confirmed by Edna Epelbaum, President of the Swiss Cinema Association (SKV). "Organizing an open-air cinema is very demanding," she says in an interview with the Keystone-SDA news agency. Logistical and financial reasons play a role. In addition, says Epelbaum, "as with all events that take place outdoors, there is the risk of bad weather".
Costs higher than income
The costs are higher than the income, says Epelbaum. The entire infrastructure, from projection material to screens, stages and seats to catering, as well as staff costs, all add up. "That's why large-scale open airs also need major sponsors to help out financially."
Today, these are mainly Allianz insurance and the retailer Coop. The smaller events in Switzerland are usually run by local cinema operators, supported by local companies. Personnel costs are kept low because numerous volunteers are involved. Such open airs are "much easier to organize and put into practice", says Epelbaum.
Three percent of cinema admissions
According to the Cinema Association, open-air cinemas accounted for three percent of annual admissions in 2024. "In terms of revenue, they are therefore not a decisive factor," says Epelbaum. "Nevertheless, open-air cinemas are an essential part of the cinema experience." Enjoying a movie together - whether outdoors or indoors - is one of the most popular leisure activities in Switzerland. And: the range of open-air cinemas is just as diverse as the local cinematic landscape.
The range of films on offer in open-air cinemas can be roughly divided into two areas: Repeats of the highlights of the current cinema year and previews that give a foretaste of the late summer and early fall program. A third area is the special-interest programs - cinemas that show works on special themes or from specific genres in the open air.
Edna Epelbaum, who runs cinemas in five cities and has been in the business for a long time, says: "Open-air cinemas have changed a lot - both in terms of technology and content." This also has to do with the change in programming. Until the 1990s, blockbusters were shown in cinemas between fall and spring. Summer was therefore always the time for reprises. In addition, cinemas, especially in rural areas, decided to close during the summer months when audiences were low. "Back then, open-air screenings revitalized the cinema culture and kept it alive," says Epelbaum.
Special feature "Barbenheimer"
Things are different today. "The bigger films are released internationally within a few weeks. This means that releases in Switzerland are also dependent on these global dates," says the association president. Sometimes the films cannibalize each other, but there are also exceptions: 2023 was the summer of "Barbie" and "Oppenheimer". Both films were released in Switzerland when it was very hot, and they were shown in cinemas at the same time. Actually unfavorable conditions. But both were huge successes.
However, the summer line-up is no longer limited to films from the USA. "Last year, for example, we saw with the two French films 'Le Compte de Monte Cristo' and 'Un p'tit truc en plus' that European films can also have a strong showing in the summer. That would have been unthinkable 30 years ago," says Epelbaum.
The risk of digitalization
Changes have also been seen in technological developments. "In the last 15 years, projection technology has gone completely digital," says Epelbaum. "This change was another risk for open-air cinemas. For example, projection booths need to be weatherproof and air-conditioned around the projector." At the same time, stationary cinemas have also evolved. "In many places, the auditoriums are welcome during the hot months as a cool retreat with a cultural offering," says Epelbaum.
Back to open-air cinemas. They still exist in summer 2025, but they have become smaller and are no longer necessarily located in prominent places. But the association president's favorite is one of the really big ones in a prominent location: "For me, the Piazza Grande in Locarno is still the best open-air cinema experience. "*
*This text by Raphael Amstutz, Keystone-SDA, was realized with the help of the Gottlieb and Hans Vogt Foundation.
