The best film events in Sydney

Crawl under the blankets with a glass of wine and settle in on the beach for another season of screenings in bed at Barangaroo. This fun twist on the classic outdoor cinema has been running since 2016, offering Sydney’s film buffs the chance to see new releases and beloved cinematic moments on the big screen while snuggling up under the doona. After a successful set-up of their unique pop-up beach at Barangaroo in 2023, Mov'in Bed is back for its shoreline affair. With the new Metro station nearby, snuggling up under the stars in this beautiful harbourside spot has never been easier.  This year, Mov'in Bed returns with 160 queen and king-sized beds, perfect for two or three people. Level up your experience with an extra-cosy VIP bed in the West Hotel VIP area, complete with butler service, bottomless popcorn and a complimentary glass of champagne on arrival. For top-tier comfort, the Ultimate VIP bed also features a West Hotel's signature mattress and a fully stocked bar fridge with complimentary soft drinks – only two tickets are available each night, so get in quick. Summer blockbusters headline this year's Sydney season, including the hotly anticipated Wicked movie adaptation, cheeky duo Deadpool and Wolverine, and the latest creation of Gladiator II. Strap in for the festive season too with showings of The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, Elf, and Love Actually.  The beach cinema will be offering dine-in-bed dinner service, this year featuring hand-crafted pizza, burgers,...

It’s time to stop and smell the popcorn and grab your picnic basket – this popular outdoor cinema is returning to the beautiful surrounds of Centennial Parklands this summer. From November 22, 2024, Moonlight Cinema is back in action for its 29th year in Sydney and screening a bunch of flicks in the open air and under the stars. The program features a stellar line up of 2024 Box Office blockbusters, festive movie favourites and family flicks right through to March 30, 2025. The Moonlight experience is about more than the movie. You can snuggle up in the comfiest of bean bags – and so can your furry best mate, because dogs are allowed! It’s BYO friendly (so chuck a bottle of bubbles on ice) but if you’re famously under prepared, have no fear – there’s a phalanx of food trucks, licensed bars for libations and on-site activations flogging free samples, to boot.  There are multiple ticketing options at various price points to choose from. Are you the extra-AF type? Level up your outing with the ‘Mount Franklin Lightly Sparkling Platinum experience’, which includes sparkling water (naturally) plus a food package and personal waiter service direct to deluxe double bean bags. If you're an outdoor cinema aficionado, it's worth signing up as a Moonlight Cinebuz member for reduced-price tickets, every time. So what’s playing this summer? Moviegoers can expect a line-up of some of 2024’s biggest Hollywood blockbusters, including Challengers, The Fall Guy, The Substance, Wicked,...

Somebody pop the Champagne, because Sydney’s most stunning outdoor cinema is back by the harbourside. Westpac OpenAir is taking over Mrs Macquaries Point again this summer, with panoramic views of the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge as its staggering backdrop.  Running over 41 nights from January 9 to February 18, the film program includes the first Australian screenings of A Complete Unknown, starring Timothée Chalamet as a young Bob Dylan; the Nicole Kidman-starring Babygirl; Luca Guadagnino's Queer starring Daniel Craig; and The Count Of Monte Cristo, direct from Cannes Film Festival. Other highlights include We Live in Time starring Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield; Robbie Williams biopic Better Man; Maria starring Angelina Jolie; Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy; Gladiator II; Wicked; Elton John: Never Too Late; Nightbitch and Conclave.  Meanwhile, there’s more than iconic views and the latest blockbusters in store. This year’s ‘Festival of Film’ is accompanied by an equally glittering ‘Festival of Food’, with three of Sydney’s best chefs setting up shop at the harbourside cinema. Film fans can fuel up before the credits roll with a bowl of excellent pasta from the pop-up ‘Fabbrica at Chandon Garden’ curated by Scott McComas-Williams, or a selection of Vietnamese fusion sharing plates from ‘Luke Nguyen at The Point’. If you’re looking for a refined full-service affair, then ‘Summer House Dining by Danielle Alvarez’ will be brought to life by Alvarez...

The north-of-the-bridge iteration of Bondi's Sunset Cinema is taking over North Sydney Oval again this summer, bringing three months of alfresco flicks to the open-air location. Sunset Cinema North Sydney will kick off a new season of outdoor popcorn delights from Thursday, December 5 through to Sunday, March 15. Pack your blankets and lawn chairs, hire a bean bag for $10, or level up with a Sunset Lounge ticket for an additional $25 – you will receive a reserved bean lounger, seating in a prime viewing area and bottomless popcorn. Gates open at 7pm with films commencing at sundown, and there's a range of food and drinks available including a full bar (note: you can BYO food but not alcohol).You can expect heaps of the major releases of 2024 on the line-up – everything from Wicked to the Robbie Williams biopic Better Man – plus old classics like The Princess Diaries, The Holiday and Home Alone. Screenings take place Wednesday to Saturday (with a few exceptions) and tickets (from $27 for adults, kids $15) are on sale now. Want more? Check out the best outdoor cinemas in Sydney. Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out Sydney newsletter for more news, straight to your inbox. RECOMMENDED: Want fun now? Here’s what’s on in Sydney this weekend. In the mood for a show? Here’s our list of the best theatre to see in Sydney this month. No cash to splash? You can catch an alfresco movie every Wednesday this summer in The Rocks.