ONE OF Lisbon’s most famous landmarks, the Cinema São Jorge in Avenida da Liberdade, is to temporarily reopen in April, following extensive refurbishment.
The cinema, one of the city’s oldest, dating from the 1930s, has had extensive repairs carried out on its roof and interior, as well as undergoing complete electrical re-wiring.
Lisbon Câmara’s Cultural Department said that the cinema, which has been closed for nearly two years, will reopen in time to host a series of film festivals, including Cinema Indie, the Lisbon Gay and Lesbian Cinema Festival and the second International Digital Cinema Festival, which last year was hosted in Tokyo.
Following the festivals, the cinema will be shut once again, to allow for further refurbishment works to proceed, including the creation of a long-term cinema hall, which will be financed jointly by Lisbon Câmara and private investment.
The building will be divided into various leisure areas for the public, which could include an exhibition space and coffee bar.
