Portobello Pop-Up Cinema - Cinema Paradiso
Posted by chillorthrill 20/08/2012
Venturing to the last night of this season's Portobello Pop-Up cinema was very exciting indeed. All we knew was that we were heading to Portobello Road to enjoy a film screening of Cinema Paradiso. And that we'd need to pay £5 entry on the door. Nothing else. We didn't know if it would be indoors or outdoors, if there'd be seating or what it would be like at all...
And it was incredible. We loved it. We certainly didn't need the blanket that we'd brought along to sit on. No no no. We didn't. Instead, we nestled our bottoms on luxurious old school leather cinema seats (we were early so we managed to nab these limitedish jewels, although there were plenty of other seats for all!).
We arrived early (repetition I know but it's a bit of a rarity!) and it was a real pleasure to queue up in the civilised queue outside, knowing that we were so very close to the entrance. We handed over our £5 notes and as it was the finale of a summer of screenings, we picked up a complimentary cup of prosecco in the outdoors bar. I did at first think that the bar doubled as the cinema venue, which would have been great too. But even better and to my delight, a gorgeous large pop-up auditorium was round the corner and quite frankly, I was blown away!
The organiser of Portobello Pop-Up introduced the film and then the screening commenced. Cinema Paradiso is a real classic about a boy who falls in love with cinema. It is an intensely moving and entertaining film. A real tearjerker. And as for the rumble of trains overhead (we were under the Westway); they honestly enhanced the ambience!
A pleasure, a delight and well done to the organisers of Portobello Pop-Up for this superbly exquisite experience!
