Like everyone else, Greeks love the movies. They have flocked to cinemas for decades to weep through dramas, marvel at Hollywood blockbusters, and, of course, munch on some classic movie snacks.
Open-air cinemas in Greece have long met moviegoers' demands, even profiting, to some degree, from the country's financial struggles. A night at the movies, after all, is much cheaper than, say, a weekend getaway.
Moviegoers watch Blended, a romantic comedy, at the Nostalgia outdoor cinema. | (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
But while large, indoor movie chains have switched to digital projections, the small, independently run outdoor cinemas are stuck with their old technology. Without the thousands of dollars required to retire those dated projectors, many of Greece's outdoor movie theaters could soon roll their credits for the last time.
Before it comes to that, check out these analog theaters under the stars, and the visitors who still enjoy a traditional summer night at the movies.
Pavlos Lepeniotis, a 53-year-old projectionist, operates his equipment at the Zefyros vintage-movie cinema. Lepniotis has worked in movie theaters since he was 12 years old, but his job may soon become obsolete. | (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
Zefyros vintage-movie cinema. | (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
Zefyros vintage-movie cinema. | (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
Zefyros vintage-movie cinema. | (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
A worker stacks popcorn boxes beside movie posters of the 1955 drama Rebel Without a Cause and the 1939 classic Gone with the Wind at Cine Thisio outdoor summer cinema. Built in 1935, Cine Thisio is one of the oldest open-air movie theaters in Athens. | (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
Zefyros vintage-movie cinema. | (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
Moviegoers watch the adventure film Hercules, at outdoor theater Cine Paris. | (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
