A Brief History
It was a serendipitous ‘meet cute’ when we first laid eyes on Paramount House. From the splendid art deco details of its facade to the timeless timber furnishings within, there was little use in resisting this unique vestige of times gone by. Originally constructed in 1940 and utilised as the home of Paramount Pictures in Sydney until the 1970s, the theatrette’s patronage changed dramatically over the decades from local exhibitors and film executives to sharp-tongued critics, and welcomed in servicemen and women to view newsreels during World War II.
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The process of restoring the site to its full glory was a test of will and a labour of love featuring an all-star ensemble cast who painstakingly transformed the space. Cue dramatic montage: we travelled to Zurich to source 1940s-era cinema chairs with plush velvet upholstery, we collated the finest in local and international interior design to furnish our adjoining bar, and updated our vintage projection room with the very latest in cinema technology.
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The result? Nothing short of the stuff that dreams are made of. We opened our cinema and David Lynch-inspired bar in 2013, immediately casting a spell over the city with a fresh take on curating and socialising. Operating beneath the streets of Surry Hills, our award-winning independent cinema program is similarly underground, bringing together exclusive titles, special events, classics, cults, creepies and the best new releases of the year.
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Think of Golden Age as the femme fatale, the leading man, and the sassy best friend all in one. Recalling the sublime indulgence of classic Hollywood but deeply invested in a future vision of a moviegoing culture that invites new cinematic voices to speak, our cinema and bar provide an intimate and inclusive social experience like no other. The good old days are now.
Cast & crew
Barrie Barton
CEO & Partner
Chris Barton
Creative Director & Partner
Bob Barton
Design Director & Partner
Ping Jin Ng
Executive Producer & Partner
Kate Jinx
Founding Program Director
Kristy Pettifer
Chief Operations Officer
David Grosvenor
General Manager
Will Armstrong
Bar Manager
Ingrid Dieckmann
Head of Programming
Andy Lowe
Group Music Programmer
Cindy Thach
Events Manager
Emma White
Events Coordinator
Jean-David Le Goullon
Program & Content Coordinator
Tom Ward
Projectionist
Andy Wijaya
Senior Chef
“The good old days are now”
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