Canberra Cinemas and Movies Guide 2026 — Best Cinemas, Arthouse Screens and Outdoor Movie Experiences

Canberra Cinemas 2026 — Overview

Canberra's cinema scene punches above its weight for a city of its size, bolstered by the city's strong arts culture, large public service and university population. The mix of mainstream multiplexes at major shopping centres and quality arthouse options at the Palace Electric Cinema and NFSA Theatrette give Canberra film lovers real choice. Here's a guide to the best cinemas in Canberra.

Major Cinema Chains in Canberra

• Hoyts Canberra Centre — Canberra Centre, Bunda Street, City. The main CBD multiplex. Multiple screens with XTREMESCREEN and Lux recliner formats. Book at hoyts.com.au.
• Event Cinemas Woden — Westfield Woden, Woden Town Centre. Convenient for residents of south and south-west Canberra. Standard and Gold Class formats.
• Reading Cinemas Tuggeranong — Tuggeranong Hyperdome. Value-priced multiplex serving the Tuggeranong Valley.

Arthouse and Independent Cinemas in Canberra

• Palace Electric Cinema — NewActon Precinct, 2 Phillip Law Street, Acton. Canberra's premium arthouse and independent cinema. Quality programming of Australian and international independent films, foreign language cinema and documentaries. Bar and cafe on-site in the vibrant NewActon precinct.
• National Film and Sound Archive (NFSA) Theatrette — McCoy Circuit, Acton. The NFSA presents regular public screenings in their purpose-built 50-seat theatrette. Specialised programming including Australian film history, restorations and curated events. Check the program at nfsa.gov.au.
• ANU Film Group — Australian National University campus, Acton. The ANU Film Group is one of Australia's longest-running university cinema clubs, operating since 1952. Regular screenings of classic and contemporary films at affordable prices.

Outdoor Cinemas in Canberra

• Moonlight Cinema Canberra — Location varies by season; typically Commonwealth Park or the Botanic Gardens. See moonlight.com.au for current season dates.

This article was compiled by AI and screened before publishing. See our editorial standards.