There was a time in the past when Cebuanos would watch the latest movies in standalone movie theaters. Friends, families and couples would meet up to watch a movie in these cinemas. While many of these standalone movie theaters have gone the way of the dinosaur, there are still a number that have stood the test of time. One of these movie theaters is Cine Oriente
Cine Oriente – image source: courtesy of Peter Parcon
A little bit of history
Cine Oriente was established in 1895 as a theater where Cebuanos would enjoy watching musical programs, stage plays, operas, and silent movies. During this time, it was called the Teatro Junquera. It also served as the venue for Gov. General William Howard Taft to speak before Cebuanos in 1901.
Cine Oriente
The play “Ang Gugma sa Yutang Natawhan” of Vicente Sotto was also staged at the theater in 1902. In 1915, it was renamed Cine Oriente after it was purchased by Don Jose Avila, who later became the “Father of Cebu Cinema.” Cine Oriente was the foremost theater to show silent films in 1920. The musical drama Part-Talkie motion picture of Warner Bros “The Singing Fool” premiered at Cine Oriente in March 1930. This was the first time Cebuanos experienced a sound film in the Queen City of the South.
Cine Oriente was established in 1895 as a theater where Cebuanos would enjoy watching musical programs, stage plays, operas, and silent movies. During this time, it was called the Teatro Junquera. It also served as the venue for Gov. General William Howard Taft to speak before Cebuanos in 1901.
Cine Oriente
The play “Ang Gugma sa Yutang Natawhan” of Vicente Sotto was also staged at the theater in 1902. In 1915, it was renamed Cine Oriente after it was purchased by Don Jose Avila, who later became the “Father of Cebu Cinema.” Cine Oriente was the foremost theater to show silent films in 1920. The musical drama Part-Talkie motion picture of Warner Bros “The Singing Fool” premiered at Cine Oriente in March 1930. This was the first time Cebuanos experienced a sound film in the Queen City of the South.
Cine Oriente – image source: en.wikipedia.org
The theater was destroyed during the Second World War together with a good part of the city. But it was rebuilt in 1952 and Attorney Jesus Avila, the younger son of Don Jose, came into the picture (pun intended). A fire in 1969 destroyed Cine Oriente again, but it was restored in 1971.
Cine Oriente – image source: istorya.net
Dolby Digital Surround Sound
The theater went through a major renovation and reopened with much fanfare in 1984. It went through another renovation in 1995 and the second theater gave way to the construction of a mall. Cine Oriente became the first movie theater to feature Dolby Digital Surround Sound in the Queen City of the South in 1996.
Digital projectors offering high-definition quality viewing came to Cine Oriente after it went through another renovation in May 2013. The Colon Heritage Realty Corp. currently manages the Cine Oriente and currently offers the latest movies at an affordable price.
Cine Oriente today
While a lot of unpleasant stories have proliferated about the theater, the new management has made it a point to ensure the safety and comfort of moviegoers. Aside from the installation of the latest digital technology equipment, the management also equipped the theater with night vision cameras to ensure the safety of their patrons. The theater is also kept squeaky clean and security personnel keep watch 24 hours a day. The movie theater also has two cinemas with Cinema 1 accommodating 252 moviegoers while Cinema 2 can accommodate 188 movie patrons.
The theater went through a major renovation and reopened with much fanfare in 1984. It went through another renovation in 1995 and the second theater gave way to the construction of a mall. Cine Oriente became the first movie theater to feature Dolby Digital Surround Sound in the Queen City of the South in 1996.
Digital projectors offering high-definition quality viewing came to Cine Oriente after it went through another renovation in May 2013. The Colon Heritage Realty Corp. currently manages the Cine Oriente and currently offers the latest movies at an affordable price.
Cine Oriente today
While a lot of unpleasant stories have proliferated about the theater, the new management has made it a point to ensure the safety and comfort of moviegoers. Aside from the installation of the latest digital technology equipment, the management also equipped the theater with night vision cameras to ensure the safety of their patrons. The theater is also kept squeaky clean and security personnel keep watch 24 hours a day. The movie theater also has two cinemas with Cinema 1 accommodating 252 moviegoers while Cinema 2 can accommodate 188 movie patrons.
Cine Oriente – image source: cebucity.org
The theater also became the venue for a film festival for Cebuano filmmakers in 2014. Dubbed the “Lilas Binisaya (Visayan Movie) Film Festival, the event allowed Cebuano filmmakers to showcase their best short films in the Queen City of the South. The winner got a cash prize of PHP10,000 and a one-year scholarship at the Film and Media Arts Conservatory (FMAC).
Cine Oriente – image source: cebudailynews.inquirer.net
Even with the proliferation of movie-streaming websites and competition from movie theaters in the major malls in the Queen City of the South, Cine Oriente continues to keep its tradition of offering the latest movies at a reasonable price in the Cebuano market. Cine Oriente is located at the corner of Legaspi Street and Colon Street.
Cine Oriente – image source: courtesy of Peter Parcon
Have you watched a movie at the Cine Oriente recently? Tell us about it on the comments section below.
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