Amphitheatre

Cinemas remain one of Johannesburg's genuine communal spaces—places where strangers gather for a shared experience in a city that can feel isolating. Amphitheatre serves a function beyond entertainment: it's where families spend time together, where young people meet, where film enthusiasts find their community. The venue matters to its neighbourhood in ways that go beyond the weekly box office numbers. For many Johannesburgers, especially those in suburbs with limited evening entertainment options, a functioning cinema creates a reason to go out and spend a few hours outside the home. The venue also supports local film culture, creating a platform for South African productions and independent films that might otherwise struggle to find an audience. When a cinema closes, a neighbourhood loses more than just a place to watch movies—it loses a gathering point that brings people out into public space.