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Opening an open-air cinema
The profession exists, and it is thriving: operators in the UK book 300 dates per summer, German open-air cinemas run every evening from May to September, and in France, providers make a living from the screenings they sell to municipalities. Before buying a screen, you must choose your model — it determines the budget, the rules, and the season.
Request a free quoteThe four pages to read before getting started
Complete equipment, price ranges, rental for testing, and the touring business.
Equipment, aisle by aisle
Screen, projection, sound, power: the complete list with entry-level prices.
Budget ranges
What an inflatable screen costs by size and range, at purchase.
Test renting first
A first season without investing: rented equipment, turnkey setup.
The touring business
Weight, solo setup, warranty: gear designed for mobility.
Existing models
Four ways to experience the outdoors, all observed on the European market in summer 2026.
The paid tour, English-style
The Luna Cinema (founded in 2008) and Adventure Cinema each book hundreds of dates per summer at British castles, parks and estates, with tickets from £15 to £20 sold online. A different venue every night, national ticketing, partnerships with landmarks: this is the most industrialized model — and it is beginning to spread across the continent.
The fixed summer cinema, German-style
Berlin or Hamburg open-air cinemas play every evening from May to September in the same location, at €9–12 per seat. The venue is the business: tiered seating, refreshment stand, regulars. A model demanding in terms of land but very steady once established.
Services for local authorities, the French way
The session is free for the public — it's the municipality that pays for it. The provider earns from their fee, not from tickets: they bring the screen, projection, sound and expertise, while the town hall provides the village square and the entertainment budget. This is the dominant model in France, Spain and Portugal, and the most accessible way to get started.
The event drive-in
The format that gave rise to paid open-air cinema in 1933 is making a comeback through events: shopping mall parking lots, companies, festivals. One-off screenings with high visibility, very large format screen — our drive-in page is dedicated to it.
What the rule says in France
Three obligations, often confused, to know before announcing a date. They apply to both free and paid screenings.
The CNC authorization
Any open-air screening of a feature film (60 min and over) requires authorization from the CNC — one application per region crossed, at least 3 weeks before the date, and the window closes in early June for July-August screenings.
One-year deadline
In a non-commercial screening, a feature film can only be shown one year after its exploitation visa is issued: the current summer blockbuster is out of the running. Short films, however, have no waiting period or quota.
Film rights
The film is negotiated with its rights holder — a purchased DVD grants no public screening rights — and SACEM must also be declared, for the music. Two separate procedures, never one in place of the other.
Useful detail: open-air screenings do not count toward the quota for association screenings. Sources: CNC, "Open-air screenings" and "Non-commercial distribution" — our open-air cinema guide details each step.
Getting started, in order
Choose the model and territory
Touring, fixed location, or service for municipalities? The CNC review also looks at the local situation of the operation: a project that complements the local cinema is better received than one that competes with it.
Securing rights and permissions
Non-commercial distributor for the film, CNC for the projection, SACEM for the music — and the lead times are counted in weeks: the schedule is built backwards from the first date.
Equipping for the long haul
An inflatable screen that sets itself up in minutes and can be repaired on site makes all the difference over an entire season. A long warranty and after-sales service matter more than the entry-level price.
Selling: tickets or fees
Online ticketing and refreshment stand on one side; a catalog of screenings offered to town halls, campsites and companies on the other. The two combine very well in a single season.
Frequently asked questions
Is it profitable?
Paid models rely on attendance × ticket plus concessions — that's what drives 300 dates per summer in the UK. In a service arrangement, the fee covers the session regardless of attendance: it's the safest way to get started.
What investment to get started?
It all depends on the screen size and the package — the ranges are on our pricing page, and a first season can be done entirely with rentals before investing.
Can we screen summer films?
In France, not for non-commercial screenings: you must wait one year after the exploitation visa. That is why open-air programming favors classics and last year's hits.
How far in advance should requests be submitted?
At least three weeks per region for the CNC, one month recommended — and for July-August, submissions close in early June. Announcing a date before authorization is an unnecessary risk.
Can you operate all year round?
The outdoor season runs from May to September. Many operators round out the winter in community halls or covered drive-ins — the inflatable equipment can be set up indoors without modification.
Which screen to start with?
The one that sets up on its own, fast, and survives a hundred setups per season: weight, inflation time, and warranty are the three figures to compare. Our itinerant cinema page publishes the model-by-model chart.
Your first touring screen
French manufacturer, we have been equipping itinerant operators and summer cinemas for over thirty years — screens guaranteed for 10 years, set up by a single person. Tell us about your project.