Prague 7’s beloved Bio OKO has been around since 1940, but the landmark cinema has gone through a number of renovations over the years that have extensively changed its character.
Once one of Prague’s largest cinemas (with seating for up to 800) that screened mainstream movies, the location has gone through a number of changes throughout the years that included extensive renovations in 2007 that completely altered the interior of the cinema and the Bio OKO experience.
From 2009, Aerofilms took over operations of Bio OKO. Their arthouse scheduling of contemporary and classic films, along with the cinema’s funky new interior that includes balcony and beach chair seating (and even, at one point, a refurbished Tatra), and a popular lobby bar featuring fresh pours from local microbreweries, has resulted in the quirky and eclectic OKO that we all know and love today.
To celebrate the tenth year anniversary of the current state of Bio OKO post-renovations and under the auspices of Aerofilms, the cinema will be holding a festive weekend-long party from September 12-15.
The festivities include a weekend-long selection of cinema classics that will culminate in a block party on Saturday afternoon, September 14, on Františka Křížka in front of the cinema.
“When we thought about how to celebrate ten years of operating Bio OKO, we agreed on one – our cinema is all about the neighborhood,” Bio OKO director David Beránek says in a press release.
“This does not mean that all who come here are from Letná. Rather, we see a friendly atmosphere behind the association.”
Saturday’s street party will kick off from 13:00 and include a book bazaar, yoga classes, art workshops, theater performances and films for kids, and much more. A full schedule of events can be found on the Bio OKO website.
“It will be possible to buy something, experience, learn, refresh, enjoy or even beautify at Saturday’s festivities – to have your hair cut, or to take away a more permanent memorial from Tatiana Kerkonoš,” says Olga Svitáková, who put together the event.
Along with the festivities, Bio OKO will be screening an eclectic lineup of cinema classics this weekend that includes American Beauty, As Good as it Gets, the Coen Brothers’ Barton Fink, Hitchcock’s Rear Window, and Polanski’s Rosemary’s Baby.
The cinema lineup will kick off with an exclusive Prague pre-premiere of Bong Joon-ho’s Parasite, which won the Palme D’or at this year’s Cannes Film Festival and played to acclaim at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival.
Parasite will hit wide release in the Czech Republic from October 3.
Here’s the schedule for Bio OKO’s 10-year party:
September 12
20:30 – Parasite
September 13
18:00 – As Good as it Gets
20:45 – Rosemary’s Baby
September 14
20:30 – Rear Window
September 15
18:00 – Barton Fink
20:30 – American Beauty
