Palace Films and Cinemas

Palace Films and Cinemas, commonly known as Palace Cinemas, is an Australian cinema and film business with a particular emphasis on arthouse, international, local, and event-based programming. The enterprise combines exhibition through a network of cinemas with film distribution and a production-related business operating under the Palace Films name. Its cinemas are positioned as alternatives to purely mainstream multiplexes, giving substantial attention to films selected from international festivals, Australian independent cinema, classic repertory programming, and country-focused film festivals. The business was founded in 1965 by Antonio Zeccola. Its first venue was the Pix Theatre in Noble Park, Melbourne, which initially operated on weekends as a cinema and functioned as a dance theatre during the remainder of the week. Over time, the Zeccola family developed Palace into a specialist exhibitor with venues across several Australian states and territories. The company’s early identity was reinforced by cinemas such as The George and The Como, which opened in Melbourne in the mid-1990s. The George was associated with new Australian, experimental, and unconventional films, while The Como concentrated on films connected with major international festival circuits. Palace expanded its Sydney presence during the 1990s through the acquisition of the Academy Twin on Oxford Street and the opening of the Verona complex. It later operated or managed a number of distinctive venues, including the Chauvel Cinema and the Astor Theatre. The Astor, in Melbourne, is particularly associated with classic and repertory screenings. Palace has also developed larger contemporary sites, including Palace Central, a multi-screen venue with standard auditoriums and Palace Platinum cinemas, and Pentridge Cinema in Coburg, which opened in 2020 with the company’s first auditorium designed around Dolby Atmos sound. The company’s operating footprint has included New South Wales, Victoria, Western Australia, Queensland, South Australia, and the Australian Capital Territory. Its venues have included locations in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Byron Bay, Ballina, Canberra, Adelaide, Perth, and surrounding areas. In Western Australia, Palace has also operated venues in partnership with Luna Cinemas. The resulting Luna Palace network has used separate membership and promotional arrangements from Palace’s regular national program, while also extending the business into seasonal outdoor cinema at Leederville and Mosman Park. Film festivals are a major part of Palace’s public identity and programming calendar. The company has operated or presented festivals dedicated to French, Italian, Spanish, German, Scandinavian, Japanese, and British cinema. These events combine curated international releases with cultural programming and provide a recurring platform for films that might otherwise receive limited theatrical exposure in Australia. Palace has also distributed foreign-language films domestically and has been associated with Australian productions including Kokoda and Chopper. Palace has periodically renovated, relocated, and expanded its sites to adapt to changing audience habits and property conditions. Cinema Como received a substantial renovation in 2005, followed by plans for improvements at other venues. The head office moved to South Yarra in 2016. In 2023 the company announced the planned closure of Palace Verona and its replacement by a new venue at The Entertainment Quarter in Moore Park; Verona closed on 25 February 2024. Penny Lane in Moonee Ponds opened to the public in December 2023 with 11 indoor screens and a rooftop cinema. Palace therefore combines specialist programming heritage with investment in larger, experience-led venues, while remaining a family-managed Australian cinema business.

Palace Cinemas traces its origins to 1965, when Antonio Zeccola established the Pix Theatre in Noble Park, Melbourne. The venue had a flexible operating model: it screened films on weekends and served as a dance theatre during the rest of the week. This early combination of cinema operation and multipurpose venue use preceded Palace’s later development as a specialist exhibitor. The company expanded its presence and sharpened its programming identity during the 1990s. In late 1994, it opened The Como and The George in Melbourne. The George was oriented toward new Australian films, experimental work, and films addressing unconventional social, sexual, or political subjects. The Como emphasized films selected from major international festival circuits, including Cannes, Venice, Toronto, and Berlin. Together, the two cinemas expressed Palace’s emerging focus on culturally distinctive and non-mainstream film. In 1995, Palace acquired the Academy Twin on Oxford Street in Sydney and opened the four-screen Verona complex. Actress Nicole Kidman officially opened Verona on Valentine's Day in 1996. The Sydney expansion gave Palace a stronger presence in one of Australia's most important cinema markets and added venues capable of supporting both specialist releases and event programming. Palace’s festival activities became an important part of its business. In 2000, Palace Norton Street hosted what was described as Australia’s first professionally organised Italian film festival. The company subsequently operated a collection of national or regional festivals focused on French, Italian, Spanish, German, Scandinavian, Japanese, and British cinema. These programs helped connect theatrical exhibition with cultural events and provided a regular distribution channel for foreign-language films. During the 2000s, Palace invested in venue improvements and additional locations. Cinema Como received a renovation valued at approximately one million Australian dollars in 2005, and the company announced that Brighton Bay, The George, and its Sydney venues would receive comparable refurbishment attention. In December of that year, Palace announced plans to take over and reopen Sydney’s Chauvel Cinema, another venue with a strong art and independent-film association. The company continued to develop both traditional specialist cinemas and larger contemporary complexes. Palace moved its head office to South Yarra in 2016. In 2017, it opened Palace Central, a venue with 10 standard cinemas and three Palace Platinum auditoriums. Two auditoriums incorporated floor-to-ceiling windows that could be concealed by curtains during screenings, reflecting Palace’s interest in distinctive venue design and premium presentation. Palace opened Pentridge Cinema in 2020 within the shopping centre located at the former HM Prison Pentridge site in Coburg, Melbourne. The venue was the first Palace cinema to include a dedicated Dolby Atmos auditorium. Other parts of the network have operated through partnerships, notably the Luna Palace cinemas in Western Australia. These venues have had distinct websites, membership arrangements, and promotional offers from Palace’s regular national program. The partnership also extended to seasonal outdoor cinemas at Leederville and Mosman Park. Palace’s portfolio has changed as leases, sites, and local market conditions evolved. In November 2023, it announced the permanent closure of Palace Verona and the intended development of a replacement venue at The Entertainment Quarter in Moore Park. Verona closed on 25 February 2024. In December 2023, the company opened Penny Lane in Moonee Ponds, featuring 11 indoor screens and a rooftop cinema. The Chauvel Cinema in Paddington was reported as closing in January 2026. Alongside exhibition, Palace Films has produced or distributed Australian titles including Kokoda and Chopper and has distributed a range of foreign-language films in Australia. The business remains associated with family management by the Zeccola family and with an Australian specialist-cinema model that combines theatrical releases, festivals, premium venues, repertory programming, and film distribution.

1. 2024Palace Verona closes

   The Verona cinema closes permanently on 25 February.

   Source
2. 2023Penny Lane opens

   The Penny Lane venue in Moonee Ponds opens with 11 indoor screens and a rooftop cinema.

   Source
3. 2020Pentridge Cinema opens

   Palace opens Pentridge Cinema in Coburg, including its first dedicated Dolby Atmos auditorium.

   Source
4. 2017Palace Central opens

   Palace opens Palace Central with 10 standard screens and three Palace Platinum auditoriums.

   Source
5. 2016Head office moves to South Yarra

   Palace relocates its head office to the Melbourne suburb of South Yarra.

   Source
6. 2005Cinema Como is renovated

   Cinema Como receives a major renovation, while Palace announces refurbishment plans for several other venues and a planned Chauvel Cinema reopening.

   Source
7. 2000Italian film festival is established at Norton Street

   Palace Norton Street hosts Australia's first professionally organised Italian film festival, according to the cited account.

   Source
8. 1996Verona is officially opened

   Nicole Kidman officially opens Palace Verona on Valentine's Day.

   Source
9. 1995Sydney expansion begins

   Palace acquires the Academy Twin on Oxford Street and opens the four-screen Verona complex.

   Source
10. 1994The Como and The George open

    Palace opens two Melbourne venues with complementary specialist programming: international festival cinema at The Como and Australian, experimental, and unconventional films at The George.

    Source
11. 1965Palace is founded

    Antonio Zeccola establishes the business and opens the Pix Theatre in Noble Park, Melbourne.

    Source

A specialist Australian cinema operator focused on arthouse, international, Australian, festival, classic, and event cinema, complemented by film distribution and selected production activities.

• Palace CinemasCinema exhibition1965

  The core exhibition network presents arthouse, international, Australian, independent, classic, and selected mainstream films across venues in multiple Australian states and territories. Locations range from intimate specialist cinemas and heritage theatres to larger multi-screen complexes. Palace venues also host premieres, cultural events, festival screenings, and premium-format presentations.

• Palace PlatinumPremium cinema2017

  Palace Platinum is the company’s premium auditorium concept. It is associated with the Palace Central complex, which includes three Palace Platinum cinemas alongside its standard screens. The format forms part of Palace’s effort to combine specialist programming with upgraded cinema environments and higher-end presentation.

• Palace FilmsFilm production and distribution

  Palace Films is the film production and distribution arm associated with the Palace business. It has produced or distributed Australian films including Kokoda and Chopper and distributes foreign-language films in Australia, supporting the broader exhibition network’s emphasis on international and local cinema.

• International film festivalsFilm festival programming2000

  Palace operates a portfolio of country-focused film festivals, including the Alliance Française French Film Festival, Lavazza Italian Film Festival, Spanish Film Festival, German Film Festival, Scandinavian Film Festival, Japanese Film Festival, and British Film Festival. These events showcase national cinemas and create recurring theatrical and cultural programming.

• Luna Palace CinemasPartner cinema network

  Luna Palace is the Western Australian cinema line operated by Palace in partnership with Luna Cinemas. It has separate digital, membership, and promotional arrangements from Palace’s regular national program and includes traditional and seasonal outdoor cinema venues.

• 2000Italian Film Festival

  Australia

  Palace Norton Street hosted a professionally organised Italian film festival, helping establish Palace’s recurring country-focused festival model.

  Outcome. The festival became part of Palace’s broader international film festival portfolio.

  Source
• Alliance Française French Film Festival

  Australia

  A French cinema festival presented through Palace’s international festival program.

  Source
• Spanish Film Festival

  Australia

  A festival highlighting Spanish-language and Spanish-connected cinema.

  Source
• German Film Festival

  Australia

  A country-focused festival presenting German cinema through Palace venues.

  Source
• Scandinavian Film Festival

  Australia

  A festival dedicated to cinema from Scandinavian countries.

  Source
• Japanese Film Festival

  Australia

  A festival showcasing Japanese films to Australian cinema audiences.

  Source
• British Film Festival

  Australia

  A festival focused on British cinema and related film culture.

  Source

• 2023Replacement of Palace Verona with a Moore Park venueStrategy

  Palace announced a change to its Sydney portfolio involving the closure of the Verona site.

  What changed. The company announced that Verona would close permanently and that a replacement location would be developed at The Entertainment Quarter in Moore Park.

  Aftermath. Verona closed on 25 February 2024, while Moore Park became the designated replacement location.

  Source
• 2023Opening of Penny LaneProduct launch

  Palace continued investing in larger and experience-led cinema sites in Melbourne.

  What changed. Penny Lane opened in Moonee Ponds with 11 indoor screens and a rooftop cinema.

  Aftermath. The venue expanded Palace’s Melbourne presence and added an outdoor rooftop component to its cinema offer.

  Source
• 2020Opening of Pentridge Cinema with Dolby AtmosProduct launch

  Palace developed a cinema within the retail and entertainment complex at the former HM Prison Pentridge site in Coburg.

  What changed. The company opened Pentridge Cinema with its first dedicated Dolby Atmos auditorium.

  Aftermath. The venue added a premium sound capability to Palace’s Melbourne network.

  Source
• 2017Launch of Palace Central and Palace PlatinumProduct launch

  Palace expanded beyond smaller specialist venues with a larger multi-screen complex incorporating premium auditoriums.

  What changed. Palace opened Palace Central with 10 standard cinemas and three Palace Platinum cinemas.

  Aftermath. The complex broadened Palace’s venue model while retaining the brand’s event and specialist programming capabilities.

  Source
• 2005Refurbishment program for established cinemasStrategy

  Palace sought to maintain and modernise established specialist venues, beginning with Cinema Como.

  What changed. The company completed a major Cinema Como renovation and announced similar refurbishment plans for Brighton Bay, The George, and Sydney locations.

  Aftermath. The investment supported Palace’s continuing operation of distinctive, non-multiplex venues.

  Reported renovation value for Cinema Como. AUD 1 million (2005)

  Source

• 2026Palace Chauvel Cinema closes

  The Chauvel Cinema in Paddington was reported as having closed in January 2026.

  Other
  Source
• 2024Palace Verona closes

  The Palace Verona cinema ceased operations on 25 February 2024 following the previously announced replacement plan.

  Other
  Source
• 2023Palace announces closure of Palace Verona and planned Moore Park replacement

  Palace announced that its Verona cinema would close and that a new location at The Entertainment Quarter in Moore Park would replace it.

  Other
  Source
• 2023Penny Lane cinema opens in Moonee Ponds

  Palace opened the Penny Lane venue in Moonee Ponds with 11 indoor screens and a rooftop cinema.

  Product launch
  Source

1. Palace Cinemas (Australia)
2. Palace Cinemas official website