People settled in at the Roxburgh rugby grounds on Saturday night for the first outdoor movie showing by Roxburgh Cinema.
The Roxburgh Cinema and town hall were destroyed by fire on February 6 but the cinema committee was determined to maintain its place as the second-longest-running cinema in the world.
On Saturday night people arrived with bean bags, deck chairs, blankets and a few dogs to watch the New Zealand film Tina under a clear, starry sky.
Committee chairman Curtis Crawford said an old cinema screen was hung on the side of a trailer and the movie projected on to it.
It was the first time the projection equipment from Gore TV and Radio, who donated their time and equipment hire, had been used outdoors, and it worked really well, Mr Crawford said.
Committee treasurer Norman Dalley said while the total was still being finalised, the 200-strong audience dug deep and entry donations were so far more than $2000, although the cost of hiring the movie would take "a large slice" of that.
The committee planned to do a movie each month, he said.
As well as the movie there were caravans selling hot food, ice creams and coffee.
People came from as far as Cromwell for the evening, Mr Dalley said.
