Talk to look at a lost Melbourne

FILM director Gus Berger is coming to the Ballaarat Mechanics’ Institute next month to discuss his documentary The Lost City of Melbourne.

The work looks at the cinemas, theatres and buildings across the city which no longer stand, and the event will include a live screening and discussion with Berger.

“During lockdown he decided to delve into the archives and construct a Melbourne that isn’t here anymore using pictures and archival footage,” said Ellen Becker, heritage collection curator at the BMI.

“He was able to craft together a documentary that shows us all these buildings across Melbourne which are lost, particularly cinemas and theatres.”

The screening will take place in the Minerva Theatre, which showed the invention of the cinematograph to Ballarat audiences for the first time in 1896.

“It’s really lovely that we will be watching this documentary that charts theatres we’ve lost from the hay day of cinema in one of the very first cinemas,” said Ms Becker.

“People will be able to watch this film in a place where people experienced moving pictures for the first time.”

Attendees will also have the opportunity to view a free exhibition which looks at the history of cinema in Ballarat.

All funds raised from the event will go towards the running of the BMI.

“All the proceeds from the sales of the tickets from this event will be going towards supporting what we do,” said Ms Becker.

The event will begin at 6pm on Wednesday 1 May. Tickets cost $10 for BMI members or $15 for the general public and can be purchased on the BMI website.