Bar and indie cinema Longplay was a Fitzroy North favorite for more than a decade before closing earlier this year. But his spirit lives on at Wildflower Picture House & Bar, which now occupies the same space with a fresh yet familiar atmosphere.

The company is co-owned by Will Kuhn and Jayden Boyce, who previously worked in film in the US and UK (where he was a camera assistant on a film). Downton Abbey among other shows).

“I spent a lot of time in New York City, and my favorite bar I ever went to (the now-closed Videology Bar & Cinema) was a very dimly lit (establishment) that had a movie theater in the back,” Boyce tells Broadsheet. “It’s very similar to what we have.”

When Covid derailed his film aspirations, he returned to Australia. Opening your own movie bar was not part of the original plans, but when Longplay was put up for sale, it seemed like fate. Taking inspiration from Videology and Brooklyn’s Nighthawk Cinema, Wildflower transformed the once-bright interiors into a moody, intimate space with burgundy walls, wood accents and glowing red strip lighting.

The theater itself, with a professional-grade screen and multi-tiered seats for 30 seats, did not need major updating. “It’s the same size as some of the smaller movie theaters in Nova,” Boyce says.

Although the space has hosted comedy shows, concerts and private events, the main focus is on movies. Boyce will kick off with a Halloween screening (movie TBA) paired with a themed cocktail that will serve as your ticket to the movie. This format will support future genre shows spanning everything from cult classics to under-the-radar deep cuts, many of which will be from Beuys’s own collection.

“I love bad movies, and this is a good place for it,” he admits. “You can have a drink, bring a couple of friends. Watching a bad movie under these circumstances is great.”

More serious film buffs can expect screenings of classics by famous directors (Beuys mentions the great Russian director Andrei Tarkovsky) and a constant rotation of lesser-known films.

If that’s not your speed, the front bar offers its own cards, including a soundtrack on vinyl, a curated selection of whiskeys, and affordable happy hour deals like $4 cans, $8 house wine, and $2.50 oysters all night on Fridays.

“We still want to keep the older crowd that was here before, but also attract that younger crowd that will probably want to keep the price under $30 or $40 a night,” Boyce says.

The venue has partnered with West Melbourne restaurant Hello Jose to complement the experience. Find dishes like totopos (stuffed corn tortilla chips) and tacos filled with slow-cooked tamarind beef, crispy chicken or vegan chorizo.

Wildflower Picture House and Bar
318 St Georges Road, Fitzroy North

Watch:
Mon and Wed: 17:30–22:00.
Thu 17.30–midnight
Fri 17.00–midnight
Saturday 16:30–1:00
Sun 17:00–22:00

@wildflowerpicturehousebar