Outdoor Cinemas Fade to Black in Greece

For decades Greeks have enjoyed watching the latest Hollywood blockbusters and old classics under the stars.

Open-air cinemas survived Greece's real estate boom and the financial bust that followed, providing many with an affordable night out.

From tiny Mediterranean islands to the capital, Athens, warm summer nights and some spectacular settings kept movie fans coming back.

But the global switch to digital projection could soon bring the tradition to an end.

Many independent cinema operators say they cannot afford to invest tens of thousands of dollars in new technology, but none have said so far that they will have to turn off their old film projectors for good.

Among the images of outdoor cinemas are those of Cine Thisio, Athens' oldest, which opened in 1935.