Melbourne has been an epicentre of arts and culture since the 1850s: it was here that the world’s first film, The Story of the Kelly Gang, was made, and the early 20th century saw the rise of back-alley movie theatres and outdoor cinemas across the CBD, Brunswick, St Kilda and Preston. But in the 1950s, when Melbourne played host to the Olympics and Queen Elizabeth II, cultural cringe fostered the idea that our Victorian architecture made us look the opposite of a modern metropolis. And so began a demolition blitz that paved over a century’s worth of built heritage – in the process, razing many of the city’s various movie theatres.