On Valentine’s Day, my wife and I had the opportunity to attend a screening of the new Sony and Marvel movie Madame Web. However, this wasn’t an ordinary evening as we would have a taste of Ster Kinekor’s Cine Prestige experience at their Cavendish Square cinema in Cape Town.
Ster Kinekor hosted an exclusive pre-release screening billed as “the most romantic night of the year in the company of a superhero”. Apart from the showing itself, of course, Ster Kinekor wanted to showcase the venue as a beautiful place for couples to spend time together, whether to celebrate Valentine’s Day or, really, whenever a night out is needed.
For those not in the know, Cine Prestige is, according to Ster Kinekor, “the first ‘business class’ cinema experience in South Africa”. Among the many things you can expect are, according to Ster Kinekor’s press material, a warm welcome by friendly staff, a menu that includes yummy gourmet items, and the usual movie house fare. To top it all off, you’ll enjoy your movie of choice from the comfort of plush, spacious, reclining leather seats fitted with backlit, touch-operated controls.
Upon arriving at Ster Kinekor, my wife and I asked to be shown where to go and were directed to a unique, self-contained section marked out for Prestige ticket holders. A colourful balloon and flower arrangement was set up, as well as a frame with the words “Happy Valentine’s Day”. My wife, undoubtedly, grabbed the chance to snap a few pics.
After finding our way into the waiting lounge, where the seats and tables carry the brand’s prominent signage, we chatted with the manager on duty, who briefly talked us through the highlights of what to expect from Prestige. She emphasized the seating as the standout attraction and promptly handed us our tickets, which were scanned by the helpful staff. While she was speaking to us, we couldn’t help but notice that there was quite a buzz in the air. A local company, in partnership with Ster Kinekor, was running a draw where a few of the ladies present stood to win some impressive cosmetics prizes.
After being handed complimentary chocolates, we went into the movie theatre, where we found our way to the spacious recliners. The seats were comfortable and most certainly enhanced the movie-watching experience. Testing out the reclining function (I promise, this wasn’t just my inner child seizing the day), I was impressed by how responsive the buttons were. That may sound trivial, but sometimes, the line between actual usefulness and gimmickry can be pretty thin, especially when it comes to ‘premium’ products and experiences. I’m glad to say that both these seats and their reclining function proved more than worthwhile. My seat was right in the front row so I could recline my way through to a night free of neck pain. Grown folk will understand the struggle.
Overall, we’re happy to have had this night out and to have experienced a highly anticipated superhero movie launch on the big screen. If ever you feel like catching a movie in style – alone or with a loved one – and you can splurge a little on this “business class cinema experience”, Ster-Kinekor’s Cine Prestige is right up your alley.
