CinePlaza de Verano Returns to Matadero Madrid with Outdoor Film Concerts and Live-Commented Screenings
> Recent titles like Summer of Soul and Grace Jones: Bloodlight and Bami will share the spotlight with classics such as Cabaret, Absolute Beginners, Wattstax, and Xanadu.
> Musicians like Hidrogenesse and Joe Crepúsculo, along with screenwriter Paloma Rando and cultural commentator Lidia García, will bring their talent and cinephilia to this celebration of film.
> Tickets are available online through Cineteca's website and in person at the box office on screening days, starting from €3.50.
> Once again, the central square of Matadero Madrid—Contemporary Creation Center of the Department of Culture, Tourism, and Sports—will transform into an open-air summer cinema in July. With a hybrid program that combines film with live performances, last year's edition drew over 5,000 attendees.
Titled Superstars 2, the eighth edition of CinePlaza de Verano will feature two film concerts by major Spanish musicians, two live-commented screenings, and a selection of 12 films exploring the intersection of music and cinema. Expect legendary musicals from the 80s and 21st century, music documentaries, and intimate artist portraits.
In this lineup that welcomes bold, critical, and poetic perspectives, highlights include film concerts by Hidrogenesse—who bring a specially curated set of film-loving songs—and Joe Crepúsculo, who will reinterpret tracks from iconic "cine quinqui" films.
Also joining the party are screenwriter Paloma Rando, who will live-comment Cabaret (Bob Fosse, 1972), and Lidia García, who will offer a unique take on the Spanish musical comedy El balcón de la luna (Luis Saslavsky, 1962).
Affordable Tickets from €3.50
All films will screen in their original language with Spanish subtitles, every Thursday through Sunday from July 3 to 27 at 10:15 p.m. Tickets for the 12 regular screenings are €3.50. The two live-commented films are €5 each, and the two film concerts are €10. Tickets are available online at Cineteca’s website and at the box office on screening days.
Full Program
Film Concert: Hidrogenesse de película
Thursday, July 3, 10:15 p.m.
Carlos Ballesteros and Genís Segarra make up Hidrogenesse, one of the most artistic groups in Spain's indie scene. Celebrating 25 years in music, they bring a tailor-made show to CinePlaza featuring film-inspired songs and custom audiovisual setups for each track. They’ve scored modern cult series like La Mesías, and now bring their love of cinema to the stage.
Screening: Absolute Beginners (Julien Temple, 1986)
Friday, July 4, 10:15 p.m.
A musical adaptation of Colin MacInnes' novel starring David Bowie. Set in late-1950s London, a young photographer navigates jazz, fashion, racial tensions, and romance.
Screening: 24 Hour Party People (Michael Winterbottom, 2002)
Saturday, July 5, 10:15 p.m.
A cult British film tracing the rise of Manchester's music scene from the late '70s to early '90s, focused on Factory Records and its legendary bands.
Screening: Summer of Soul (Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, 2021)
Sunday, July 6, 10:15 p.m.
This U.S. indie documentary revisits the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival, celebrating Black music, culture, and pride.
Live-Commented Film: Cabaret (Bob Fosse, 1972) – with Paloma Rando
Thursday, July 10, 10:15 p.m.
Set in 1930s Berlin, this musical masterpiece centers on Sally Bowles, a performer at the Kit Kat Club, during the rise of Nazism. Journalist and screenwriter Paloma Rando brings her love for musicals—and for Liza Minnelli—to this live commentary of the eight-time Oscar winner.
Screening: One from the Heart (Francis Ford Coppola, 1981)
Friday, July 11, 10:15 p.m.
Following Apocalypse Now, Coppola created this visually dazzling musical with a Tom Waits soundtrack. It flopped and bankrupted Zoetrope Studios, changing Coppola’s career path.
Screening: C.R.A.Z.Y. (Jean-Marc Vallée, 2005)
Saturday, July 12, 10:15 p.m.
A tender, funny coming-of-age story about identity, family, and music in a conservative Canadian household during the heyday of rock and psychedelic fashion.
Screening: Grace Jones: Bloodlight and Bami (Sophie Fiennes, 2017)
Sunday, July 13, 10:15 p.m.
Shot over a decade, this unconventional documentary explores the multifaceted life of Grace Jones—singer, model, actress, and icon of androgyny and musical fusion.
Film Concert: Joe Crepúsculo, una noche quinqui
Thursday, July 17, 10:15 p.m.
Joël Iriarte, aka Joe Crepúsculo, brings a tribute to Spain's gritty "cine quinqui" genre. He’ll perform reinterpretations of cult film songs along with rumbas and unexpected gems. In 2025, he released El museo de las desilusiones, but here, he’s all in on fun and cinematic rebellion.
Screening: Sid and Nancy (Alex Cox, 1986)
Friday, July 18, 10:15 p.m.
A harrowing look at the final months of Sex Pistols’ Sid Vicious and his toxic romance with Nancy Spungen. Featuring a celebrated performance by Gary Oldman.
Screening: Inside Llewyn Davis (Joel & Ethan Coen, 2013)
Saturday, July 19, 10:15 p.m.
Loosely inspired by folk singer Dave Van Ronk, the film explores a struggling musician’s journey through Greenwich Village in the early ‘70s.
Screening: Wattstax (Mel Stuart, 1973)
Sunday, July 20, 10:15 p.m.
In 1972, Stax Records organized the massive Wattstax concert in L.A. as a show of resilience and Black pride. Known as the “Black Woodstock,” the film captures this historic cultural moment.
Live-Commented Film: El balcón de la luna (Luis Saslavsky, 1962) – with Lidia García
Thursday, July 24, 10:15 p.m.
A legendary Spanish musical starring Lola Flores, Paquita Rico, and Carmen Sevilla. Cultural scholar Lidia García will unpack the camp brilliance of these three icons in one of Spain’s most unforgettable musicals.
Screening: Xanadu (Robert Greenwald, 1980)
Friday, July 25, 10:15 p.m.
This fantasy-disco-skating musical was meant to cement Olivia Newton-John’s stardom but flopped spectacularly—only to become a cult classic thanks to its kitsch aesthetic and ELO soundtrack.
Screening: Eden: Lost in Music (Mia Hansen-Løve, 2014)
Saturday, July 26, 10:15 p.m.
Inspired by the life of DJ Sven Løve, the film is a reflective journey through youth, music, and the passage of time.
Screening: One Hand Don’t Clap (Kavery Dutta Kaul, 1991)
Sunday, July 27, 10:15 p.m.
A vibrant tribute to Calypso, from New York studios to the streets of Trinidad’s Carnival. Featuring legends like Lord Kitchener and Calypso Rose, this is the Spanish premiere of the film’s restored version.
More info and tickets: cinetecamadrid.com