Despite being unique at the European level, the projectors had been falling into disrepair since 1996. These Czechoslovak-
made machines, MEOPTA UM 70/35 from 1969, were restored by a group of enthusiasts and can again play the classic 35mm films and, since 2016, even the 70mm panoramic films, which is unparalleled in outdoor cinemas across Europe.
Also, they are the only functioning projectors of their kind in Slovakia. These design pieces won the Golden Medal at Expo 67 in Montreal. They were produced by Meopta Přerov between 1963 and 1973 and their unconventional robust and rounded shape earned them the nickname of “little elephant”. The Paľo Bielik Open- Air Cinema itself is one of the largest in former Czechoslovakia, with a 32x15m screen. In 1976, a record-breaking 20 000 viewers watched the “Jaws”
there.
Source: Juraj Havlík, Ivan Školuda, Martin Lipták
