Carbs, caffeine, and now cinema! South Africa is on a global winning streak.
Cape Town, South Africa (11 March 2026) – One of Cape Town’s gems has just earned another international nod. The Labia Theatre has been named one of the 100 greatest cinemas in the world by Time Out Worldwide.
Landing at number 74 on the global list, the historic Gardens cinema holds its own among legendary movie houses around the globe. Its spot on the list neighbours grand Parisian picture palaces to cult cinemas in Tokyo!
The Labia Theatre was originally built as a ballroom attached to the Italian Embassy before eventually transforming into the independent cinema Cape Town knows and loves today. Over the decades, the cinema has screened arthouse films and cult classics you won’t always find at mainstream theatres. It has also hosted a number of niche local film festivals.
The Labia carries an important piece of South African history. As highlighted by Time Out, the cinema ignored segregationist seating laws during apartheid and welcomed audiences of all races, which made it a rare space where people could gather together to enjoy film.
Over the years, the cinema has welcomed some famous film lovers through its doors including Matt Damon, Salma Hayek and legendary filmmaker…Werner Herzog!
And while its ranking has shifted since last year, being included among the world’s top 100 movie houses is something worth celebrating. This year’s list sees Los Angeles’ TCL Chinese Theatre claim first place on the list, followed by Dublin’s The Stella Cinema and New York’s Film Forum.
South Africa has been popping up on Time Out’s global lists quite a bit lately!
Just weeks ago, Durban ranked among the world’s top travel destinations for 2026, while two South African pizzas cracked a global list of the best slices on the planet.
At a time when cinemas around the world are battling the advent of streaming, supporting our local cinemas is important. The Labia Theatre has survived for more than seven decades thanks to people who believe that watching a movie on the big screen is an experience worth keeping alive!
Sources: Linked above.
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