The Flicks 2 @ The Empire will celebrate its opening with free food and a free movie (although which movie is a secret) on Sunday, April 1.

Details of Phnom Penh’s impending new movie house have been scant.

Attempts to prise out information have being been brushed off by those in the know, and Facebook fans have been tantalised with constant teasers lacking an address.

But The Flicks Community Movie House owner Ramon Stoppelenburg has finally relented and given up the new venue’s location.

The new place, on top of The Empire Bar and Restaurant, at number 34  Street 130, near Riverside, has been dubbed The Flicks 2 @ The Empire.

“It was a promotional campaign to keep the exact location a secret,” Stoppelenburg confesses.

“We’re opening this second house out of necessity. The first one was jam-packed every day; we got to the point where we had to send people away because there was no room for them.”

With this pressing need, Stoppelenburg says the obvious course was to choose a location that was easily accessible to the public.

“It creates a venue for movie-lovers to enjoy a big-screen movie without having to travel all the way to The Flicks 1 in BKK3. But it remains the same set-up and the same philosophy.”

The new domain is soundproofed, air-conditioned and decked out with puffy futons and rattan chairs.

The difference lies in the size: the new pad is a tad smaller, seating 20 buttocks compared to 32.

Snacks and refreshments can be bought at The Empire downstairs.

Depending on its popularity, The Flicks 2 may have more screening sessions as well as daily yoga and Pilates classes.

“If there is demand for these classes near Riverside, we’ll certainly consider it at the new location,” Stoppelenburg says.

As for screenings of pirated movies, he is adamant no such thing will be played on his screens.

“We screen all our movies with permission from distributors or production houses. They know Cambodia is a difficult country for them, as their movies are not legally distributed here.

“Their approval to screen movies at The Flicks movie rooms is an agreement I am very proud of.”

To contact the reporter on this story: Deborah Seccombe at [email protected]