Sieam Reap province’s first modern cinema opened yesterday.

Until now, film buffs in Siem Reap town, which has a population of 250,000 and is visited by millions of tourists every year, have only had the Baray Andet Cinema, a small one-screen cinema located on the road to Angkor Wat playing mainly Khmer and Asian films, along with a couple of private screening rooms that play DVDs on demand.

The new Platinum Cineplex movie theatre – which has three screens and a total of about 500 seats – will show Khmer, Hollywood, and Asian movies in 2D and 3D.

The opening line-up of films includes Hollywood efforts Jurassic World and Minions, the Korean film Snow in Sea Breeze and the Thai films Single Lady and Feel Good.

Tickets for 2D movies cost $3, while 3D movies cost $4 during the week and $5 on weekends. Glasses for 3D films cost $1.

“We would like to fulfil the local people’s demands in Siem Reap by giving them the opportunity to watch quality movies in a standard cinema,” said Rithy Cheatana the marketing manager for Platinum Cineplex, which also runs Phnom Penh’s Sorya Mall cinema.

The cinema would have a grand opening in September, Cheatana added.

“We expect to get an audience of least 30,000 to 40,000 in our first month after our soft opening,” she said.

“We target university students and young people who are living in Siem Reap as our audience, and we hope to get huge support from them, as we believe that they have waited a long time to watch movies in a modern cinema.”

Khim Socheata, a student from the Pannasastra University in Siem Reap, said she planned to watch a film at the Platinum Cineplex with her friends today.

“I have waited for a decent standard cinema for a long time,” she said.

“I’m so excited and will go with my friends to see the sort of good movies we’ve never had before at a cinema here.”

Platinum Cineplex is located on Sivatha Road, near Pub Street.