Hundreds of people gathered in central Apia on Wednesday evening as the local premiere of the live action Moana film was transformed into a community celebration featuring an outdoor night market, live entertainment and an alcohol-free family atmosphere.
Part of the street outside Apollo Cinemas was closed to traffic to accommodate the event, allowing families and moviegoers to enjoy food stalls and activities before the film screenings.
The event was organised through a partnership between Apollo Cinemas and Digicel Samoa, which launched its "Bigger, Better Provider" campaign alongside the premiere.
Apollo Cinemas approached Digicel to partner on the event after the two organisations worked together during the release of the original animated Moana film. With the cinema able to seat only about 400 people across two screenings, organisers decided to expand the experience beyond the theatre.
Digicel Marketing Manager Kim Carruthers said the aim was to ensure more people could be part of the occasion.
