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Madrid Río adds free film nights with classic musicals
Madrid adds a free activity this July for those who want to extend the afternoon without spending money. Nave de Terneras at Centro Cultural Casa del Reloj will screen major musicals outdoors from 21:00, in a proposal designed for residents, families and cinema lovers.
The series turns this Arganzuela space into a small summer cinema next to Madrid Río. The idea is simple: watch well-known films, mentally sing their songs and make the most of July nights in a comfortable, well-located setting away from the more commercial circuit.
The programme begins with highly recognisable titles. Grease will be screened on 9 July, Wicked will have its turn on the 10th and La La Land will arrive on the 11th. These are films capable of bringing together different audiences, from those seeking nostalgia to those who prefer more recent musicals.
The second part of the series will maintain the same popular tone. Saturday Night Fever will be shown on 16 July, Mamma Mia! on the 17th and Moulin Rouge on the 18th. Flashdance will then arrive on 23 July; Explota, explota on the 24th; and Footloose on the 25th.
All screenings will be free and admission will be open until capacity is reached. It is advisable to arrive with some time to spare, because this type of plan usually attracts both district residents and people coming from other neighbourhoods in search of summer cinema without a ticket.
The proposal joins an increasingly packed Madrid calendar of open-air screens. Terraza Magnética, CinePlaza Matadero, Veranos en el Parque and Cibeles de Cine form part of that map of nights when cinema leaves theatres and occupies courtyards, squares and cultural spaces.
Nave de Terneras fits particularly well into that circuit. Its location next to Madrid Río makes it possible to combine the screening with a walk around the area, an informal dinner or an afternoon in Legazpi, turning the plan into something broader than watching a film.
These screenings offer a simple option for experiencing July differently: free culture, manageable schedules and a historic neighbourhood space. In a city where the heat encourages people to go out when the sun goes down, musical cinema in Arganzuela can become one of those summer routines that are improvised almost without thinking.