Armed with yarn, needles and hooks, dexterous moviegoers flock to a cinema in Vienna every month to combine their favorite hobbies: knits and flicks.
With many having turned to time-honored crafts like crochet and knitting during the COVID-19 pandemic, many enthusiasts are looking to connect with the Austrian capital's craft community in real life.
Vienna's Votiv Kino has become the latest movie theater in Europe to offer craft cinema nights, a trend trailblazed by Nordic countries.
"We saw that it exists in the U.S., in Denmark, in Finland, in Germany," said avid knitter Luisa Palmer, who initiated the knitting nights at the Votiv Kino with a colleague.
Since the launch event in December, the monthly knitting nights have sold out, drawing almost 180 visitors each time.
On Sunday, the lights were only slightly dimmed while "The Devil Wears Prada" was showing, so cinemagoers got crafty.
"It is a bit 'granny-core,' but I find it very calming and pleasant. Why not let out your inner granny?" Alexander Koch, 28, quipped while crocheting away.
Kaja Vospernik, a 23-year-old fashion student who knits sweaters, told Agence France-Presse (AFP) that she was excited about "meeting new people who have the same interests."
"I really enjoy knitting while watching movies or listening to podcasts, so of course, the cinema is a great place for that," Vospernik said.
The movie seemed to take a backseat as passionate knitters and crocheters – some of whom were donning their handmade knitwear – kept chatting and working away.
"Many people started knitting and crocheting during the pandemic and out of necessity, they only did it at home alone. That's why many people now want to do it with others," 32-year-old Palmer said.
In an increasingly digital world, with many hunched over computers at work, people enjoy "creating something with their own hands you can later even wear," said Palmer.
"Cozy films that you have already seen" are best suited for knitting, Palmer added.
And Vienna's "diverse" crafting community, which is "open to all age groups," has meanwhile grown to an estimated 1,000 people, Judith Hasloewer, who co-initiated the event at the cinema, told AFP.
"You can just sit in the theatre and knit and keep to yourself, but if you feel like company, you'll definitely find it here," she said.
Crafting your own garment allows you to "connect to reality, as it slows you down," while it also symbolizes a bold statement against "fast fashion," Hasloewer, 27, said.
According to Votiv Kino spokesperson Lisa Stolze, knitting nights are the latest addition to their special shows – which include cinema breakfasts and screenings for parents and their babies – that are designed to "appeal to the different interests of our audience."
