STAND BY ME | FOMO Open-Air Cinema Tbilisi

STAND BY ME

Rob Reiner | 1986 | USA | 1h29m | Presented in the original English audio with English subtitles

Few films feel as perfectly made as STAND BY ME.

It’s one of my favourite films of all time, and probably the film that best explains why I love coming-of-age stories so much.

Rob Reiner gets almost everything right here. The pacing, the writing, the performances, the balance of humour and sadness. It’s full of pathos without ever becoming schmaltzy, and it understands the way boys actually speak to each other: the insults, the bravado, the stupid jokes, the sudden moments of honesty that arrive almost by accident.

The four leads are exceptional. Wil Wheaton, Corey Feldman and Jerry O’Connell are all brilliant, but River Phoenix is the one I always find myself watching most closely. He’s only 15 years old in this, but he’s already impossible to ignore. He would die of a tragic drug overdose eight years later, at just 23, and it’s obvious weost a once-in-a-generation talent.

There are so many scenes burned into my memory: the pie-eating contest, Chopper the junkyard dog, the railway bridge escape. I’ve probably seen the film fifteen times and somehow it never gets old.

It also catches Rob Reiner at the absolute height of his early powers. In the space of a few years he made THIS IS SPINAL TAP, STAND BY ME, THE PRINCESS BRIDE, WHEN HARRY MET SALLY... and MISERY, which is an almost absurd run. Even the smaller roles here are memorable, including very young appearances from John Cusack and Kiefer Sutherland.

For a summer where we’re trying to program films that leave you feeling good, this felt essential. Not because STAND BY ME is uncomplicated or endlessly cheerful, but because it understands how powerful those early friendships are, and why we remember them for the rest of our lives.

I’m genuinely excited to show this one in FOMO Open-Air Cinema. Whether you’re seeing it for the first time or coming back to recapture a bit of the magic, you’re in very safe hands.

SCHEDULE

20:00 Arrive early to make the most of the evening. Find your seat, enjoy a drink from the FOMO Bar on the terrace, and watch the sunset over Old Tbilisi while we play music and get the cinema ready for the night.

20:30 Feature film presentation

ABOUT FOMO OPEN-AIR CINEMA

We opened FOMO Open-Air Cinema in the summer of 2025 with one simple idea: to create the kind of summer cinema we'd always hoped to find in Tbilisi. As Australian film lovers, some of our favourite memories were evenings spent watching films outdoors after sunset, with a cold drink in hand and a great film on the big screen. We wanted to bring that experience here.

Whether you're joining us with friends, on a date, or flying solo, we hope FOMO becomes part of your summer.

Thank you for supporting local independent cinemas like ours and the Tbilisi film community. We look forward to welcoming you throughout the summer on the rooftop, and year-round downstairs at FOMO Secret Cinema.

FOOD & DRINK POLICY

Guests are welcome to bring food and drinks purchased inside Bazari Orbeliani to enjoy during the screening. Outside drinks are not permitted. FOMO's SHEREKILEBI Bar will be open on the terrace ofdering a wide selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.

LOCATION

Bazari Orbeliani Rooftop Terrace, a five-minute walk from Liberty Square Metro Station, on the corner of Atoneli St and Sulkanishvili St.

HOW TO FIND FOMO OPEN-AIR CINEMA

Enter Bazari Orbeliani from Atoneli Street via the entrance above Carrefour. Take the stairs on the left when you walk and follow the signs to the rooftop. The stairs on the right that also go to to the rooftop but will be locked so as not disturb the screening.

OPEN-AIR CINEMA REFUND POLICY

As this is an outdoor event, screenings may occasionally be affected by weather. In the event of rain we will move the screening downstairs to the indoor FOMO Secret Cinema. Refunds are only issued in the event we cancel the screening altogether.

WHAT TO WEAR

Tbilisi weather likes to keep us on our toes. Even after a hot day, it can cool down quickly once the sun sets and the rooftop breeze can be surprisingly fresh. We recommend dressing warm and bringing a jacket or jumper just in case.