Astra Cinema

Gan Island is the southern-most island of Addu Atoll, part of the larger groups of islands which form the Republic of Maldives, in the middle of the Indian Ocean.

The area was originally established as a military base for the British Royal Navy in 1941. Royal Navy engineers began constructing airstrips on Gan in August 1941 for the Fleet Air Arm. However, at the end of the war, all military installations were either removed or abandoned.

In 1956-57, the Royal Air Force handed over its bases in Ceylon [now Sri Lanka] to the Royal Ceylon Air Force. However, a staging post was required between its bases in the Middle East and Far East, so the facilities on Gan were reactivated. RAF Gan became established in the late-1950’s.

It was extensively used into the 1960’s. However, as the 1970’s dawned, the United Kingdom was withdrawing from its commitments east of the Suez. By the end of 1971 the RAF’s Far East Air Force was disbanded and the major rationale for Gan was gone. The base remained open for a few more years, but, by 1975, British military aircraft using the base were an extreme rarity. RAF Gan was thus closed and on 1st April 1976 the island was handed back to the Maldivian Government.

The archive for the UK-based Cinema Theatre Association holds three photographs of the Astra Cinema at RAF Gan. They were taken in 1976, with a note on the reverse of the photograph of the projection room that the 35mm projectors were removed in late-1975, with the 16mm projectors (pictured) only being used for approximately three months. This would have been in the lead-up to the closure of the base. The photographs were donated by Peter H. Robinson of Beverley, North Humberside, who presumably took them. There is also a note that Services Kinema Association supplied the films.

Following the handover, the airfield was left to fall into disrepair for many years. However, as funds allowed, it was developed into a civil airport, and is now in use as Gan International Airport. Most of the base has been transformed into a tourist resort called Equator Village. The military buildings are said to remain, having been converted into rooms and other facilities, and the Astra Cinema building survives, but its use is unknown.

Get Movie Tickets & Showtimes

Recent comments (view all 1 comments)

Want to be emailed when a new comment is posted about this theater?
Just login to your account and subscribe to this theater.