Galway Bay fm newsroom - The long-awaited Pálás arthouse cinema in the city will officially open to the public this Friday. (23/2)
Element Pictures took over the management of the cinema at Spanish Parade in late 2016.
The arthouse cinema project, which has taken around a decade to complete, has been dogged by controversy.
It suffered delays and setbacks due to various circumstances including funding issues.
The total amount spent on creating the cinema is just over 9 million euro, more than 50 per cent higher than the original estimate.
Pálás will finally open its doors to the public this Friday, bringing an eclectic mix of the best new Irish and international films, shorts, documentaries, special events and festivals.
All the films that will screen this coming weekend are hotly tipped for Oscars, including Ladybird starring Saoirse Ronan and I, Tonya with Margot Robbie.
The restaurant element of the cinema will also be open for the weekend.
Element Pictures says it fully believes that Pálás will now be at the heart of cultural life in the city, similar to its sister cinema, the Light House in Dublin.
