Deloraine’s newest social night out starts with trivia, rolls into a film, and ends with the bar still open and plenty to talk about.
MALT, short for Movies at the Little Theatre, launches its first public season on 12 June this year with a screening of Spike Jonze’s 2013 film Her. Screenings are held at the Little Theatre, 2 Meander Valley Road, Deloraine, with doors opening at 6:30pm, film trivia at 7pm, and the main feature starting at 7:30pm promptly. The bar stays open for half an hour after the credits roll.
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MALT Inc. was founded by three locals: Lachlan Hamilton, Hannah Koch and Matt Taylor. Before committing to a public launch, the group ran two private test screenings, the first showing Frank Oz’s Death at a Funeral and then Alejandro Iñárritu’s Babel. Lachlan drew on advice from the Western Tiers Film Society, a similar group that ran successfully in the region until 2024.
“Deloraine is a town that has lots going on, but sometimes can be quieter at night – especially during the cooler months. We wanted to do something a bit different” Hamilton says. “A great film and a room full of people who want to talk about it felt like a pretty good place to start.”
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The programme for 2026 will run bimonthly through the year (June, August, October and December) and the selection of films can be best described as wide-ranging, taking in drama, comedy and the occasional left-fielder, with each film advertised in advance on the group’s website clearly so members know what they are walking into. Horror is not on the agenda.
Membership for the pilot 6 month season is $30 per person. The club is members-only, a condition of MALT’s film licensing arrangements. However the committee has made clear they do not want costs to prevent anyone from joining. Those who cannot afford the full $30 membership are encouraged to get in touch with the committee directly (hello@maltfilm.club).
The Little Theatre is a perfect home for the venture, and a fine excuse to make more use of one of the Meander Valley’s often underutilised assets.
The theatre’s kitchen will stock popcorn and choc tops alongside a light bar. The idea is to give Meander Valley residents a regular, relaxed reason to connect with others in their community. Conversation flows more naturally when there is a film to talk about or a trivia contest to compete in, and the founders hope MALT becomes the kind of night members genuinely look forward to each month.
“ What I love about movies is the same as what I love about books and television and plays. I think storytelling is a fundamental core of humanity, and I love sharing it with my community” says Koch.
MALT has been created to give Meander Valley adults a chance to relax and enjoy a great evening with likeminded locals.
Doors open 6:30pm on 12 June.
Memberships and mailing list sign-ups are available at maltfilm.club, or by email at hello@maltfilm.club. MALT can also be found on Facebook.
