Swanpool is a small rural community on the Midland Highway between Benalla and Mansfield. It has a store, sports ground, bowling club, a couple of churches, just a few houses and the impressive Swanpool Hall. The hall was built by volunteers over two and a half years and was officially opened by Sir Henry Bolte on 1st November 1957.

Even before the hall was started the village had a history of screening films. To raise funds for the construction 16 mm films were shown in St Aidan's Hall, with the hire of a projector from St Andrew's Presbyterian Church, Benalla. At a later date the community purchased their own projector and continued to show films, in the new hall, until the advent of TV made it non-financial, and the projector was sold.

Kevin Smith retired from the SEC in 1989 to start Swanpool Cinema in October 1991. He met Shirley Swallow, his wife to be, at a film festival in Rosebud and together they ran the cinema as a private business for just over 20 years, retiring in December 2011 on new Year's Eve.

Since that time the Cinema has been a not for profit Community Cinema, operated entirely by volunteers. The cinema was incorporated on 10 January 2012 as Swanpool Cinema Inc.

So for nearly 30 years now Swanpool Cinema has been screening the best of art house and quality movies, usually as a double feature on Saturday and Sunday nights. Matinees, bus groups and fund-raisers are also promoted and catered for.

Swanpool Cinema has high quality audio-visual equipment for your viewing enjoyment. The D Cinema digital projection system, upgraded and tweaked full Dolby surround sound, and a motorised screen and masking combine to produce an excellent and authentic visual and aural experience.

A 16 mm projector, the old carbon arc glass slide projector and the 35 mm projectors were retained though, so the old classics can still be run. Air-conditioning now adds to the comfort and espresso coffee is available at the Candy Bar.

One added benefit of the new digital systems is to be able to work with local filmmakers and screen their video content. We can convert it from BluRay or DVD or from internet downloads. We can also screen live video and sound. Phone or leave a message on this website if you want to know more.