"It was brilliant!" - Children's hospital screens Moana 2 ahead of the premiere!
They saw the musical before it goes into mainstream cinemas today
Moana 2 is out in cinemas today, but some children being cared for at Alder Hey children's hospital in Liverpool got to see it a bit early!
The MediCinema opened at the children's hospital on Sunday (24 November) and hosted an exclusive screening - even ahead of the film's premiere in London's Leicester Square!
The in-hospital cinema is the only one at a standalone paediatric hospital in the UK and the first cinema in a hospital in the North West.
It accommodates 34 people and allows the children to watch screenings in their hospital beds or wheelchairs, while accompanied by their families or a nursing team.
To celebrate the opening, the children got a special recorded message from the cast and also meet Moana!
When the film finished, the patients got special gift bags before returning to their wards.
Nine-year-old Nancy said:
"It was brilliant - I liked it very, very much. Especially because I got to see it early - everyone was texting me saying 'You've seen Moana 2, I've seen you on the news!
"I'm like, well it was brilliant - so I'm not giving any spoilers away!
"I replied and I was like, oh my gosh! You'll have to wait to know all about it yourselves! Then they said my teacher had seen it and told my whole class and I'm like, whoa there!
"I loved the first one, but the second one is very good. It's got competition to number one, it's a bit better to be honest!
Kate, mum of six-year-old Elise, said:
"It was the first time in three weeks that I've seen her completely relaxed."
Nathan Askew, Chief Nursing Officer at Alder Hey Children's NHS Foundation Trust, said:
"Our new MediCinema is amazing. It will bring joy through the power of the movies to our children, young people and their families, some of whom can be at Alder Hey for long periods.
"Being able to escape their room and have a day out to the cinema with friends and family, whilst still receiving vital clinical care, will mean so much to our children and young people.
"It will give everyone the chance to enjoy the magic of the latest movies and help reduce the difficulties and challenges that come from being in hospital."
Colin Lawrence, Chief Executive Officer, MediCinema, said:
"It was magical seeing the patients and their families getting such joy from being in the MediCinema watching the film and of course from meeting Moana.
"We are so excited to be opening our latest MediCinema at this exceptional hospital, for the benefit of patients and communities of Liverpool and beyond.
"We believe that services to boost wellbeing can be transformational to how patients and their families experience care, and we look forward to working in close partnership with Alder Hey Children's Charity and the Trust to provide valued and beneficial experiences for years to come."
Fiona Ashcroft, Chief Executive Officer, Alder Hey Children's Charity, said:
"We are absolutely delighted to see the MediCinema open its doors at Alder Hey, bringing an unforgettable cinematic experience right here into the heart of our hospital.
"The cinema will offer a sanctuary of joy and a much-needed escape for our children, young people and their families during challenging times.
"It aligns perfectly with our mission to support the emotional and mental wellbeing of our patients, recognising that healing extends beyond medical treatment."