Member Article

Neighbourhood Cinemas For Rural Communities

Residents of rural communities in Northumberland are being given the chance to run their own neighbourhood cinemas. The project, called ‘Doorstep Pictures’, will see rural communities that have no cinema provided with mobile cinema kits.

The kits contain all the equipment required to screen recent blockbuster movies at community venues. The project is being run by Wansbeck and Blyth Valley councils and Northern Film & Media, in partnership with Newcastle-based Tyneside cinema. Doorstep Pictures will be piloted at The Gatehouse in Scotland Gate, Ashington Leisure Centre’s institute building, Seaton Sluice Community Centre and Blyth’s Isabella Community Centre. Over the next few weeks they will be screening a selection of blockbuster films including Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, 0liver Twist, Pride and Prejudice, and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Tickets to the screenings will cost just £1 each which includes the venue’s film club membership. Tyneside Cinema’s education and outreach officer, Julie Ballands said: “Doorstep Pictures aims to be a community project in every sense by involving local people in decisions about the films to show and the best times to show them, as well as getting involved in running their own monthly film clubs.” The project will see screenings of the latest feature films only a few weeks after they have gone on general release, and before they are available for home viewing.

Ms Ballands added: “Through this project we want to make the cinema experience available locally as well as giving people the chance to be involved in running their own film clubs. “With new technology it is possible to see films on big screens in your local community centre or village hall. “Because there is nothing quite like watching a good film on a big screen with other people around you in the audience, and that’s the special thing about the cinema experience.” Anyone interested in helping to run a Doorstep Pictures film club in their own locality can contact Julie Ballands on 07725 957 180.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .