Film Hub London’s Community Initiative

23rd September 2014

Film London announces that Film Hub London will partner with Cineworld and ODEON to support community-led film exhibition activity with a particular focus on reaching new audiences in London’s outer boroughs. The new partnerships builds on a successful collaboration with Vue Entertainment in 2013/2014, which saw three of 11 Community Screen Scheme projects take place at Vue sites in Croydon, Barking and Dagenham and Haringey.

The Community Screen Scheme is now open for applications. It encourages sustainable screening initiatives from groups aiming to engage with new and underserved audiences in their local area. This year the Hub will allocate a further £30,000 to the scheme and capitalise on partnerships with Cineworld, ODEON and Vue to offer Hub Members the chance to pitch projects based in one of 15 possible cinema sites outside central London.

The aim is for six of a total ten awards will be given to projects at a Vue, ODEON or Cineworld, with the additional awards being made to projects taking place at other community venues. Film Hub London, led by Film London, is a partner of the BFI Film Audience Network, a four-year initiative working to grow audiences for cultural film across the UK.

Successful Community Screen Scheme funded activity from 2013/2014 include screenings of Gujarati Films at Vue Croydon Grants, an outdoor screening in a park in Hounslow which attracted an audience of over 1,000, a film season celebrating 20 years of South African democracy at Vue Wood Green, accessible screenings for a mixed ability group at Vue Dagenham and a community programmed pop-up cinema project under a railway arch in Peckham.

Adrian Wootton, Chief Executive of Film London and the British Film Commission said: “The Community Screen Scheme has facilitated the delivery of some truly ambitious and dynamic projects which are growing diverse audiences all over London. We are very excited to be in the position to build upon this success, and foster exhibitor relationships by welcoming both Cineworld and ODEON to the Scheme. These new partnerships, in addition to our robust collaboration with Vue Entertainment, will enable us to continue to support exciting community-led film activity in fantastic facilities all over London, as part of the burgeoning panorama of Film Hub London’s activities ”

Jessica Smith, Film Buyer for Vue Entertainment Ltd said: “Partnering with Film Hub London on the Community Screen Scheme has been a valuable experience, enabling our cinemas to forge new and sustainable connections with both event producers and audiences in their local area. We’re very much looking forward to continuing our partnership with Film London and to working with next year’s Scheme recipients.”

John Travers, Manager of Event Cinema at Cineworld Cinemas Ltd said: “Cineworld welcomes the opportunity to partner with Film Hub London. Helping local groups to engage and connect to their audiences, within our cinemas, in the community”.

Gregg Wilson, Regional Operations Manager Outer London at ODEON Cinemas said: “We are extremely excited to be partnering with Film Hub London. Through our ODEON Plus offering of diverse cultural screenings, we have seen first-hand the huge demand for alternative content. Our cinemas are already looking forward to welcoming new audiences and bringing their local community something truly different through Film Hub London’s fantastic Community Screen Scheme.

The Scheme reflects Film Hub London’s aims to both strengthen local partnerships with the commercial exhibition sector and encourage a thriving, diverse and sustainable film viewing culture that is accessible to all audiences. Managed by Film London, Film Hub London is a part of the BFI Film Audience Network, a four-year National Lottery investment into film audiences across the UK. The Hub provides training, funding and advice to a network of over 150 exhibitors who are working together to ensure London has a thriving and accessible film watching culture.

The Scheme opens on 18 September and welcomes applications from exhibitors of all shapes and sizes. Film Hub London will be holding six open information sessions across London in late September for interested parties. The deadline to apply is 31 October 2014.

www.filmlondon.org.uk/filmhub

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