Independent cinemas have long been the beating heart of the capital’s film culture, screening everything from underground debuts to international festival winners.
As London’s ever-rising operational costs and corporate development threaten their survival, venues like the Prince Charles Cinema (PCC) are relying on cultural events such as the London Film Festival (LFF) to stay visible and viable.
This audio package explores the role of independent cinemas in London’s film ecosystem, their struggle to remain open, and how being part of one of the UK’s biggest film festivals could be the key to their future. Featuring voices from audiences at the Prince Charles Cinema, it asks: what would we lose if spaces like this disappeared?
The London Film Festival was created by the British Film Institute in 1957, and has grown ever since; it now hosts over 200 films annually from almost 80 countries.
This was recorded at the final UK showing of No Other Choice at the Prince Charles Cinema; it’s a venue that has been used as a vessel for showing a variety of different international and British films throughout the festival and has welcomed film-lovers and cinephiles from all over London.
When the PCC is not hosting screenings for the LFF, it shows an array of movie marathons, sing-a-long shows, and cult classics for London’s audiences to revel in.
Venues like the PCC need the support of London’s film community to stay open, which is why it’s essential to use the independent venues that London, with its incredibly rich film culture, has to offer.
Featured image by Alycia Roocroft.