About

Cinema For All is the national charity for the support and development of community cinema, helping more than 1600 community cinemas and film societies across the UK.

Whether you have been screening films in your community for many years, or are just thinking about setting up, Cinema For All can support you along every step of your journey.

We offer much of our advice and support for free, as well as providing a huge range of additional services and benefits for our members.

What we offer

We offer free advice and ongoing support to all groups, bringing exhibitors together through events, screenings, workshops and networking opportunities, publishing advice, case studies and educational materials to help groups at all stages of operation, providing a wide range of member benefits, including access to the Cinema For All Booking Scheme, insurance discounts and special offers from our partners, advocating for community cinemas at a national level on policy, planning and licensing.

Why is Community Cinema important?

The volunteers who put on film screenings in their communities are a special bunch of committed film fans. Cinema For All believes that their work is hugely important, has a significant impact on the film industry, on local regeneration and on people’s lives.

Community cinemas and film societies bring film to all areas of the country – 31% of community screens operate in rural areas, compared to only 3% of commercial venues.
The support of home-grown film and talent – 25% of films shown by community groups are UK productions.
They engage with the people in their communities – a film society experience brings you together as a community to share the magic of cinema. Community cinemas bring back that habit of cinema-going, that was once thought lost.
They do it because they love it – we believe that a community screening can be an inspiring and unique way to experience cinema. The passion and enthusiasm of the volunteer organisers comes through in many thoughtful and highly creative ways.

How To Start a Community Cinema

Latest Additions to the Booking Scheme

film

Made in England: The Films of Powell and Pressburger

Available to screen from 16/06/24. Directed by two-time BAFTA and Emmy winning David Hinton, this is Scorsese’s personal and moving look at two of British cinemas greatest filmmakers. Producing, writing, and directing, Powell and Pressburger created some of great classics of the British golden age including The Red Shoes, Black Narcissus, A Matter of Life and Death and The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp. In the words of Scorsese their films were “grand, poetic, wise, […]

film

Mean Streets

Martin Scorsese’s electrifying vision of sin and redemption — one of the most influential works of American independent cinema — starring Harvey Keitel and Robert De Niro. Martin Scorsese emerged as a generation-defining filmmaker with this gritty portrait of 1970s New York City, one of the most influential works of American independent cinema. Set in the insular Little Italy neighbourhood of Scorsese’s youth, Mean Streets follows guilt-ridden small-time ringleader Charlie (Harvey Keitel) as he deals […]

film

Perfect Days

Available to screen from 10/06/24. Hirayama lives a life of blissful contentment, spending his days balancing his job as a caretaker of Tokyo’s public toilets with his passion for music, literature, and photography. His structured routine is slowly interrupted by unexpected encounters that force him to reconnect with his past. Please note: we are expecting Blu-Rays for this title to be available from 10th June but subject to release/delivery.

Support Us

Donate

Cinema For All is committed to creating spaces for people to share cinema. As a charity, we are reliant on the support of other organisations and from our members, you can make a difference by donating to us below. Remember that every donation, no matter how small helps make an impact on national level.

Donate

Sponsorship

Does your organisation want to help cinema to be more accessible? You can either choose one of our Sponsorship Packages or get in touch with us to discuss other options.

View Packages

Screen to Screen support

Film societies and community cinemas have a long history of supporting each other, whether that’s through sharing tips and equipment to providing much needed moral support. Would you like to help fund a new or struggling community cinema? We have a range of donation packages that include supporting groups with their first ever screening, sourcing equipment and much more.

Find out more