A guide to hosting your own immersive screening events Introduction Archive films enable audiences to see the past come alive onscreen, connecting viewers through their shared heritage and ‘Our experience of stimulating engagement with contemporary issues. Funded by screening archive films is the Women’s Centenary Grant Scheme, Vote100: Born a Rebel that lots of people are really uses footage researched and curated by the North West, North interested in them. I think this is partly East, and Yorkshire Film Archives to celebrate the centenary of because there is a sense of pride in Representation of the People Act 1918, which gave select women seeing where things have got better in the UK the right to vote for the first time. and celebrating gains for social justice. It also sparks debate; because Cinema For All has produced this Screening archive films can archive film shows real people in film and accompanying resource to sometimes present a challenge, real situations it brings out personal inspire community cinemas to screen though: how do you attract viewers experiences for the audience, it for their audiences, celebrating our to watch films they are unfamiliar stimulating people to share their shared heritage and encouraging with? Never fear! We have designed them to share their own stories of this resource to help you create a stories and experiences.’ Clare Wilford, civic life and activism. See our Vote vibrant and engaging screening, Belford Community Cinema 100 campaign page for more details! learning the tips and tricks that can bring together your local community through the shared pleasure of watching archive film. Developing your screening event Partnerships add value For a partnership to be successful, it needs There are a number of benefits to to be mutually beneficial and genuinely working with another group to organise collaborative. Before linking with another your archive screening . Partnerships group or organisation to deliver your help attract new audiences to your screening think about what skills and ‘I worked with a group cinema as you can tap into your partner’s knowledge you can share with each of young people from a local networks, which in turn deepen your other, and how you can help one another community engagement. If your screening achieve your aims;f your partner has a youth group to programme a season of includes a discussion or other interactive genuine stake in the event then they are films. When we met up we had a general elements then having a more diverse more likely to get behind it. chat, rather than talking about movies, audience will empower more voices to and from that conversation I put together be heard, stimulating the sharing of stories One approach to working collaboratively a season around the theme of female across different groups, or generations. is to focus on a particular theme for your friendship. If you’re going to talk to a group Collaborating with another organisation screening, and then seek a partner group also gives you access to additional who has similar interests. The Vote100: of people who don’t currently have an resources, such as the use of different Born a Rebel contains many ideas that interest in cinema, then they’re not going to screening venues. Your partner may also might speak to groups in your area: for care about reviews or Oscars. It’s much more be able to bring their unique skills to any example, your screening may allow you about human connection, and connecting immersive elements of the screening: to explore your community’s heritage to the issues they do care about.’ from introducing the films to hosting of activism or the lives of notable local Oriana Franceschi, discussions, running workshops to creating women in public life; engage with current freelance programmer decorations, or providing food. issues in your area; champion local causes; or offer inspiration to your viewers, particularly younger audiences. ‘We wouldn’t be where we are now without partnerships. Putting on an event screening for the community doesn’t work unless you’re doing it with someone else or for a cause.’ Elizabeth Costello, Leigh Film Society As such, local groups you might partner with for your screening could include: • young people’s groups: schools, colleges, ‘It can be really difficult to “get into” schools universities, youth clubs, or the local in order to attract younger audiences to youth branches of political parties screenings. If you send a generic email to • women’s groups, including Women’s a school then it goes into a blackhole and Institute (WI) groups never comes out! So you need someone • local activist or campaigning groups, who will champion a film for you, and including the local branches of put up a flyer in a corridor or circulate political parties information in a newsletter. • groups who have a specific link to the film(s) you would like to show, or with If you’re attracting a different audience ‘Working collaboratively with a particular viewpoint that needs to than usual, you may have additional young people is also really important. be represented within the community. considerations while planning your As a film society we can offer ourselves This might include: Black, Asian, Minority screening. Will you need to provide as a project to students, as there are umpteen Ethnic and Refugee (BAMER) community childcare facilities or entertainment for little jobs they can tap into: marketing, promotion, groups; Eastern European community children? Will you need to make sure groups; and LGBTQI+ groups. If you your screening doesn’t clash with religious administration, accounting, technical services, and partner with one of these groups you holidays, or with periods when attendees researching and introducing the films. Everyone might work with them to screen a may be fasting? Is there anything you can gets something out of this! The work we get from film that represents aspects of their do to make the venue or the screening young people is really valuable; we treasure and heritage and/or culture (take a look at itself more accessible, such as offering respect it. And once young people see this kind our list of suggested films below for gender neutral toilets, screening your film some inspiration). with subtitles or captions, or displaying of thing happening they think it’s okay • 0n the other hand you might choose venue signage in multiple languages? to come to our screenings.’ to organise a screening that speaks less Elizabeth Costello, Leigh Film Society specifically to your partner group’s When organising events that may draw cultural or political heritage, but which a young audience, it is important to have will still bring communities together a child protection policy in place. If you’re through the power of the cinema unsure of what this should look like, you experience. In either case, be sure to can see an example policy here. You always consult closely with your should also be mindful of having your partner group. staff DBS checked regularly, especially when planning events that may appeal to To build a successful partnership, it is children or vulnerable adults. You can read likely that you will need to meet people more about DBS checks here. face-to-face in order to build trust and collaboratively plan an event that you can both fully champion. Choosing your films To build an audience for your event it’s a good idea to pair Vote100: Born a Rebel with a main feature film. As well as helping attract an audience, this could stimulate further discussion as viewers may draw links between the archive footage, the main feature film, and their own personal experiences. Here are some considerations you might To help we’ve suggested a number of Triple F-Rated films take into account when choosing which you could screen, including blockbusters, genre flicks, film to screen: cult classics, and arthouse films: Many of these films are directly • are there any specific ideas in the • American Honey • In Between or indirectly about archive films that could tie into the main (dir. Andrea Arnold, 2016) (dir. Maysaloun Hamoud, 2016) equal rights. feature? Are there any particular • At Five In The Afternoon • Lady Bird themes you could use to successfully (dir. Samira Makhmalbaf, 2003) (dir. Greta Gerwig, 2017) promote your screening? • The Babadook • The Miseducation of • if you’re working with a partner (dir. Jennifer Kent, 2014) Cameron Post (dir. Desiree Akhavan, 2018) organisation: what film would they like • Belle (dir. Amma Asante, 2013) to screen? What ideas are they • Mustang Bhaji On The Beach dir. Deniz Gamze Ergüven, 2015) interested in? What’s a feature • (dir. Gurinder Chadha, 1993) everybody is happy with and • On Body And Soul • Born In Flames (dir. Ildikó Enyedi, 2017) can champion? (dir. Lizzie Borden, 1983) • Pariah • What would your audience like to see? • Certain Women (dir. Dee Rees, 2011) What films can bring the • (dir. Kelly Reichardt, 2016) • Raw community together? • Clueless (dir. Julia Ducournau, 2016) (dir. Amy Heckerling, 1995) • Suffragette Showing Vote100: Born a Rebel can • Daisies (dir. Sarah Gavron, 2015) be an opportunity to celebrate women (dir. Věra Chytilová, 1966) • Toni Erdmann both past and present, and as such you • Dark River (dir. Maren Ade, 2016) might like to screen an F-rated film. The (dir. Clio Barnard, 2017) • Wadjda F-Rating system was developed by Bath • Daughters of the Dust (dir. Haidaa al-Mansour, 2012) Film Festival to identify films that fairly (dir. Julie Dash, 1991) • We Need To Talk represent women on screen and behind • The Divine Order About Kevin the camera. Triple F-Rated films have (dir. Petra Volpe, 2017) (dir. Lynne Ramsey, 2011) significant women on screen in their own • Girlfriends • Whip It (dir.