Find your Local Film Club: A Guide to Wales’ Community and Pop-Up Screens

Would you love to have a cinema right on your doorstep? Well you might be closer to one than you think! Wales is bursting with over 120 community screens and pop-up cinemas.  

For many film lovers, driving over half an hour to their nearest cinema is the norm and we do it because films were meant to be watched on a big screen, right? For some audiences, this just isn’t possible for many reasons and the joy of having their own local community screen means they can access films more regularly. It also gives them the chance to learn the skill of choosing films, setting up their own events, or building a regular film club.

If you missed our previous blogs on festivals and cinemas in Wales, then you might not be familiar with who we are at Film Hub Wales. So just before we get stuck into Wales’ community cinemas – a reminder that our job is to support Welsh ‘exhibitors’ of all shapes and sizes to bring the best UK independent and international films to Welsh communities year-round. We fund, train and advise, offering them support where needed.

So, what do community cinemas offer? Well, we’re glad you asked! The great thing about them is that they’re usually run by volunteers who love film. So, if you do too, you’re going to meet a lot of likeminded people and hopefully make some friends while you’re at it. They often have top facilities, from screen to sound, to make your experience the best it can be.Take Dinas Powys Community Cinema in Murchfield for example. They screen on the second Saturday of every month and have invested regularly in their facilities from a fixed retractable screen, to ceiling-mounted projector, new control box with two Blu-ray/DVD players, acoustic ceiling panels to eliminate the echo, blackout blinds, and an improved speaker system! Are you as impressed as we are?

If you’re looking for the best indie films from across the world, Abergavenny Film Society is the one for you. We heard on the grapevine that it’s the longest running film society in Wales. Get your membership quickly though, they’re always selling out! Another club known for its top film selections is Fishguard Film Society, where the community film panel help to select films at their Pembrokeshire base, the gorgeous Theatr Gwaun.

At Film Hub Wales, we’ve been working with TAPE Community Music and Film for the last few years to help establish new community screens across the North as part of our Spotlight project. One of the sites, Llangoed Village Hall, has transformed into a state-of-the-art cinema with 4K laser Epson projector, a new stereo sound system, and a large-format cinema screen – oh and the best Welsh-language, UK indie and international films!  

If you’re in the North East of Wales, one not to miss is Halkyn Mountain Community Cinema, with its beautiful mountainous backdrop in Flintshire. Set-up in 2015, they show a film every two months in Halkyn Parish Hall / Library with hot drinks, popcorn and biscuits. Or you’re in Carmarthenshire, Sinema Sadwrn in Llansadwrn regularly show films on the last Friday of each month – from classics to comedies, dramas to foreign language films, animations and documentaries, there’s plenty to choose from. They describe their events as friendly occasions with the pub next door for a pre/post film drink and chat.

We’re also lucky to have the support of not one but two touring providers. Flicks in the Sticks and Moviola. Flicks, which transforms village halls and community spaces into pop-up cinemas is run by Arts Alive around Shropshire, Herefordshire and the Welsh border / mid-Wales. Moviola offers programming and film booking service for community venues as well as touring schemes across the UK, with concentration in the South East of Wales. Both organisations work with all sorts of operators in these regions.

With over 120 community providers to choose from, there are so many recommendations we could give you. With that in mind, we’ve put together a full list and a map to help find your local club or event. We’ll be highlighting them our socials, as well as where you can find your nearest festival and full-time cinema. Just a note – we’re not affiliated with all of the sites listed and are not responsible for their activities. Please check their local websites for more information about their current screenings. Many community cinemas take a break over summer and come back with their autumn programme from September onwards.  

If you run a community screen and you’re not listed below, this may be because you’re listed as a cinema or mixed arts space but if would like to be added (or you would like to be removed from this list), please get in touch with us. We’d love to hear from you.

Welsh exhibitors can also become a member of Film Hub Wales for free and apply for audience development funding as well as accessing training, networking and advice.