The inspiring, film-loving folk at Pendle Social Cinema are hosting two screenings in June - celebrating the Summer Solstice and Pride month.
The volunteer-run pop-up community cinema stages monthly screenings (on a pay-what-you-can basis) at The Garage in Nelson, and an annual weekend-long film festival. With the aim of creating a social space for film fans and the local residents to come together to share food and film - their movement is growing across East Lancashire. Regular screenings are held on the last Thursday of each month.
Pendle Social Cinema is part of In-Situ, the creative organisation working between art, community and ecology to produce socially and locally relevant art that makes a positive difference to everyday lives.
Darren, one of the founders of the cinema, said “We set up initially as a response to the closure of lots of local cinemas, and the lack of variety at the multiplexes - we just wanted a place where we could enjoy good, interesting, less-mainstream films, without the premium prices, and without the time and effort of travelling to Manchester to see something that wasn’t made by Marvel. Sometimes attendees can't pay anything and that's OK too. We're all about sharing the love of good film"
Screenings for June are:
Saturday 21 June 6:30pm Pop-Up at Harwes Farm
Midsommar (18) Ari Aster’s backward horror story of an American couple in Sweden. A couple travels to Northern Europe to visit a rural hometown's fabled Swedish mid-summer festival. What begins as an idyllic retreat quickly devolves into an increasingly violent and bizarre competition at the hands of a pagan cult.
After the film, we will take an optional short sunset stroll in the woodlands at Harwes Farm, led by the farm’s director, Gill Taylor.
Volunteer Simon perfectly sums-up last year’s event: “It’s Halloween and I’m sitting on a straw bale. The teepee we are all inside creaks with the wind and the rain lashes down outside. We’re watching The Witch, Robert Eggers’ folk horror debut and it seems like I am actually inside the film as the drama plays out in a remote homestead, built within a dense forest in 17th century New England. We’re in a hill farm in Pendle for the screening and we’ve set up the equipment specially for this event.
"This year we’re at the farm again and we’re showing Midsommar. Is it a black comedy or, as I see it, a horror masterpiece? Come along and find out. Appropriately it will be Midsummer’s evening and the film starts at 6.30pm. We’re in the farm’s new classroom this year and there is an optional walk through their woodland at sunset to enhance the experience.”
Thursday 26 June 7:00pm at In-Situ
Love Lies Bleeding (15). Reclusive gym manager Lou falls hard for Jackie, an ambitious bodybuilder headed through town to Vegas in pursuit of her dream. But their love ignites violence, pulling them deep into the web of Lou's criminal family.
Volunteer Caitlin said “I’m really excited to be showing Love Lies Bleeding, one of my favourite films of recent years. It’s so great to show a film about gay people that doesn’t follow the usual story beats, and I really hope the audience enjoy it as much as I do.”
To find out more or book your free place for either film, visit the Pendle Social Cinema website
