A love letter to our independent cinemas, we’re still thinking of you.

The Filmhouse in Edinburgh has been a cosy hub for cinemagoers and film buffs since 1976. For years it has shown independent films and mainstream blockbusters of all genres and languages, as well as hosting screenings for events such as the Edinburgh International Film Festival. Countless celebrities have walked through their doors including the likes of Martin Scorsese, Sean Connery, and Ewan McGregor, but this hasn’t changed the humble and independent spirit that the place exudes. There has recently been an announcement of a newly proposed Filmhouse, an ambitious and entirely different version of the cinema which hopes to put Edinburgh on the map as a hub for film.

I remember around the age of 15, going to the Filmhouse to see films by myself, feeling awkward but soon realising that here there was a whole community of creative people who wouldn’t think twice about someone going alone to the cinema. In Edinburgh, it was one of the only places that held a wide array of screenings and provided film-related opportunities for all ages. The variety in screenings is extremely wide, with a programme of over 700 films, the ability to show 35mm, 16mm and 70mm film and all screens being fully accessible. Scotland has a number of other independent cinemas worth mentioning, such as Eden Court in Inverness, “Scotland’s largest combined arts organisation”, and the Glasgow Film Theatre, “Scotland’s most diverse and best publicly attended independent cinema”. Each has its own personality and roots relating to their location, but all have the same goal of sharing a pure love for cinema. Most of the people I’ve met through filmmaking have a story about their local independent cinema that has shaped their passion for film in one way or another, whether it be getting inspired by seeing a female written and directed film such as The Farewell for the first time or spending hours reading in the café purely for the irreplaceable atmosphere.

It’s places like these that we didn’t appreciate until they were gone. All over the UK there are some brilliant independent cinemas waiting for audiences to flood through their doors once again, and we are just as eager. To name a few, Zeffirellis is a venue where you can get everything you wanted in a night out all in one place. A pizzeria, a jazz café, and a cinema. Located in Ambleside, a town in Cumbria, this cinema strives to showcase emerging talents as well as the usual big-budget blockbusters. The Prince Charles in London is said to be the last of the independent cinemas still operating in the West End. One of the wonderful things about this cinema is that it hosts “seasons dedicated to Paul Thomas Anderson in the same month as an all-nighter dedicated to the Jurassic Park series”. They screen everything, so there’s something for everyone! The amazing thing about independent picture houses is that none of the bigger, well-known cinemas can ever match their atmosphere. There’s something special about running through the doors of an old-fashioned, bustling cinema on a rainy day and feeling like you’re at home. The velvet red-cushioned seats exceed the comfort of the often uncomfortable, torn up ones of their competitors by miles.

So when can we expect to be back in cinemas? From what we know now, it is unclear. With the lockdown ongoing, we are all potentially going to have to rely on streaming services for many more months to come. The easiness and efficiency of sites such as Netflix is much appreciated, but nothing can beat the feeling of seeing a great film in the cinema, watching the credits roll in awe, and buzzing to get outside and tell someone about the marvel you just witnessed. As disappointing as the continued closure of cinemas is, hopefully it will make us all appreciate our local cinemas that little bit more and support them so they will be around to entertain us for years to come.