Cinema venues across the U.K. are coming together on September 3rd to celebrate cinema and cinema-going under the banner of National Cinema Day – a collaboration between Cinema First, the Film Distributors’ Association, and UK Cinema Association. On September 3rd, tickets for all screenings at participating venues will start from just £3.
As proud supporters of the Big Screen experience, through campaigns like Moments Worth Paying for and the Back to Cinema (#LoveCinema) last year when cinemas reopened after a period of closure, we are excited to support this day, both as industry champions and cinema-goers ourselves!
Over 550 different cinemas and venues have agreed to participate, including all major UK cinema operators (Odeon, VUE, Cineworld, Empire & Showcase) and a wide range of smaller cinema operators and venues. Echoing the success of similar ‘cinema day’ events of the late 1990s, National Cinema Day is intended first and foremost to be a celebration of U.K. cinema and cinema-going, the country’s most popular out-of-home leisure activity.
The Industry Trust’s latest research has shown that infringers are a big part of the cinema-going audience. And by providing them encouragement and reasons to go to the cinema, you help reinforce the habit that buying a cinema ticket is the default choice when wanting to watch the latest film releases on the biggest screens with the best sound.
The cinema industry was hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, with delayed production and release dates for many films and wide-ranging government restrictions and lockdowns that stopped audiences from attending. Now, with a packed new slate and a host of new cinemas opening across the U.K., it’s fantastic to remind audiences of the emotional rollercoaster that is part of the Big Screen experience and its ability to transport us out of our everyday lives to other worlds.
The cinema is vital to consumers who love entertainment and the Home Entertainment industry itself since the biggest blockbusters typically become the biggest sellers at home. The Trust celebrates and champions every legal screen experience for consumers to enjoy, from the cinema through to the home.
The Chair of Cinema First, Iain Jacob, commented: “There seems no better time than now to celebrate U.K. cinema-going, one of the nation’s favourites out-of-home leisure activities. Coming off the back of a very strong summer for the sector and looking forward to further film highlights over the rest of the year, we wanted to give everyone a chance to enjoy the big screen experience with the film of their choice.”
Head to a cinema near you to watch one of the latest blockbusters from Minions: The Rise of Gru to Top Gun: Maverick. Plus, some venues are taking the opportunity to screen great classic movies, like E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, which was initially released in 1982.
You can find out more about National Cinema Day and all the U.K. cinemas participating in the initiative on the National Cinema Day website (www.nationalcinemaday.uk).
