Pictureville Cinema, Yorkshire’s biggest independent cinema, will reopen on 31 August, following a 10-month temporary closure. The reopening of the cinema will also see the return of the popular Widescreen Weekend film festival later in September.
Pictureville Cinema will welcome audiences back with a new programme of the latest releases and family favourites along with arthouse films and newly restored classics. Opening on 31 August with a £3 ticket offer, featured screenings will include new release Kneecap (2024) about the Irish hip hop trio from Belfast; the new 4k restoration of The Terminator to mark its 40th anniversary; re-release of Japanese anime classic, My Neighbour Totoro (1988) along with a screening of Wonka (2023), as part of a Roald Dahl spotlight ahead of Roald Dahl day.
Throughout September, featured screenings include Yorkshire-filmed Starve Acre (2023) starring Matt Smith; the re-release of the original 1969 The Italian Job plus Kids' Club screenings of Roald Dahl classics including Fantastic Mr Fox (2009), James and the Giant Peach (1996) and The BFG (2016).
The cinema’s annual Widescreen Weekend film festival will be returning from 26-30 September, celebrating film on film using Pictureville’s world-class projection facilities. This year’s festival will celebrate VistaVision, the high-definition format of its time, with the UK premiere of a new 70mm print of Hitchcock’s North by Northwest (1959). Other Hitchcock classics that will be screened include Vertigo (1958), To Catch a Thief (1955) and The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956) on 35mm.
A special Indiana Jones all-nighter will take place from 23.30 on Saturday 28 September, offering festivalgoers the rare opportunity to experience the first three epic films on Pictureville’s curved screen for the very first time.
Commenting on Pictureville Cinema’s reopening, Sally Folkard, Head of Screen and Cultural Engagement at the National Science and Media Museum said: “We’re really looking forward to welcoming audiences back into Pictureville after unexpectedly having to close the cinema last year. Audiences will be able to enjoy a fantastic programme including the latest releases, new restorations plus the best of world cinema and independent classics that Pictureville is known for, all back in the beautiful auditorium.
Our annual Widescreen Weekend film festival will also be returning to Pictureville later in September, where film lovers will be able to enjoy a blend of classic and contemporary films. This year’s festival will be celebrating the widescreen format VistaVision and Alfred Hitchcock’s perfection of the process with the UK premiere of a new 70mm print of North by Northwest.”
Celebrating timeless romantic stories, the A History of Romance strand will explore widescreen films about lovers throughout history and literature. Key titles include Phantom Thread (2017) on 70mm and Cleopatra (1963), starring Elizabeth Taylor, to close out the festival.
The festival will also celebrate Italian widescreen film across the decades, programmed by Dr Pasquale Iannone, Lecturer in Film Studies at the University of Edinburgh. Films include a special screening of Federico Fellini’s classic La Dolce Vita (1960) to mark the centenary of its star, the great Marcello Mastroianni.
The reopening of Pictureville Cinema follows the recent reopening of the museum’s Cubby Broccoli screen which remains open but is accessible from the back of the museum next to Sharpe Street car park. The museum’s IMAX remains temporarily closed due to the museum’s ongoing refurbishment.
For more information about film times and to book tickets, please visit our cinema page.
Find more information about Widescreen Weekend and book passes here.
Ends
Notes to Editors
On 20 October, The National Science and Media Museum’s Pictureville Cinema was closed as a precautionary measure due to the presence of Reinforced Aerated Autoclave Concrete (RAAC) in the building. Following remediation works, Pictureville Cinema will now reopen on 31 August.
For more information, please contact Brittany Noppe, Communications Manager: Brittany.noppe@scienceandmediamuseum.org.uk / 01274 203356
A media pack of images can be downloaded here.
About the National Science and Media Museum
The National Science and Media Museum in Bradford, West Yorkshire, opened in 1983, and has since become one of the most visited UK museums outside London. It draws on more than three million objects from its national collection to explore the science and culture of image and sound technologies, and their impact on our lives.
The museum creates special exhibitions, interactive galleries and activities for families and adults, and is home to Pictureville, Yorkshire’s biggest independent cinema with three screens including Europe’s first IMAX and the only public Cinerama venue in the world.
Please note, the museum remains temporarily closed to the public until early 2025 to undergo a ‘once-in-a-generation’ transformation. For more information and updates on re-opening, please visit our website.
