Widescreen Weekend is a unique festival of large-screen formats and cinema technologies celebrating the past, present and future of film.

Enjoy a long weekend of big, bold and wide cinema experiences as we showcase the museum’s fantastic projection facilities. Glorious 70mm screenings, new Cinerama restorations and great guests will remind you why going to the movies is so magical.

Widescreen Weekend will return for its special 25th anniversary edition on 7–10 October 2021. Keep an eye on this page for further details.

Visitors watching The Sound of Music in Pictureville theatre — A full house for *The Sound of Music* at Widescreen Weekend 2019
© Andy Garbutt

Delegates at Widescreen Weekend 2017
© Roger Moody

Producer Donald Rosenfeld at Widescreen Weekend 2019
© Andy Garbutt

Visitors watching a 360-degree film inside a cinema dome — Immersive encounters in our dome cinema at Widescreen Weekend 2019
© Andy Garbutt

A member of cinema staff preparing projection equipment — A peek inside the Pictureville projection room at Widescreen Weekend 2019
© Andy Garbutt

Samira Ahmed in the museum foyer — Broadcaster and journalist Samira Ahmed at Widescreen Weekend 2018
© Andy Garbutt

Audience members at Theo Gluck's presentation — Audience members at Widescreen Weekend 2018
© Andy Garbutt

Melanie Iredale and Annabel Grundy in Cubby Broccoli Cinema — Melanie Iredale and Annabel Grundy before their introduction to the Widescreen Weekend 2018 screening of *Thelma & Louise*
© Andy Garbutt

Festival delegates in the museum café — Festival delegates at the Widescreen Weekend 2019 opening night reception
© Andy Garbutt

Visitors try out virtual reality demos at Widescreen Weekend 2016
© Paul Thompson

Girls On Film podcast live — *Girls On Film* podcast live at Widescreen Weekend 2019
© Andy Garbutt

Sir Christopher Frayling introduces The Agony and the Ecstasy at Widescreen Weekend 2016 — Sir Christopher Frayling introduces *The Agony and the Ecstasy* at Widescreen Weekend 2016
© Paul Thompson

Douglas Trumbull chats to Widescreen Weekend delegates
© Paul Thompson

More information

What is widescreen cinema?

Technically, a widescreen film is any film image with a width-to-height aspect ratio greater than the standard 1.37:1 ‘Academy ratio’ of 35mm film. Widescreen Weekend celebrates the really wide formats developed in the 1950s and 1960s to create a whole new cinema experience.

The higher the first number in the aspect ratio, the more we love it! You won’t see a film at Widescreen Weekend narrower than 2.2:1, and you can luxuriate in the widest of vistas in both archive epics and modern classics.

What is 3-strip Cinerama?

Cinerama is a widescreen process that projects film simultaneously from three synchronized 35mm projectors onto a huge, deeply curved screen, creating one image. It was the first of a number of processes introduced during the ‘widescreen war’ of the 1950s, when the film industry had to compete against television.

Our Pictureville theatre is one of only three in the world that can still show Cinerama in the way it was originally presented to audiences. A 3-strip Cinerama film forms part of the programme at Widescreen Weekend each year.

About Pictureville Cinema

Pictureville is the home of cinema at the National Science and Media Museum. We have three fantastic screens, showing the latest IMAX 3D blockbusters and family favourites alongside independent films, arthouse cinema and cult classics.

To keep up to date with programme announcements and other festival news, please subscribe to our Widescreen Weekend newsletter.

Social media

Follow Widescreen Weekend on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for the latest updates.

Contact details

Enquiries: Rebecca Hill, Festival Events Manager
01274 202 031 / rebecca.hill@scienceandmediamuseum.org.uk

Festival Director: Kathryn Penny
01274 203 006 / kathryn.penny@scienceandmediamuseum.org.uk

Press and PR Manager: Katie Canning
01274 203 027 / katie.canning@scienceandmediamuseum.org.uk

Support us

Find out about corporate sponsorship opportunities at Widescreen Weekend.

Widescreen Weekend