Widescreen Weekend film festival | National Science and Media Museum, Bradford

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.

The 21st Widescreen Weekend took place in October 2018—read more about the programme. The festival will be back in 2019.

Delegates at Widescreen Weekend 2017
© Roger Moody

The audience settles in for Dunkirk, the opening night film at Widescreen Weekend 2017
© Roger Moody

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

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

Disney's Theo Gluck gives his presentation 'The Importance of Film Restoration' 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

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

Douglas Trumbull chats to Widescreen Weekend delegates
© Paul Thompson

Stefan Vandemaele introduces Barco Escape at Widescreen Weekend 2017 — Stefan Vandemaele introduces panoramic cinema experience Barco Escape at Widescreen Weekend 2017
© Roger Moody

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 in this year’s festival 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 Cinema is one of only three in the world that can still show Cinerama in the way it was originally presented to audiences. 3-strip Cinerama films are screened at Widescreen Weekend, and you can also enjoy digital Cinerama screenings throughout the year.

About Pictureville Cinema

Pictureville—the spiritual home of Widescreen Weekend—was described by Lord Puttnam as ‘the best cinema in the world’. Its deeply curved, louvred screen makes us one of only three public venues in the world that can still show Cinerama, in both 35mm and digital formats. Today, Pictureville also has the latest 4K digital projection system and fabulous 7.1 surround sound.

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