John Salisbury
2011's Roebuck Cup was awarded to John Salisbury, BFFS Vice-Chair presented him with the award with the following dedication:
The Roebuck Cup is awarded to those remarkable individuals who start film societies, keep the BFFS going and support the movement in all sorts of ways, often over many years. It was donated by Charles Roebuck, a life-long cinema enthusiast and national officer of BFFS.
This year we honour someone with a long-held belief in the important contribution made by the film society movement to film culture and public education. This year’s recipient has served on the BFFS Management Committee and the Executive, and continues to provide expertise and intelligent advice freely and astutely.
In challenging the view of the film society as an inward-looking organisation and advocating for the broadening of the movement by embracing all groups that show film - in the process redefining them as ‘community cinemas’ - John Salisbury has expanded the reach and type of organisations that BFFS serves.
His stint on ManCom greatly upped the quality of BFFS responses to national policy reviews. And, drawing on his professional background in education and publications, John brought the BFFS focus back to education, passionately advocating for promotion by BFFS of life-long learning, and developing BFFS publications and communications routes both to amplify the national profile and to keep member organisations fully informed.
John initiated the concept of a national BFFS Block Booking Scheme, negotiating and setting-up those crucial first contracts to deliver an elegant means for groups to show a wide range of quality titles cheaply and easily. His legacy is a thriving scheme that brings in valuable income to BFFS and endless enjoyment and learning to audiences across the UK.
Although no longer directly involved with BFFS, John has continued to give freely of his time with perceptive contributions to consultation responses, policy advice and inspirational ideas, all the while setting up and running his own film society in Ventnor and gaining a MA in Film Studies.
John’s indefatigable contributions have undoubtedly made BFFS and the sector wiser, healthier and a good deal more aware of their significance and potential.
