BFFS Community Exhibitor Survey 2010
Screenings run by communities are an integral part of the UK’s diverse exhibition landscape. Each year BFFS conducts an annual survey of community exhibition in the UK to examine how community screenings fit into the wider context the UK film industry.
BFFS Patron Ken Loach says of this year's survey results:
“The latest survey shows what a great job film societies and community cinemas are doing. If only the multiplexes had half the passion for films we wouldn’t have such problems of distribution and exhibition!” – Ken Loach
Download the full report
Key Points
Community cinema is thriving…
- We estimate that film societies recorded around 375,000 admissions in 2009/10. Theatrical ticket sales on this scale would have generated box office revenues of £2.0 million.
Community cinema promotes unparalleled access to specialised film on the big screen…
- Responding organisations screened 739 different titles (up from 682 in 2008/09), compared with 503 released in cinemas in the UK and Republic of Ireland in 2009. 62% of these titles were screened by only one film society or community cinema, indicating the diversity of programming choices made by the sector as a whole.
- One quarter (25%) of the films screened by film societies and community cinemas were British, and 49% were in a foreign language. By comparison, 21% of films released in commercial cinemas in 2008 were British and 36% were in a foreign language.
- The three most programmed films were I’ve Loved You So Long (2008), Slumdog Millionaire (2008) and Looking for Eric (2009).
Community cinema brings film to all parts of the country…
- Film societies and community cinemas enhance film provision in areas otherwise neglected by commercial cinemas:
- 43% operated in rural areas (compared with 3% of commercial screens), and 48% of all admissions were generated in the South West and South East regions (which accounted for 12% of UK commercial cinema admissions in 2009).
- On average, film societies were located around 9 miles away from the nearest commercial cinema.
Community cinema represents remarkably good value, especially to those on low or fixed income…
- The average full annual membership fee was £25, and 41% of film society respondents also offered full year concessionary membership fees (for senior citizens, students, under 21s or under 25s, the unemployed etc.).
- One third of organisations that operated a membership system charged an additional admission fee. The average entry fee was £3.43, which is lower than the average commercial cinema admission charge of £5.44 in 2009.
