THE IAN NEWMAN COMMUNITY FILM CLUB at Bamford Chapel and Norden United Reformed Church, Norden Road, ROCHDALE. OL11 5P
Ninth year 2026
NO SCREENINGS IN DECEMBER 2025 OR JANUARY2026
|
21 February
|
Finding your feet. After Sandra learns about her husband's affair with her best friend, she escapes to her sister's house in London. Later, she meets a group of third agers who help her cope with the situation. Stars Imelda |
|
21 March |
The Choral – 1916 As war rages on the Western Front, the Choral Society in Ramsden, Yorkshire has lost most of its men to the army. The Choral’s ambitious committee, determined to press ahead, decides to recruit local young males to swell their ranks. They must also engage a new chorus master, and despite their suspicions that he has something to hide, their best bet |
|
18 April |
Save the Cinema - Takes place in a small town in Southwest Wales, at the beginning of the 1990s. The local mayor (Adeel Akhtar) has agreed to knock down a local youth theatre, but it won't be as easy an undertaking as he |
|
16 May |
The Illusionist (2006) Vienna 1889 starring Edward Norton. When two lovers are separated owing to their class differences, the boy decides to become a magician. He must use his powers to free his lady from the royal residence. |
|
20 June
|
Downton Abbey: The Grand Finale. Starring Hugh Bonneville, Jim Carter, Michelle Dockery, Paul Giamatti, Elizabeth McGovern and Penelope Wilton. The final story set in 1930s London. |
Supprted by Rochdale Township
On the 15th September 2017 the film club began. It is named after the person whose idea it was. What a joy it was to welcome members of Ian’s family to our inaugural evening.
|
|
Setting up the film club was a lengthy process. There were many legal requirements to be met, one of which is paying a copyright fee for each film screened. The cost has increased this year, like everything else, but we are greatly supported by The Rochdale Township via our Bamford Councillors. We have received a number of grants from them to assist our expenditure. Admission is now £4. Refreshments before the film are included in this price but many people are generous and make an extra donation for which we are very grateful.
September 2023 will obviously be the 6th anniversary. Covid’s intervention has reduced the performances but, nonetheless, the film club continues despite this. Attendee numbers vary; due mostly to the chosen film. Our largest attendance number is 76. The team of volunteers continue to “fine tune” the club. Changes have been made over the years and we now consider the set up to be almost perfect. Advertising in locally produced booklets [delivered through letter boxes] and social media spread the word. The most difficult part is choosing films. Twice a year meetings are held to discuss this topic. The team running the club is:-
Chair – Joan Warner
Secretary – Lesley Sutton
Treasurer – Linda Lees
Projectionist – Gareth Rich
Announcers –
John Fitton [and projectionist on occasion]
Michael Davies
Welcomer and refreshments – Diane Davies
Refreshments – Pat Gate, Margaret Bywater and Dot Craig [standby]
|
|
To date we have shown 50 films. On a personal note, my grandfather [Francis Husband] was a cinema manager in Rochdale and Oldham in the 1930s/40s. I have always loved film as an art form. Nowadays the photography is amazing especially with CGI. I have always fancied a home cinema [bucket list] but now I am helping to run a cinema for the community which I absolutely love doing. However, without the assistance of the wonderful support team it would not be possible.
LESLEY SUTTON