The new programme starts today with lots of great things coming up before the film festival in November (free tickets for the LIFF launch at Hyde Park are now available). Take a look at the excellent trailer reel or download the PDF and let us know what you are looking forward to seeing in the comments.
News
Heritage Open Days
This weekend the Picture House is taking part in the Heritage Open Days. This is a great opportunity to explore the building and find out why it’s so important that we are working hard to maintain the cinema’s legacy.
There will be both self-guided tours, where guests will be free to explore all of the building and learn about it’s long history, as well as guided tours of the projection room.
On Sunday at 3pm there is also a special FREE screening of This Sporting Life (1963) in conjunction with the exhibition ‘A Tender Tumult: The Art of David Storey’ which is currently on show at The Hepworth Wakefield from the 11th June – 05th October.
Saturday 10th September
Self-guided tour: 2.30pm – 3.30pm
Projection room tour: 2.45pm
Sunday 11th September
Self-guided tour: 12.30pm – 2.30pm
Projection room tour: 12.45pm, 1.15pm, 1.45pm
For projection room tours, booking ahead is required and can be done by emailing: admin@hydeparkpicturehouse.co.uk or calling 0113 275 2045.
New Programme Chat & Drinks
Join us on Monday 5th September from 7pm at the Brudenell Social Club for a get-together to chat about the new cinema programme starting on September 9th.
We thought it would be a good idea to meet up and find out what everybody is looking forward to seeing. It would also be a good time to look back at the last few months and see how people think the year has been so far for film. We’re also looking for ideas for future posts on this blog and possibly even some new contributors.
We hope this can become a regular thing around each new programme. So come along and join us for drinks, chat and the opportunity to meet other Friends.
On Facebook? Join the event
Charity News
On Yorkshire Day (August 1st) a Special General Meeting of our members approved changes to our constitution so that we could become a Registered Charity. The Charity Commission were satisfied with our application and we have now been officially entered on the Register of Charities with the Registered Charity Number 1168835.
The timing is good. Charity status can only help us in our support for the exciting developments at the cinema, following their success in gaining Heritage Lottery funding.
Heritage Lottery Funding
We are delighted that the Picture House will get a £2.4 million grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund . This application involved a huge amount of work for cinema staff and supporters, aided by experienced consultants. The Friends financially supported the feasibility study work which started in 2015 and formed part of the application.
The Friends of the Hyde Park Picture House was officially formed in 1984 because of fears for the long term survival of the cinema. Now, in 2016, we are in the wonderful position of supporting the development phase to preserve this beautiful building, to better serve the existing community, and to reach out to new audiences. We will make sure that the views of our members are taken into account as plans develop.
It is hoped that the scheme will not only lead to restoration of the existing building but brand new accessible facilities. This includes fully accessible toilets, a second screen in the basement, a café-bar and a vibrant learning and heritage programme.
It was also heartwarming to see the response to the news on social media, click here to see a small selection of reactions.
Special General Meeting: Monday 1st August 7:30pm
We would like to invite all members to attend a Special General Meeting on Monday 1st August 2016 at 7.30pm to be held at the Hyde Park Picture House.
The only items of business will be two Special Resolutions (details below) proposed by the Committee of the Friends of the Hyde Park Picture House.
To come into effect, these resolutions must be passed by not less than two thirds of the members present and voting at the meeting, so it is important that you come and vote.
Never one to let a meeting be too much business we have arranged this Special General Meeting to coincide with our annual Yorkshire Day screening which is free to members. Our film this year is SOUTH RIDING (1938) which will screen at 8.30pm.
While the meeting must be members only the screening is open to all and remember that members can invite up to three guests at members prices for any screening up until the end of August.
Appropriately Yorkshire themed refreshments will be provided!
Proposed Constitution Changes
Our Annual General Meeting in May 2014 agreed, without any objections, a new Constitution. That meeting also agreed that the Friends of the Hyde Park Picture House should start the formal process of registering as a charity.
The previous Constitution which dated from 1997 was no longer appropriate. Our present Constitution closely follows a Charity Commission model constitution.
Our present Objects (which also feature in our accounts) are
1. To promote, support and participate in the cultural landscape of Hyde Park, Leeds and Yorkshire, particularly through an appreciation and understanding of the art of cinema
2. To celebrate the heritage of the Hyde Park Picture House and ensure its preservation and continued use for cinema and related arts by and for all sections of the community.
The Charity Commission advised us that to comply with the current Charities Act, the wording should be:
To advance the arts, in particular film and associated arts for the benefit of the public, in particular but not exclusively by supporting the Hyde Park Picture House as part of the Leeds Grand Theatre and Opera House Ltd by such means as the trustees think fit including by:
– promoting, supporting and participating in the cultural landscape of Hyde Park, Leeds and Yorkshire, particularly through an appreciation and understanding of the art of cinema
– celebrating the heritage of the Hyde Park Picture House and ensuring its preservation and continued use for cinema and related arts.
The Committee accepts this advice from the Charity Commission. The Committee’s plan is that, when we have confirmation that the Charity Commission is happy with the whole of the Constitution, we will take this new draft to the next Members’ meeting for approval and then with your agreement formally register as a Charity.
To find out more about these changes please come along to our AGM on Sunday 22nd May from 1pm where members can also enjoy a free buffet and screening of Our Man In Havana.
AGM 2016: Sunday 22nd May
The 2016 Friends of Hyde Park Picture House AGM will take place on Sunday 22nd May, followed by a 35mm screening of Our Man In Havana (1959).
Members are invited to start arriving at 1pm for a 1.30pm start.
This Week At The Picture House
It’s quite an interesting week at the cinema (isn’t it always?). There are a few more chances to catch High-Rise and Anomalisa, two films which seem to be splitting audience opinions between love and hate. The Coen Brothers latest Hail, Caesar! gets its first run at the Picture House along with beautiful and haunting The Pearl Button. The screening of The Pearl Button on Thursday 7th April will be followed by a recorded Q&A with the film’s director, recorded last month at Home, Manchester.
On Saturday at 4pm there’s chance to see Harmonieband perform live their wonderful new score to Anthony Asquith classic Underground (1928) which is sure to delight first time viewers and old fans alike.
On Monday there’s a rare chance to see this year’s Oscar nominees for Animated Short on the big screen. I’m sure all nine films are great but personally I’m looking forward to finally seeing World Of Tomorrow a film I’ve heard so many good things about.
Tuesday’s Wonder is This Is Exile (2015), an extraordinary, intimate portrait of child refugees forced to flee from the violence of Syria’s civil war to neighbouring Lebanon. The film will be followed by a panel discussion and the screening is a “pay as you feel” event to raise money for Amnesty International and Save The Children.
Leeds Young Film Festival 2016
Now in it’s 17th year, the Leeds Young Film Festival starts this Thursday and as always there’s plenty to see for people of all ages. Taking place throughout the Easter school holidays (24th-31st March) the festival is aimed at young people but every year it always impresses with a great selection of films. If you’re ignoring the programme because it’s a “Kids’ festival” you’re likely to be missing out.
For starters there’s another chance to see some of the LIFF29 films you may not have seen (or want to see again): Assassination Classroom (2015), Breaking A Monster (2015), Landfill Harmonic (2015), Lovemilla (2015) and Crow’s Egg (2014) are all showing at the Picture House. On Good Friday, tribute screenings of Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince (2009) and Labyrinth (1986) allow us to remember the great work of Alan Rickman and David Bowie. Good Friday continues with 25th Anniversary screenings of the deliciously bizarre Delicatessen (1991) and Wes Craven’s The People Under The Stairs (1991), who we also sadly lost last year.
Not For Rental is a programme of films curated by 15-19 year olds that runs throughout the year. Their selection for the festival are all showing at the Picture House and includes Studio Ghibli’s latest (and possibly last) When Marnie Was There (2014) and Boy and the Beast (2015) from the makers of Wolf Children and Summer Wars which have both screened at LIFF. Not For Rental have also programmed this week’s Creatures Of The Night and Tuesday Wonder slots. The late night (but slightly earlier than usual at 10:30pm) screening of Aliens (1986) should be great after seeing Alien at LIFF a few years ago and on Tuesday He Named Me Malala (2015) is the inspirational documentary about the the youngest-ever Nobel Prize laureate, 17 year old Malala Yousafzai. Continue reading
Friends of Hyde Park Picture House 