Secret Cinema

Secret Cinema logo in 2014

Secret Cinema is a British events company specialising in Live Cinema experiences, combining film screenings with interactive performances in purpose-built sets. A trading name of the short film distribution company Future Shorts Ltd., it was founded in 2007 by Fabien Riggall.^[1]

Notable productions

In December 2011, Secret Cinema held a one-off screening of The Third Man in Kabul to coincide with its London run of the film. The film was screened in both Kabul and London simultaneously.^[2]

In July 2014, the company launched Back to the Future screenings, set in a life-size recreation of the 1950s Hill Valley town featured in Robert Zemeckis's film.^[3][4] The first two Back to the Future dates were cancelled with only a few hours notice and the company offered a full refund or exchange for the cost of tickets, but not for any booking fees; the opening dates of its 2013 production of Brazil had also been cancelled at short notice.^[3][5]

In August 2014, the company held a charity screening of Dead Poets Society, to mark the death of actor Robin Williams. All proceeds were donated to the mental health charity Mind.^[6] Other Secret Cinema productions have helped raised awareness, funds, and/or donations in kind for charities including Save the Children;^[7] the National Alliance on Mental Illness;^[8] Refugee Council;^[9] and MAC UK, a local Camden charity which provides mental health services to disadvantaged youth.^[10]

In December 2014, Secret Cinema announced the screening of a secret film in response to SONY's withdrawal from the release of The Interview.^[11] The screening was revealed to be Charlie Chaplin’s The Great Dictator, which was simultaneously screened in Rome, London, New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco, in support of Article 19, a charity dedicated to the freedom of speech.^[12] Screenings included live speeches and readings, music and performances. In March 2015 the company and its founder were criticized on Twitter and other publications for using unpaid actors; the company defended its practice and described the volunteers as interns who benefitted from the experience.^[13]

In September 2015, the company announced it would raise funds to bring free movie screenings to Syrian refugees in Europe, starting with the camp in Pas-de-Calais, France.^[14]

References

1. Cheshire, Tom. "The Screen Saver".
2. "Shhhhh! Secret Cinema to screen in Kabul and London". The London Evening Standard. 2 December 2011. Retrieved 21 March 2012.
3. Loulla-Mae Eleftheriou-Smith (26 July 2014). "Secret Cinema: Why were Back to the Future screenings cancelled?". The Independent. Retrieved 2 October 2015.
4. "Secret Cinema finally opens Back to the Future". BBC News. Retrieved 2 October 2015.
5. "What do we know about the Secret Cinema ‘Back to the Future’ fiasco?". Time Out Blog. Retrieved 2 October 2015.
6. "Secret Cinema to screen Robin Williams film, Dead Poets Society - Telegraph". Telegraph.co.uk. 13 August 2014. Retrieved 2 October 2015.
7. "Secret Cinema presents The Third Man". screendaily.com. Retrieved 2 October 2015.
8. "Secret Cinema raised £24K for Charity with Dead Poets Society screenings". frontrowreviews.co.uk. Retrieved 2 October 2015.
9. "Secret Cinema raises funds for Refugee Council". LSi Online. Retrieved 2 October 2015.
10. "Secret Cinema X review: 'Amy'". screendaily.com. Retrieved 2 October 2015.
11. Antonia Molloy (19 December 2014). "Secret Cinema to host secret screening in protest against censorship, following Sony's The Interview cancellation". The Independent. Retrieved 2 October 2015.
12. Carole Horst. "Secret Cinema Sets Screening to Protest Pulling of “The Interview” - Variety". Variety. Retrieved 2 October 2015.
13. Jess Denham (19 March 2015). "Secret Cinema denies using unpaid workers". The Independent. Retrieved 2 October 2015.
14. Kyriazis, Stefan (8 September 2015). "'Give refugee camps free film nights' Secret Cinema screening for Calais migrants". Daily Express. Retrieved 2 October 2015.