Picture yourself at twilight, heading towards the silhouette of an old church on top of a hill, or within the grandeur of an abandoned theatre. You’ve been directed to these unfamiliar surroundings, the location of which was revealed to you only hours earlier via email, by the enticingly mysterious Secret Cinema. On arrival at the confidential location you are joined by other secret cinema goers, all of whom have come to see a film, the title of which is revealed only as the projector begins to flicker across the screen, such is the secrecy of these folks. The allure of the unknown is an obvious attraction for those who partake, “Secret Cinema works on intrigue, mystery and a love of cinema” says Kate Glover one of the organisers, “it offers the audience the chance to be thrown into the world of the film and encourages people to see films they wouldn’t normally experience.”

Secret Cinema started in December last year in a disused railway arch underneath London Bridge showing Gus Van Saint’s ‘Paranoid Park’. It first came to Bristol in February of this year with the charming fifties flick ‘Funny Face’ starring Audrey Hepburn, shown in St Pauls Church in Southville. The creator Fabien Riggall got the idea for Secret Cinema when as a child he stumbled off the beach to escape the heat and walked into the film Casablanca; the experience of seeing a film ‘blind’ seemingly made it that much more enjoyable.

So how does it all work? Subscribers are kept in the dark until the day of the screening when they will be directed to railway arches, graveyards, art galleries, churches or even service stations to enjoy a series of cabaret style events which link to the secret evening film. Once the audience is seated, the titles roll revealing the film. The venue chosen is always decorated to relate to the film and the organisers dress-up as its characters, all of which contributes to an enhanced cinema experience.

The combination of exciting surroundings, powerful cinema and playful secrecy offered by Secret Cinema makes a trip to your local multi-screen seem utterly banal. However adrenaline fuelled the blockbuster may be, it would be hard to compete with the experience of watching a fifties classic on a rooftop, blanket over your shoulders and the moonlight shining upon the city below as an added visual treat. Secret Cinema is bringing some of that cinema excitement back; offering magic, mystery and audience participation in the creation of a new, intimate and much more personal film experience.

Secret Cinema is due for a re-launch in Bristol this June and the organisers were typically coy in discussing any details. The only thing they did say is that we should “expect to be surprised.”

If late night excursions to unknown locations for a secret rendezvous with Audrey Hepburn seem like your cup of tea, subscribe online:
www.secretcinema.org

Richard Hall