We’ve been wanting to tell you about 99p Films for a while! This revolutionary community interest cinema brings together some of our very favourite things, aiming to inspire Reel Action. Read on to find out more…
Founded by Alex Fish, and now run with Directors Megan Roberts and Jack Cowley, 99p Films is truly a Community Interest Company, in every sense of the word. Redefining the cinema experience, they begin each screening with a shared and collective mindful breath, tapping into the power of human connection, right from the get-go. And then each screening is followed by a shared, communal, locally sourced feast and a discussion of the film. Food, friendship and film – what’s not to love?
Focusing on documentaries, previous films shown have included
- Cornwall Climate Care films ‘#ClimateScam?’ and ‘Power to the People’ – exploring how green energy can create jobs, boost living standards, and provide energy security.
- The Right To Roam
- Fungi – Web of Life. This incredible documentary featuring Merlin Sheldrake and narrated by Bjork – yes, her very self – will illuminate how this fascinating kingdom may offer solutions to some of our biggest issues.
- The Tribunal: Malcolm Rogge’s powerful documentary film brings to light the disturbing impacts on local environmental defenders of the shadowy international investment arbitration system
- Paved Paradise – a playful, Dutch documentary about a serious problem: the loss of biodiversity due to human agricultural land use.
Coming soon, from March to May, they’ll be showing short films showcasing the unique temperate rainforests of Devon and Cornwall.
Venues are visited all over the county, from the Cornish Bank and Princess Pavilion in Falmouth, to Camborne Community Centre, Bayspace in St Ives, Magwan Porth, The Old Cattle Market, Helston and Fish Factory in Penryn
And the name? There are two reasons for it.
Tickets start at 99p for those who would usually not be able to attend due to financial reasons. By removing this barrier they dissolve the echo chambers and allow everyone to be part of the event and have their voices heard. Tickets then go up a sliding scale and are fully based on trust.
As well as this, the team commit to 99p from every ticket sold going directly to the filmmaker. On the website, they describe this as their ‘unique licencing model’ which makes them ‘a bit of a disruptor in the film industry’. More of that kind of thing!
Explore upcoming films here and follow 99p on Instagram or join their Facebook group here.
