A Warminster film society has celebrated 25 years of bringing cinema to the town with a special anniversary screening.
Warminster and District Film Society marked the milestone with a screening of the Oscar-winning film Hamnet at the Athenaeum on Wednesday 2nd September, complete with celebratory drinks and birthday cake.
The society was founded in 2000, when the Athenaeum was reopening after being placed into liquidation. Founding member Andrew Frostick said a small committee recognised there was an appetite for films in the town and began exploring how to establish a film society.
“By the following autumn we were ready to go launching the idea of a film society for the town,” said Andrew.
“Our first film was Erin Brockovich, and we started with a season of six films. It was a roaring success, and within a few months we were one of the largest film societies in the South West with about 230 members.”
Andrew believes there is a still a place for the shared community experience of watching films together after the society has coped with moves to streaming services and the Covid lockdown which have both knocked film societies nationally.
“Film is for everyone,” said Andrew. “In the past 25 years, the society has been able to present the very best of international cinema directly to Warminster, and we hope to be able to continue to do that for many years to come. The independence of the society allows us to cherry-pick the films we feel with appeal to our members. In the past we have also had themed evenings to tie in with showing classic, foreign and event films.
“We would say to local residents, why not join and enjoy our seasons of films at a reduced rate?”
The society currently shows eight films per season, with two seasons each year. Membership costs £24 per season, while non-members can attend individual screenings for £6.50.
For more information about the society and upcoming films, visit its Facebook page.
Pictured: Committee members Kate Life, Diane Sketchley, Michelle Stopford, Darren Woodyatt and Andrew Fostick
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