Following the end of the second national lockdown, Northampton Filmhouse, the two-screen cinema adjacent to Royal & Derngate, is reopening on Friday 11 December, offering some festive cheer with a line-up of classic Christmas films alongside brand new releases such as The Prom, starring Nicole Kidman and Meryl Streep.
Cinema-goers will be able to return to the much-loved venue for the first time since March, with some extra measures in place to ensure everything is COVID-safe for audiences and staff. Measures include a limited capacity to allow socially-distanced seating, specified arrival times and a one-way system through the building. All tickets must be booked in advance and audience members will be required to wear masks except when eating or drinking. In line with Tier 2 regulations, customers can only be seated with people from their own household or support bubble.
Highlights of the season include the star-studded, spectacular film adaptation of hit Broadway musical The Prom, with a cast featuring Meryl Streep, Nicole Kidman and James Corden, and the best of new independent releases such as Riz Ahmed’s raw and powerful Mogul Mowgli and award-winning documentary The Painter and The Thief. For family audiences, there will also be a chance to see the spellbinding and empowering animation Wolfwalkers.
Northampton Filmhouse’s programme of event cinema continues to prove popular, with additional screenings being added for NT Live production War Horse, the Royal Opera House’s festive ballet The Nutcracker, and soprano Katherine Jenkins’ Christmas Spectacular concert.
Christmas classics include perennial favourites It’s a Wonderful Life, Home Alone, Die Hard, Elf and The Muppet Christmas Carol.
More screenings continue to be added to the schedule so for more details and the most up to date information customers can visit the website, www.northamptonfilmhouse.com.
Chief Executive Jo Gordon commented:
“We’re delighted to be reopening the Filmhouse in time for Christmas. Our teams are working so hard to get everything in place to open our doors for a safe return to our cinema screens. We have received wonderful messages of support from customers while we’ve been unable to open and we can’t wait to welcome them back and provide a bit of festive cheer.”
For most screenings, tickets are priced at £10.50 with concessions available for over 60s, under 14s, students, receivers of Universal credit and disabled patrons. Prices for event cinema screenings are £15.50, with concessions available. From Monday to Thursday, tickets for 16 to 25 year olds are just £5.50 for standard screenings. Tickets must be booked in advance and will be sent as e-tickets. Bookings can be made online at www.northamptonfilmhouse.com. The Box Office phone line, 01604 624811, is operating reduced hours, and can be called from Tuesday to Friday, from 10am to 2pm.
Some of the Filmhouse’s regular strands have been paused for now, including Silver Screen, Parent and Baby, and Relaxed, but these specialist screenings will be returning in the future.
Northampton Filmhouse At Home, which was launched during the recent lockdown with sponsorship support from CityFibre, will also continue to offer a selection of films that people can stream on their own devices.
