Ronnie Corbett would be soooo proud… the community arts cinema in the town centre is up for a prestigious award, decided by a public vote
People-powered: the David Lean Cinema has been volunteer-run since 2013
The David Lean Cinema in the Croydon Clocktower is among the contenders for Britain’s Cinema of the Year in this year’s British Independent Film Awards – and you can help to win them the award by taking part in a simple online vote.
Voting opens on Friday, August 22, and movie fans have a month to show some local pride and to share some love for Croydon’s much-admired independent cinema.
The David Lean Cinema, named after the Oscar-winning director who grew up in Croydon, has been operating in the heart of Croydon for more than 30 years, screening everything from dazzling world cinema to indie hits, timeless classics and the latest blockbusters.
Jason Perry and Croydon’s Conservatives tried to close the cinema in 2011, until Ronnie Corbett inspired a people-powered campaign, backed by Inside Croydon, which forced the local council to reopen the venue, but to be run by dedicated and committed volunteers.
After 12 years of operation, in 2015, what had begun as the Save the David Lean Cinema Campaign ultimately registered as a Community Interest Company, to help maintain its mission as an independent cinema, run by the community, for the community.
Impressive guest list: Tilda Swinton has been a repeat visitor to the David Lean Cinema
With BAFTA-winning actress Joanna Scanlan appointed as the cinema’s patron, the David Lean Cinema has continued to host events and Q&As with actors, directors and screenwriters, including Tilda Swinton, Art Malik and Andrew Haigh, helping to take cinemagoers behind the scenes of some of the most acclaimed films of recent years.
The cinema’s role within Croydon’s community cannot be understated. From dementia-friendly screenings to screenings specifically tailored to young, neurodiverse people, the David Lean Cinema has made itself accessible to the community it serves.
“Our entry into this year’s BIFA awards gives us a chance to showcase how far we’ve come as a small, volunteer-led cinema,” said Sam Clark, the David Lean Cinema’s chair.
“So much love and care goes into what we do from so many committed volunteers, and it is fantastic to be able to share and celebrate this more broadly. The public vote is a great opportunity to directly engage with our community as we continue to strive to be the very best independent cinema we can be.”
Voting for the BIFA Cinema of the Year runs from August 22 to September 22. Nominees will be announced on November 3, when voting will reopen to determine the ultimate winner.
As they used to say in Belfast: vote early, and vote often… Click here (the link won’t be live until August 22).
You can listen in to the Tilda Swinton interview at the David Lean Cinema from January 2024 by signing up as a subscriber to Inside Croydon, accessing our own back-catalogue of premium content for our subscribers (you’ll get to listen to the Andrew All Of Us Strangers Haigh interview, too). Click here for the Swinton interview on our Spotify page
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