Gallery

Audience at Ken Loach gala

An audience member puts a question to Ken Loach

Beeban Kidron

Beeban Kidron, co-founder of the FILMCLUB network of film clubs in schools, talked to members about the value of community cinema.

Cumberbatch and Norris

Benedict Cumberbatch discussed his work on Stuart: A Life Backwards, following a screening of Dominic Norris's short film Inseperable, another powerful exploration of contemporary homelessness

David Sington

Director David Sington lifted the thoughts of a packed house to the night skies above, before presenting In The Shadow of the Moon

Ed Stoppard

Ed Stoppard described the challenges of working with Roman Polanski on The Pianist

Henrietta Fudakowski

Producer Henrietta Fudakowski introduced members to the Oscar-winning township drama Tsotsi

Hugh Hudson

Director Hugh Hudson resisted the conventional interview format and chatted at length with members before presenting the inspirational classic Chariots of Fire

Jonathan Benson

The veteran Assistant Director mentioned how even Burt Lancaster was capable of forgetting his lines on magical realist gem Local Hero

Kevin Macdonald

Kevin Macdonald unpacked the difficulties of shooting in the high Andes on Touching the Void, before setting off again to Scotland to start work on Eagle of the Ninth

Luke Morris

Producer Luke Morris introduced a selection from his latest Cinema 16 collection of international short films

Michael Thomas and Wilf Macdonald

Screenwriter Michael Thomas (Scandal, Backbeat) introduced "kung fu reggae movie" Countryman, while director Wilf Macdonald opened the night with Latimer Films' true-life urban short "Choices"

Mike Hodges

Mike Hodges came up from the country to describe making Flash Gordon, and gave us a great Dino de Laurentiis impression

Nicholas Rowe

Nicholas Rowe talked us through the differences between Young Sherlock Holmes and Lock, Stock... Alan Cox (Watson) was on stage in The History Boys in New York but sent his best

Pawel Pawlikowski

Double Bafta-winner Pawel Pawlikowski drew us a line between reality and poetry in Last Resort, doubled up with his genre-defying documentary Serbian Epics

Rupert Graves

Actor Rupert Graves brought stories from comedy legend Frank Oz's Death at a Funeral, and from his national service on Merchant Ivory films

Mike Leigh

Palme d'Or winner Mike Leigh introduced the Odeon West End to something a little different to High School Musical - his state-of-a-nation elegy to the 80s, Naked

Ken Loach and Christoph Warrack

Ken Loach, who helped change public understanding of homelessness with his 1966 BBC drama Cathy Come Home, discussed migrant labour issues in his latest film with a sold out audience at the Prince Charles Cinema

Dario Marianelli

Academy Award winning composer Dario Marianelli explained how he broke the rules of diegetic music in his score for Atonement

James Rogan

James Rogan introduced the short films The Madman and The Cathedral, and The Open Doors. A member at St Patrick's pointed out, "that's my neighbour", as he happened to be from the Spanish village where the former was filmed.

Cath Le Couteur and Normski

The filmmaker and the former Channel 4 presenter presented short films on photography and the London music scene in the 80s

Louise Stern

Deaf Californian author and visual artist Louise Stern presented a high-powered sequence of short films on the experience of language for hearing-impaired people, with her interpreter Oliver Pouliot

David Anstee

The autumn "Music" season culminated in a gala at The Connection. OC Member David Anstee presented his debut short film "Footsteps to Music", together with project supervisor Olivia Emes

Christopher Orlowsky and Jeff Hubbard

Also at the Christmas 2009 gala, Jeff and Christopher from Providence Row presented their film "Every Man is an Island (5 Soundtracks for 5 Lives)". Also present were project supervisors Rebecca Lloyd-Evans and Shiraz Bayjoo, and supervising editor Andre Marques

St Patrick's filmmaking team

At the London Spring mini-gala, Stuart Holmes (centre) presented his debut short film 'London Wakes', with supervising filmmaker Kelly Davis and assistant director Jasper Delamothe

Stephen Frears

Veteran British director Stephen Frears offered praise for the new short films of David Anstee and Stuart Holmes. He also described following a revolution in South Africa for his first short film, The Burning.

The Connection filmmaking team

David Anstee (centre) with a trophy for his second film, "London Wakes", together with supervising filmmaker Tessa Morgan, and assistant director Jasper Delamothe

Luke Hyams

Prolific writer-director Luke Hyams dropped by Providence Row to introduce an interactive screening of urban youth series Dubplate Drama, during which members were able to vote on the course of events.

Benedict Wong at SHP mini-Gala

Actor Benedict Wong speaks to members from SHP and St. Mungo's Mare Street at the SHP mini-gala screening of 'Sunshine'.

Gerry Vasbenter

Hollywood camera operator Gerry Vasbenter held the Providence Row regulars spellbound for well over an hour with tales from the set of The Lord of The Rings.

Jon Harris at Providence Row

Award winning editor Jon Harris speaks to members at Providence Row Open Cinema before a special screening of 'Snatch'.

Simon Chinn at SHP

Oscar-winning producer Simon Chinn introduces his film Man On Wire to a group of enthusiastic OC members and volunteers and talks about the inspiration and practical process for documentary film-making.

Open Cinema - URM Los Angeles

The parkour crew Tempest Freeruning giving a demonstration at the Union Rescue Mission in Los Angeles, as part of the Open Cinema USA launch. Later, a special non-theatrical preview of 'The Prince of Persia' was presented on the rooftops of the URM building.

Sir Tom Stoppard

Legendary playwright Sir Tom Stoppard joined Open Cinema for a special evening at the Cineworld Haymarket, for a packed audience of eager writers and filmmakers. Sir Tom spoke about his remarkable career as a writer in both film and theatre and the audience enjoyed special clips from his work on the big screen. The Q&A was hosted by BBC Radio 4's Francine Stock.

Andrew Legge and Serena Brabazon

Irish filmmakers Andrew Legge (writer-director) and Serena Brabazon (actor) at St Patrick's Open Cinema with time-travelling science fiction short film The Chronoscope.

Jonathan Pryce

Actor Jonathan Pryce talks to members of the Connection Open Cinema about acting after a screening of 'Ronin'. He spoke about filming one of the greatest car chases ever and about breaking into acting.

Paul McGann at The Upper Room

Paul McGann with members of the Upper Room Open Cinema. Actor Paul McGann gave a Q&A session at the Upper Room after a screening of 'Withnail and I'.

Ken Loach & Paul Laverty at BBC Glasgow Screening

Ken Loach & Paul Laverty at a BBC Radio 4 Screening of 'Sweet Sixteen' at the Pearce Institute in Glasgow, 17 January 2011. Open Cinema helped to organise the event alongside Radio 4.

'Senna' OC London Connect Gala at the BFI

To mark the finale of our Film London sponsored OC: London Connect programme, members of the LIFT/St. Mungo's Open Cinema in Brent and the CAYSH Open Cinema in Croydon, along with film industry professionals, came together at the BFI for a special screening of 'Senna'. Followed by the screening, the film's Archive Producer, Paul Bell & Director Asif Kapadia gave a Q&A in NFT3 and gave advice to Open Cinema members in the BFI's Blue Room about how to break into the film industry.