TICKETS are now on sale for this year’s Widescreen Weekend film festival at the National Science and Media Museum.

The popular festival which celebrates the past, present and future of cinema technology, will return between the October 9-11 and this year will explore the work of pioneering female film editors, restorations and rediscoveries of cult and classic films, childhood favourites, and a special look at early 3D cinema.

This year’s festival will be a unique ‘Theatrical Cut’ format over three days featuring special one-off screenings. To ensure the safety of visitors and staff to the museum and cinemas, a number of additional safety and hygiene measures will be in place throughout the festival, including asking customers to book tickets in advance, socially distanced seating arrangements, hand sanitiser stations at key points such as entrances and exits, and enhanced cleaning of the theatres between screenings and events.

The first highlights of this year’s festival programme were announced last month, including a special presentation and Q&A with photo historian Denis Pellerin, from Dr. Brian May’s London Stereoscopic Society, and a continuation of the festivals celebration of Women in Widescreen with the Mother Cutter series, presented in association with Leeds International Film Festival and exploring the work of female editors.

IMAX and Pictureville Cinema get ready to reopen at National Science and Media Museum

In addition, there will be a special screening of the iconic 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) on Saturday 10 October on the Pictureville screen. This ‘unrestored’ version will be shown on 70mm and uses the film’s original negatives, it was released by Warner Brothers and Christopher Nolan to mark the film’s 50th anniversary.

Keeping with Widescreen Weekend tradition, many of the film screenings will have an introduction from exclusive guest speakers, including Alice Miller from Leeds International Film Festival; Rose Butler from Kelham Island Film Club; Annie Jamieson, Curator of Sound Technologies at the National Science and Media Museum (NSMM); Toni Booth, Associate Curator of Film, NSMM; and Dave Strohmaier, Restorationist at Cinerama Inc. Further guest speakers will be announced in the coming weeks.

Kathryn Penny, Head of Screen Operation, said: “We are delighted to have tickets on sale for this year’s Widescreen Weekend festival. The past few months have been incredibly challenging for cinemas around the world and it is really reassuring to see the industry beginning to return and to be welcoming audiences once again. This year’s festival will obviously feel a little different and the safety of our visitors and staff is the top priority. We hope despite the additional safety measures in place and the condensed format that attendees will enjoy the festival and cinemas as much as ever, and we have taken care to design a festival programme with something for all ages and audiences.”

Individual tickets for Widescreen Weekend are available online. The usual three-day passes will not be available for this year’s festival.

For more information about the full Widescreen Weekend programme and the reopening of Pictureville Cinema, visit: https://www.scienceandmediamuseum.org.uk/cinema