Save the Cinema
In 1993 a hairdresser in Carmarthen decided her town's cinema wasn't going to close. She wrote to Steven Spielberg. He said yes, and the Lyric got a premiere of Jurassic Park. A true story.
Need a hand booking? Email [email protected]
A true story about keeping a cinema open.
Carmarthen, 1993. The Lyric cinema was set to close, and Liz Evans, who ran a hairdressing salon and the town’s youth theatre, decided that it wouldn’t. She and a local councillor started writing letters. One of those letters went to Steven Spielberg, which sounds like the bit a screenwriter invented, and turns out to be the bit that really happened: Jurassic Park got its premiere at the Lyric.
Samantha Morton plays Liz. Jonathan Pryce is Mr Morgan, Tom Felton plays the councillor Richard Goodridge, and Adeel Akhtar and Susan Wokoma round out the campaign. Sara Sugarman directs, from a script by Piers Ashworth.
It’s a warm film and not a subtle one. Welsh critics gave it a rough ride, some of that deserved, particularly on the question of who gets cast in Welsh stories. We went with it anyway. A film about a few people refusing to let their cinema shut seemed like the right way to open a season in a village hall with a projector at the back.
Saturday 17 October · Doors 7.00 pm · Tickets £8
Book your seatsThe big screen, in a village hall in the Chilterns.
One film a month, October to April. Doors at seven, film at eight, home by half ten.
One film a month, chosen properly
New releases, older films worth seeing again, the odd documentary. Picked by people who go to the cinema themselves.
An hour at the bar first
Doors at seven, film at eight. Wine, beer, soft drinks and something to pick at. That hour is half the point of the evening.
Picture and sound to match
A built-in screen, a 4K projector and 5.1 surround, in a hall treated for film. Comfortable seats, a hearing loop, and not one advert.
A short drive, a warm welcome.
Hambleden Village Hall, a few minutes from Henley-on-Thames and Marlow.
- Address
- Hambleden Village Hall
Hambleden, Henley-on-Thames
Buckinghamshire, RG9 6RP - Parking
- Please use the pay and display car park by the Stag and Huntsman. It's £2 for two hours and £4 for up to six. We'd rather you didn't park in the centre of the village, so we don't inconvenience our neighbours.
- Getting here
- Five minutes off the A4155, on the Marlow to Henley road. Open in Google Maps →
- Accessibility
- Step-free throughout, accessible toilets on site, and a hearing loop wired into the speakers. Tell us when you book if you'd like a particular seat kept.
Everything you might wonder.
Ticketless entry is permitted at all performances on production of your online ticket confirmation on a mobile device. This applies only to tickets bought through this website.
Card machines are available for all purchases of drinks and snacks from our bar and kitchen area. We are also happy to accept cash.
Tickets are non-refundable. If you are unable to attend the screening for which you have bought tickets please get in touch with us before the event at [email protected]. Subject to availability, your tickets will remain valid for the next screening (which may be the next season), but not for any subsequent screenings.
- U – Suitable for anyone
- PG – Parental Guidance
- 12A – Suitable for 12 years and over but anybody under 12 can be admitted if someone over 18 is present
- 15 – Suitable for 15 years and over
- 18 – Suitable for 18 years and over
For full details, including reasons for each rating, visit bbfc.co.uk.
Children under eight years old must be accompanied by an adult.
Our screenings don’t have allocated seating. Arrive early to grab your favourite seat and have some nibbles and a glass of wine.
We are running a cinema for the community, any profit is re-invested into the cinema project and the village hall so we have one affordable ticket price for all.
As we are a community cinema, run for the community by volunteers, please support us by not bringing your own food and drink. We have a licence to sell alcohol for the cinema screenings and the terms of our licence allows for the consumption of alcohol purchased on the premises. We have a bar offering alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, savoury and sweet nibbles and snacks, and we aim to cater for most dietary requirements.
As a general rule, we offer red and white wine (sold by the glass or by the bottle), bottled (or canned) beer, savoury snacks and sweet snacks (including popcorn). Our food and drink offering will vary for each screening.
We add the run time for the film to this website, shown with the film’s details. Any trailers will be up to 5 minutes so please arrive in time to purchase your drinks and nibbles and take your seats and get settled prior to the start time of the film.
The Village Hall has a hearing loop connected to the speaker system. Turn your hearing aid to the T position.
The Village Hall has accessible toilet facilities.
If you require a carer to support you to attend the film, we can organise a free carer ticket. This cannot be done through the online booking, so please email us.
We welcome assistance dogs into the Village Hall. Sorry, but other four-legged friends need to stay at home.
If you are driving to Hambleden for a cinema evening please park sensibly, preferably using the pay and display car park adjacent to the Stag and Huntsman pub. The charges are £2 for two hours and £4 for up to six hours. We would rather you did not park in the centre of the village so as not to inconvenience our good neighbours.
Tickets can be purchased on this site. A limited number of tickets will be available at the Hambleden Village Stores.
If you are having any difficulties buying your tickets please get in touch.