Audience not there for more films on Beau Sejour screen

There are no films booked to be screened at Beau Cinema until 11 October, and since the February half-term only two children’s movies have been shown.

The cinema screen is the largest in Guernsey and £54,000 was spent on upgrading it and the audio equipment in early 2019.

Sam Herridge, head of recreation services, said cinema showings had to work around existing theatre bookings, which took priority.

‘When the theatre is available for use as a cinema, the films selected are aimed at a weekend family audience,’ she said.

‘We have found out through our own experience that there is no real market or demand for films screened regularly throughout the week, as audience numbers are too low to cover the costs incurred.

‘However, there is an audience for family films at a weekend and during half-terms, which is where we concentrate our efforts.

‘Whenever there is a period without weekend film screenings for families, it is due to the theatre being unavailable.’

The theatre is used for a multitude of events beyond films, including dance festivals and concerts, the Eisteddfod, music concerts, school productions, presentations and meetings, funerals, drama, comedians, and the Guernsey Literary Festival events.

During the Island Games it was used to livestream swimming events due to the limited seating in the pool.

The last film for an older audience to be shown was Top Gun – Maverick which the cinema screened last November, five months after its release.

‘In our experience, films screened at Beau Sejour for the older age groups are not supported regularly, unless it is a big blockbuster film, such as a new Bond film, which we will then look to screen on a Friday and Saturday night subject to availability,’ said Ms Herridge.

Local film fans were generally sympathetic to Beau Sejour cinema’s use.

Wynter Tyson, who runs Clameur de Cinema, which screens lesser known and cult films in Guernsey, said he would love to see more films on a bigger screen but the economics did not work.

‘The audience appetite doesn’t really exist at that scale. Additionally, the reality is that there is a genuine lack of product aimed at a general adult audience as most of those stories are being released direct to streaming, often in the form of TV shows rather than films.’

Local filmmaker Alex Bates from White Rock Productions, whose most recent film, Born of Water, premiered at the Princess Royal Centre for the Performing Arts last month, said that seeing Beau Sejour utilised as a cinema more would be really exciting, especially because of its larger seating capacity.

‘As a venue, I think it has huge potential to make film screenings feel like a proper night out if utilised properly. The issue we have is that people are less willing to go to the cinema nowadays.

‘If people want local cinemas to stay open then ultimately it’s as simple as the public going more often.’