Alternative Film Screening Venues in London
London is a great place to find alternative and unique events to open your mind and excite you. The film circuit is ever expanding, making a large market for alternative viewing experiences. Here are a few to definitely check out:
The Horse Hospital
Located just outside Russell Square station, The Horse Hospital is a space for ‘underground and avant-garde media’. The progressive arts venue focuses on many disciplines such as art, film, fashion, literature and music to create a collaborative interactive space for underground artists. The only of its type in the UK, it showcases rare films and submissions in its artist led environment. The venue does not exist for financial gain and because of this the building is currently under threat as the underground community is priced out of the city.
Exploding Cinema
This venue is a platform for experimental filmmakers hoping to create DIY cinema, against state funding. It has a common ownership style, with all work copyright free and non-profit. Anyone can contribute. They have shown over 1000 filmmakers work, across different locations to diverse audience. Shunning the elitist ways, they encourage you to get a projector and show your own films, as well as offering the chance to screen them for you at as low a price as possible. This is a revolutionary path for film.
Secret Cinema
This immersive cinema experience, created by Fabien Riggall, showed their first screening in 2007, there has since been a large range of live cinema experiences in different locations throughout London. They are all themed to fit the film with dress codes and items you’re suggested to bring, some including performances accompanying the film. Before the screening, you can wonder around this alternate reality that they have created and interact with characters and actors, who will lead you around and introduce you to parts of the event you may not have explored. The incorporation of live interactive performance is what makes Secret Cinema unique and exciting. The large productions never seem to disappoint with the events always being spectacular and worth the money.
