Huge thanks to those of you who responded to the Covid-19 consultation last month. Of the 38 people who responded, 28 said that they were happy for the film nights to resume as soon as Hawkchurch Village Hall reopens, provided the appropriate Covid-19 counter-measures were in place – 73% of the total votes cast is a fairly decisive mandate. We really appreciate your confidence in us.
You have probably heard that the village hall intends to re-open at the beginning of October, so we are going ahead with our first screening on Monday 5th October. We have put together a ‘Best of British’ autumn programme for you, the first film of which is”Emma’ (cert. U, 125 mins), a romantic comedy drama based on the classic Jane Austen novel. Directed by big screen debutante Autumn de Wilde, Anya Taylor-Joy plays the eponymous lead, with strong support from a plethora of British thesp talent such as Bill Nighy, Josh O’Connor, Miranda Hart, Johnny Flynn, Rupert Graves and Callum Turner.
Reviews and film info here:
https://www.bbfc.co.uk/releases/emma-2020
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2020/feb/14/emma-review-jane-austen-anya-taylor-joy
https://www.timeout.com/movies/emma-1
Inevitably, due to the pandemic, we have had to make a few changes to the way we run the Film Nights.
Tickets and Seating
In order to accommodate as many of you as we can while ensuring that we comply with government guidelines on social distancing, there will be two screenings on 5th October, at 4.30pm and 7.30pm – doors open at 4.10pm and 7.10pm respectively (not half an hour before as previously).
There will be allocated seating, with appropriate social distancing between each group of ticket-holders and with no more than six people permitted in a group.
As a thank-you to our loyal patrons who have supported us over the years and have expressed their wish for us to resume the Film Nights at the earliest opportunity, all tickets for both screenings of ‘Emma’ on 5th October will be FREE and allocated in order of request received. Please send your request for tickets to me at csma95@gmail.com or text/WhatsApp/leave a message on 07753 603219 stating:
a) How many tickets you would like (max 6)
b) Your name and phone number and that of each member of your group (needed for Covid-19 Track and Trace purposes and kept for 21 days only)
c) The performance you’d like to attend (matinee or evening or no preference)
d) Where you’d like to sit (front, middle, back or no preference)
Tickets for ‘Emma’ will only be available by this method and will not be available either at the village shop or on the door. Please ensure that you sit in the seats allocated for your group and not anywhere else. Please don’t ask for more tickets than you need. Please do not attend unless you have received a ticket allocation from me. We hope to be able to bring you contactless/online ticket purchasing and seat reservations in due course.
On Arrival
Please wait outside the entrance door until the foyer is clear. Please put on your mask/face covering before entering the foyer (unless medically exempt).
Once in the foyer, please wait until the front desk is clear before entering the hall.
At the front desk, please use the hand sanitiser provided. Confirm the names of your party and seat numbers and then proceed either to refreshments or directly to your seats, following the signage. Please try to avoid congregating at the back of the hall between the front desk and the seating, as you may impede access to seating for those behind you.
During the Performance
Unless you need to use the toilets during the performance, please remain in your seats once you have found them – this will help with social distancing.
If you need to use the toilets, please follow the signage.
Please keep your mask/face covering on at all times while inside the hall, other than for consuming food/drinks at your seat.
After the Film
At the end of the film, you will be asked to leave the hall by the Fire Exit (on the right-hand side of the auditorium as you look at the screen), one row at a time, starting from the front. Please wait until the row in front of you has departed before leaving your seat. Kind offers to assist with clearing up/stacking up chairs, etc. will be politely refused, as we need to carry out enhanced anti-Covid cleaning procedures (we appreciate the thought, though).
Seating and high traffic areas will be sanitised before and after each performance.
Please take any rubbish you have home with you or leave it under your seat.
Further information about available refreshments will follow shortly. Please let me know if you have any questions about how the screenings will work or any other concerns. Thank you in advance for your understanding of the restrictive measures outlined above – we are fully aware that having to wear a mask during the film and not being able to socialise other than within your group is far from ideal and we all hope we can get back to something approaching normality before too long. Naturally if there are any changes to Covid-19 regulations between now and 5th October which will affect our ability to operate the screening safely or legally, you’ll be the first to know.
If you are showing Covid-19 symptoms or have been advised/ordered to self-isolate, please do not attend.
Our programme for the rest of the year is as follows:
Mon 2nd November : ‘1917’ (cert. 15) – tickets available from mid-October
Mon 7th December : ‘The Personal History of David Copperfield’ (cert. PG) – tickets available from mid-November
Hope to see you on 5th October if not before.