South West Group’s Spring Viewing Day, Bath 2025
Topical Reality tops the poll at Bath Viewing.
Cinema For All South West Group returned in April to Widcombe Social Club in Bath for its third Viewing Day since Covid. Sixty-six committee members from 19 Societies previewed six recent releases, available from the Cinema for All Booking Scheme, Troy Film Agency and Filmbankmedia, screened in the Wharf and in the Wharf and Waterside venues, as possible titles for their next season. The event had the generous support of Cinema for All with the Social Club providing a good lunch and afternoon tea with excellent cakes!
The results of the reaction slips show a positive response to the programme with all the titles rated at above 70%. Top of the voting was the tense thriller, Reality, the true story of an American intelligence whistle-blower in 2016, but with surprising relevance to recent leaks in the White House. The other titles were well-received including the three from the Cinema for All Booking Scheme: the black comedy stop-motion animation Memoir of a Snail, Mark Cousins’ fascinating documentary, A Sudden Glimpse to Deeper Things, and the compelling Italian drama, Vermiglio which won the Silver Lion Grand Jury Prize at last year’s Venice. Film Festival.
Future of the South West Group
After the afternoon interval, there was an informal discussion of the future of the SW Group in general and Viewing Days in particular. The Viewings were felt to be very useful to see new releases. Several of the services offered by the Group pre-Covid such as technical advice, film selection, newsletters and the Autumn Viewings had also been appreciated by Societies.
Members of the Group Executive were in agreement with the comments but admitted that a reduction in the number of volunteers on the committee post-Covid was challenging the future of the Group. The Viewing Sessions required more Societies to volunteer to host the Viewings whilst more Exec members were essential. It was also pointed out that the need for the occasional meetings to organise the Group had been made much easier for members by the advent of Zoom!
Following this encouraging exchange of views, it is hoped that volunteers will come forward to join the committee. Next year will be the 50th anniversary of the SW Group’s relaunch with a Viewing Session hosted by Dorchester Film Society. It would be good to be able to celebrate the success of film societies in the South West with a 90th Viewing Session and, possibly, a revival of some of the services provided prior to Covid.
The Group Secretary, Jane Sanders, would love to hear from Societies and individuals who are interested in the helping the SW Group go forward into its anniversary year. Jane can be contacted on peter.jane.sanders@gmail.com.
Written by Brian Clay.