Opening Film - The Runaways

With the help of a fantastically successful crowd-funding campaign, the Alhambra has had a make-over which has transformed the place, using heritage colours. Carol, Alan, Tom and Sylvia’s aim was to ‘Restore the Glory’ and boy, have they achieved it. Stripping back years of paint has revealed all kinds of features – it is going to look wonderful with a full house on the opening night for The Runaways.

Director Richard Heap will be here to introduce his film, the story of an epic crossing of the Pennines by three children in search of their estranged mother. The Yorkshire Post said "Huge praise has to go to director/writer Richard Heap whose unique screenplay evokes a range of emotions from laughter to tears. This is an uplifting and atmospheric story. The film is ultimately a celebration of childhood and the importance of home and family ties."

Festival Fringe - Saturday 11th February

Keswick Film Festival kicks off with its own fringe event on Saturday 11th February with a special programme of 4 films at The Alhambra.

Designed as a community event, admission to each film will cost just one penny.
Why the entry fee of one penny? Well Keswick Film Festival is asking "A Penny for Your Thoughts" - the final 3 films that day have been chosen by top film critics Matt Glasby, Karen Krizanovich and Ali Catterall as their favourite films of all time. Their video introductions are on the website and by writing a short review, you could win tickets for a screening the following weekend.

Details of the competition are on the website.

KFF has always tried to put on a film for family audiences and this year it will be at the Fringe:

11.00am Kubo and the Two Strings, an animation that is getting rave reviews, with the voice of Kubo played by Art Parkinson – Rickon Stark in Game of Thrones.

Followed by our critics' choices:

2.00pm – Airplane! Non-stop gags and dubious taste in Karen Krizanovich's choice. Roger, Roger. Do we have clearance, Clarence?

4.00pm - If.... Matt Glasby has chosen this classic film set in a British public school, with Malcolm McDowell in his first big screen role – compare and contrast with The Browning Version at the Festival.

6.15 – Theatre of Blood Ali Catterall has chosen this comedy horror about murder in the Critics' Circle, starring Vincent Price, Diana Rigg and just about every other British actor from the 1970s that you could name

This is binge cinema at its best, nostalgia and a lot of laughs and we hope, in great company. To add to the experience and to keep you going throughout the afternoon, our friends at Woodstone Pizza will have slices sizzling hot and ready in the breaks in between films – just order in the foyer.

Alhambra Centenary Film

Lights, Camera.... Alhambra! was commissioned to mark the centenary of Keswick’s Alhambra Cinema and made by Cockermouth film-maker, Joel Baker. Research for the film discovered a host of local people with memories of the cinema, dating back to the days of silent films and the first talkie – Al Jolson in The Jazz Singer.

Joel met and filmed those who had worked there, courted on the back row there and those who had misbehaved there, usually during the Saturday morning matinees.

The film also featured an interview with Nick Simpson, son of Jack who owned the cinema during the 40’s, 50’s and early 60’s. Nick, who effectively grew up in and around the Alhambra, gave an insight into the way in which his father ran the cinema and created programmes around local bus timetables and a sure knowledge of what played well in the town. One of his perks was to choose the film to be screened on his birthday – it was always a cowboy movie!

The Film is available to view on vimeo: https://vimeo.com/98131753

To obtain the password contact info@keswickfilmclub.org or try the name of the cinema where Keswick Film Club holds its Sunday Screenings.