Bringing more film choices to more Big Screens across the UK

9 May 2022; Vue Entertainment and the British Film Institute (BFI) have joined forces to bring diverse and creative films from the BFI to even more screens across the UK.

Starting this May, the BFI Presents programme at Vue, will screen a series of films, carefully curated by the BFI, from newly released and award-winning British and international film through to hidden gems and restored classics. The titles are all hand-picked from BFI seasons by the team led by Stuart Brown, BFI Head of Programme and Acquisitions and Julie Pearce, BFI Head of Distribution and Programme Operations.

The programme kicks off on 18 May with special preview screenings of Benediction, a biographical drama about Siegfried Sassoon written and directed by Terence Davies and starring Jack Lowden as the British poet. Benediction will be shown across all 88 of Vue’s UK cinemas two days ahead of its general UK release on 20 May.

Further films from the programme will be announced in due course and will include UK film Brian and Charles, a warm-hearted comedy from award-winning British director Jim Archer, on 28 June ahead of its release in July.

Both Benediction and Brian and Charles are backed by the BFI with National Lottery funding.

The programme will also include additional curation and collaborations with talent from within the film industry to be announced at a later date.

The BFI is a cultural charity and the UK’s lead organisation for film and the moving image. The BFI’s mission is to use film to help connect audiences, understand each other better and deepen their knowledge and understanding. The BFI shares the stories of yesterday, searches for the stories of today, and shapes the stories of tomorrow.

Tim Richards, founder and CEO of Vue International and Chair of the BFI said: “We are delighted to partner with the BFI to provide a wide platform for high quality British and International film, providing an even greater choice for our customers. This is part of our continued commitment to British and independent film makers and to grow the extensive range of content we already bring to our customers from the very best of Hollywood to live sport, music, opera and theatre.”

Jason Wood, BFI’s Executive Director of Public Programmes & Audiences, said: “BFI Presents at Vue’s extensive circuit of UK cinemas is hugely exciting and a brilliant partnership between our organisations. Growing audiences for UK independent and international film is core to everything we do, so we’re thrilled to be partnering with Vue to bring highlights from our programme directly to their audiences in the venues they know and love.”

Tickets for Benediction and Brian and Charles go on sale today, 9 May 2022.