Series of Events Being Held to Mark Five Years of ActOne Cinema
Featuring Paul Morley, Mark Kermode and a Bond-themed costume competition
The venue will be reshowing the first film it ever screened
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September 23, 2026
ActOne Cinema is marking its fifth anniversary with as a special series of events. Across five days — from 8 to 12 October — the venue will host a celebratory programme featuring special screenings, conversations with leading figures in film and music, family events, parties and a return to the movie that opened ActOne’s doors in 2021.
The celebrations begin on Thursday 8 October with an invitation-only evening for founder members and guests, a chance to look back on the cinema’s journey from a volunteer-led restoration project to a thriving cultural hub. Music from The Offbeat Choir and a performance by Mary Jane Lowe set the tone for a weekend that blends nostalgia, discovery and a deep love of cinema.
Friday 9 October brings one of the centrepieces of the anniversary: a special screening of 24 Hour Party People, newly restored in 4K. The film, written by Frank Cottrell Boyce and directed by Michael Winterbottom, charts Tony Wilson’s mission to capture the musical revolution of the late 1970s and early 80s — from Granada Television’s So It Goes to the birth of Factory Records and the legendary Haçienda nightclub. As Roger Ebert once wrote, “The movie works so well because it evokes genuine, not manufactured, nostalgia. It records a time when the inmates ran the asylum, when music lovers got away with murder.”
ActOne’s screening will be followed by Paul Morley in conversation with the film’s producer Andrew Eaton. Eaton reflects on the film’s legacy with characteristic humour: “Making 24 Hour Party People was one of the best experiences of my life. I never imagined the Prime Minister would be quoting lines from it 24 years later.” Guests will be welcomed with a drink and a Haçienda-themed party bag.
Saturday 10 October shifts the focus to the relationship between film and music, with critic and broadcaster Mark Kermode sharing examples of how soundtracks shape cinematic storytelling. He’ll be joined by Nick Jones, and will later sign copies of his acclaimed book Surround Sound. The evening continues with an invitation-only party featuring live jazz from the Trent Pieterse Quartet, locally sourced food and drink, a short film quiz hosted by Lara Loren, a charity auction and a late-night disco with Leon.
Sunday offers a full day of community-focused events. Jessica Mason leads a pirate-themed workshop for children before a lively screening of Muppet Treasure Island. Later, Callum Wilkins presents the results of ActOne’s 48-hour film competition, with winning entries screened for free. The day concludes with a special showing of American Graffiti, followed by a conversation between Mark Kermode and Oscar-winning filmmaker Walter Murch, who designed the film’s influential soundtrack.
The anniversary closes on Monday 12 October with a screening of No Time To Die, the very first film shown at ActOne when it opened its doors. Tickets are priced at £5, with prizes for the best Bond-themed costumes — a playful nod to the cinema’s beginnings and its ongoing commitment to making filmgoing fun, accessible and communal.
Across the five days, fundraising activities will support ActOne’s future, including a silent auction, a display of photographs, a “Tree of Promises” offering locally sourced experiences, and an instant-win tombola.
Five years on, ActOne stands as a testament to what a community can build when it believes in the power of cinema — not just as entertainment, but as a shared space for the community.
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