Wokingham’s award-winning film writer and director is pleading with film studios to release blockbuster films to save cinemas from closing down, possibly forever.
Jessica Swale’s acclaimed film Summerland helped lead the reopening of UK cinemas, including the Everyman at Wokingham, in August.
But now the much-awaited new James Bond film, No Time To Die, starring Daniel Craig, has been delayed until next April, a year after it was due out. Other big films have been delayed as well.
Some cinemas are already closing temporarily, waiting for the blockbusters – not just Bond – to come back to pull in audiences. At the the moment, the Everyman in Wokingham and the Showcase in Winnersh are still open.
Jessica, from Winnersh where her Mum still lives, told Wokingham.Today: “I absolutely understand why the major films are delaying.
“They cost so much to make, it’s important for them to recoup, so I understand why they’d rather delay until they can see audiences have returned.
“My concern is that audiences won’t return until these major films are back in the cinemas. The onus, I think is therefore on the studios to take a leap of faith and to have an eye (and heart) on the wider industry, in order to save it, frankly.
“The audience pull of smaller films – the independents, the niche, the lower budget – simply isn’t great enough. If the blockbusters step in, people will come back – and Tenet’s financial success is proof of that.
“If they don’t, without audiences, our cinemas will have no option but to close. And the first victims will be our beloved local independents. That would be a travesty.”
She told Radio 4’s Today programme this week: “I’m concerned about the independents (cinemas) and small regional operators right now that are going to really struggle. When they close they may not reopen.”
Major UK chain Cineworld announced on its website its UK cinemas will close temporarily this week. Reopening plans would be announced “Once film studios are able to bring their pipeline of major movie releases back to the big screen.”
The Everyman at Wokingham, a small boutique cinema aiming for a luxury experience, opened at Elms Field last December.
Last Wednesday they were taking bookings for five films at Wokingham.
Jessica has spoken up for local cinemas. “I have been so impressed at the efforts our local cinemas have made to make audiences feel safe and comfortable.
“I have been countless times since they reopened and feel far safer visiting a film showing with good social distancing, thoughtful hygiene and well set up routes round the cinema than I do, frankly, in a supermarket.”
Summerland is still showing in the UK.
Proud that the film helped the post-national lockdown reopening, she said: “Whilst audience figures were of course much lower than in a pre-covid world, it was heartening to see them increasing over the weeks it has played.
“I thought it would have finished its cinema run by now, but the fact it’s still on reflects the fact there’s still an appetite, and an increasing one, for films like this,” Jessica said.
“Perhaps it’s the hope and optimism at the heart of it- and the sense of escapism – that keeps the audience coming. It’s what we all need right now.”
