By Seth Winkley, second year, Theatre and English
What links Bristol to Galway, Cannes, and Sydney? If your immediate answer is ‘harbour cities’, then you are by no means wrong. However, an even better connection — one few of us would know to make – is that they are all designated UNESCO Cities of Film. Having achieved this illustrious status in 2017, Bristol now sits alongside 25 fellow cities celebrated across the globe as part of the larger UNESCO Creative Cities Network. The network promotes an objective of ‘placing creativity and cultural industries at the heart of local engagement and prioritising cross-border cultural collaboration’.
It may initially be surprising to view Bristol upon a higher pedestal than the grand production hubs of Western cinema — notably London and Hollywood — when within the competitive structures of other industries, the city may be used to being refused a seat at the table. Rather, Bristol has art and culture anywhere and everywhere you look — with cinema no exception — even if you may have to gaze beyond the iconic Banksy murals to locate its inner walls.
Bristol was the birthplace of William Friese-Greene, a pioneer in the field of motion pictures, termed by some the ‘inventor of kinematography’. Since his innovation in the early 20th century, the cinematic movement in Bristol has experienced fluctuations, but the city’s rich tradition remains cemented within its urban landscape today.
We may recognise Bristol as the home to a host of characters on the small screen — from Wallace and Gromit at Aardman Animations in Spike Island, to Tony’s Bedminster house in Skins — but the silver screen in Bristol equally accommodates a variety of filmic interests.
The Watershed, Harbourside:
If you find yourself in want of an authentic Bristolian night at the pictures, there is no better place than Watershed. Tucked away along the harbour-side promenade, this relaxed, community-focused cinema showcasing independent films serves as a quiet haven from the bustling chaos of the neighbouring pubs and bars. Watershed itself has an ambient, artsy cafe and bar, perfected with a balcony overlooking the water. Even if drinks are predictably a tad pricier than V-Shed a few doors down, the inexpensive student prices for screenings are not to be sniffed at: a ticket for ages 24 and under costs only £6.00 (a drop in the harbour compared to £16 at Everyman Bristol).
My favourite experience at Watershed has to be convincing my whole flat to watch The Substance (2024), assuming that it would be a standard psychological thriller with a bit of blood thrown in for good measure. In the aftermath, it is fair to say I owed a few people an apology, uttered over the most subdued pint a disco spoons had ever witnessed. Not a particular fan of horror myself, when friends went to see Nosferatu (2024), I feebly opted instead to watch Nickel Boys (2024) alone. Unfortunately, this choice meant I was met with an equally harrowing experience. Upon entering the cinema, I scanned around the auditorium to discover at least fifteen other identical young men, sitting solo, clutching notebooks revealed from tote bags, scrutinising the screen through wire-framed glasses. If you like to be different in watching films alone, it will not work at Watershed… at least ten other Bristol students will have the same idea and inevitably the same Letterboxd review.
Odeon, Broadmead:
For those amongst us who are less sympathetic to long-sighted pretension, the Odeon cinema in Broadmead is a comfortable, reliable pick for Bigger-budget films. The most eventful viewing experience I have had there involved listening to the entire Wicked soundtrack sung loudly, three seconds out of tune, by the girls sat behind me. If they came in any earlier it would be considered a spoiler alert.
Everyman, Whiteladies:
Beyond Watershed and Odeon, the Everyman cinema on Whiteladies Road remains as the final principle picture-house in contention. Everyman is a luxurious option, programming a range of blockbusters to be enjoyed from the comfort of sofa seating, complemented by a thorough drinks menu and hot food selection served to your seat. On a student budget, perhaps this one can be reserved for special occasions — just do your best to avoid any Coralie Fargeat on a first date (the £15 prawns won't go down as easily).
20th Century Flicks, Christmas Steps:
Alternatively, if you have a taste for retro cinema, 20th Century Flicks is a quaint, friendly film shop located along the beautiful Christmas Steps. It stocks thousands of DVDs for rental, complete with a small in-shop cinema screen available for daily bookings.
InFilm Society, University of Bristol:
Finally, if no cinema, no DVD shop, can satiate an appetite to be more personally involved with the developing Bristol film scene, I would recommend becoming involved with societies the University has to offer. The Film Society has showings, events and discussions, and “InFilm”, the film-making society, aids the creation and showcasing of student short films. Consider participating in a “Give It A Go” session when term resumes again.
In a world of increasing technological upheaval — from the fear of streaming service monopolies now superseded by the existential threat to all cultural industries from advancing artificial intelligence — it feels more important than ever that we honour the original invention of the cinematic craft. Perhaps by returning to Bristol’s own William Friese-Greene, we may be better able to rediscover the magic of the cinema so widely available to us today, both in the city centre and across the globe.
Featured Image: Film Hub South West / Scott Cinemas
Which of Bristol's cinemas take your fancy?
