SCREEN TIME
FILM AL FRESCO IDYLLIC CINEMA As Enchanted Cinema returns, Miriam Balanescu meets the company’s founder to discover more W hether a nail-biting thriller or a slow-burn romance, the setting in which we watch a film sign the weather is warming up and it’s time to venture out. There is no shortage of visually
Gain new perspectives with our range of top cinema picks in May!
staggering backdrops in the city. “I found myself in many a beautiful environment, creating the spaces in my head before approaching the venues,” explains William. Previous hosts have included the likes of the Gonville Hotel, the Cambridge Blue, the Orchard Tea Garden or even college May Balls. William adds: “The list really is endless in Cambridge – there’s always a beautiful hidden garden to be discovered.” Rooftop cinemas are deep-rooted in London, where filmgoers climb to sky- scraper heights above industrial units or car parks and often recline on conspicuous deck chairs and sip craft beer. William was looking for something different: “I’d been to one rooftop cinema in London prior to beginning my own journey, but it was very brutalist, on top of a car park in the pouring rain with no live music and limited food offerings. It felt rather industrial. I thought we could add a festival element to it, more lighting and a warmer aesthetic. “We’ve continued building upon our venues and what we offer – for instance, blankets, hot water bottles and firepit add- ons,” continues William. “We’ve tried to continually increase the audio quality and visual elements while staying within our price bracket in an expanding market.” With everything moving outdoors during the pandemic, the business was also given another boost. William plans to only push the boat out further in 2023. “We’re looking to expand what we screen in terms of blockbusters, classics, documentaries and environmentally aware showings.” Loving local is key to Enchanted Cinema, which invites a nearby musician to play before every screening, while also programming a line-up of shorts from indie filmmakers as an added bonus. “I’m a huge lover of live music, I feel it sets a calming tone before indulging and delving into the film you are watching,” says William. “Couple this with the sun setting, drink in hand and your best people, it’s magic.”
– on a laptop screen, perhaps, or in the cinema – is integral to the experience. And though we’re most used to watching films cosied up in bed, on the sofa, or sitting on comfy popcorn-peppered seats, the great outdoors is definitely an overlooked part of the cinematic adventure. Picture this: the birds sing, dusk falls, people are huddled on blankets – and the movie begins. “I was working multiple jobs and found myself leaving Jesus Green Lido really wanting to watch a film right there – outdoors, sun setting, live music, street food, taking the anti-social experience of indoor cinema and making it more of a social experience,” says William Morrish, founder of Enchanted Cinema, which runs outdoor film events in Cambridge. “Funnily enough, we have a screening there later this year; eight years down the line.” This month, Enchanted Cinema’s next season begins, this time with a brand-new collaboration alongside Garden House, the snazzy hotel-restaurant nestled on the lush banks of the River Cam. Since the organisation’s beginnings in 2015, its events have begun to cue the start of summer – a
BEAU IS AFRAID
Ari Aster follows up Midsommar and Hereditary with a mind- and genre-bending psychodrama about a man (Joaquin
Phoenix) with mummy issues. Where to Watch: UK cinemas When: 19 May
A Gaelic footballer (Éanna Hardwicke) struggles with life off the pitch in this complex and surprisingly sensitive investigation on identity. Where to Watch: UK & ROI cinemas When: 5 May LAKELANDS
THE EIGHT MOUNTAINS
An emotionally colossal tale of boyhood and lifelong friendship from directors Felix van Groeningen and Charlotte Vandermeersch. Where to Watch: UK cinemas When: 12 May
THE GREAT OUTDOORS Deckchairs and fairy lights at dusk – setting the scene for a fantastic viewing experience at Anstey Hall, Cambridge
32 MAY 2023 CAMBSEDITION.CO.UK
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