The Big Cheese is back…

Thank you for your patience while we have worked behind the scenes to get the film club back up and running.  We are very much hoping to start showing films again in the near future and we have received some welcome funding from Nantwich Town Council to help us purchase some new equipment.

We are holding a meeting next Thursday 26th April at 8pm in The Crown Hotel bar.  This is a call for all those who have said they would be prepared to help out to keep the club running. We really need to know how much support there is available for the film club.  If we have enough interest on the night we will continue on to our AGM and move to quickly getting a new schedule of films together.

We would love to see you on the 26th, please feel welcome to attend even if you can’t commit at the moment to being anything other than an enthusiastic audience member.  However if you do feel able to help please come along and let us know what you could do.

In particular we are looking to fill the formal committee roles of Chair and Secretary, Katharine Dowson is happy to continue as Treasurer and Mary Habesch as a committee member if voted in.  We have had some interest in the role of Chair but please email us if you might be interested and would like to have a further discussion about either of these roles. We do need a Secretary to attend monthly committee meetings and keep the minutes. We would also welcome a couple more committee members for general support and film booking.

We are also after people with an interest in marketing and PR, particularly in social media such as Facebook, blogs and Twitter. Also anyone  who could help with poster placing, equipment set-up or any of the other little tasks that need doing.

Please email us back if you would like to have any more information or have a chat about the commitment you are able to offer at the moment.

Thank you for your patience and messages of support over the last few months and we hope to be able to bring back the Film Club you all want.

Final curtain for film club?

We hope you had a wonderful Christmas and New Year.

Unfortunately we have to bring bad news concerning The Big Cheese as the committee has made the difficult decision of closing the club before it begins its next season as it cannot continue with only two members left on the committee following the forced re-location of the club’s chairman and secretary.

We would like to thank you for your fantastic support of The Big Cheese, we have been astounded at the consistently great turnout to our screenings, and we are going to miss the great dialogue we enjoyed with our members about the films we have shown.

We sincerely hope it will not be too long before someone once again brings quality cinema to the town.

Best wishes from the Big Cheese team.

The Big Cheese secures funding of £500

Organisers of Nantwich Big Cheese Film Club are thrilled to announce an award of £500 from Cheshire East Community Grants fund.

We would like to thank Cheshire East Council for this funding and for recognising the valuable input our film club has brought to the town’s community. The funding will help us to purchase our own equipment and improve even further a quality cinema experience to all.

The club is gearing up for its December screening of Volver, by the highly acclaimed Spanish director Pedro Almodovar (in Spanish with subtitles) Raimunda (Penelope Cruz) and her sister Sole (Lola Duenas) are visited by the apparation of their mother (Carmen Maura) who has returned to reconcile with her daughters and resolve an issue that has haunted the family since her death. The tragicomic melodrama features Almodovar trademarks: a strong attention to colour and detail and a celebration of the trials and tribulations of women. Volver is a film about the way the presence of the dead continues to add richness and humanity to the lives of those they leave behind.

Volver will be screened on Thursday 8th December  at 7.45pm in the Ballroom of the Crown Hotel. Movie goers are encouraged to go along from 7.15pm for a drink and a chat before the film.

Nantwich Big Cheese Film Club screens independent, foreign language and classic films each month. It aims to establish a ‘cinema’ for Nantwich, cultivating a quality and educational movie experience for members of the public and encouraging discussion in get-togethers before and after each screening.

The club is open to all film lovers over the age of 16 (under 18s must be accompanied by a guardian)

Tickets, priced £5, are now available from the reception of The Crown Hotel.  Alternatively, they can be purchased on the night, subject to availability.

See Volver trailer here.

E: nantwichfilmclub@yahoo.co.uk

T: @filmnantwich

Senna, the man, the legend

We had another great turnout for our screening of Senna, thanks to everyone who came along! We received 11 comment sheets, with eight people nominating the film the full 5 stars and three people nominating it 4 stars. A selection of comments from movie goers are below:

“Another super night – thanks”

“I was somewhat disappointed in Senna. I came away not knowing any more about the man (or any of the other principals) than I did previously from general knowledge. And I am not a petrol head, infact I couldn’t be less interested in racing cars, but I am interested in film. For me/us the film lacked any dramatical content and minimal insights into character/character development. I feel that the BBC Sports team could have done better with a 30 minute incisive documentary. Hey ho, you win some you lose some. Looking forward to Volver.”

“One of the best film documentaries I’ve seen.”

And a review from the club secretary:

“I never experienced the buzz that Aryton Senna’s first World Cup win generated in 1988. In fact, it wasn’t until seven years later that I felt anything at all about the enigma who became regarded as a Brazilian saint – a year after his untimely death at the tender age of 34.

The day I realised what drove Senna’s passion was the day I took the steering wheel on my own for the first time after passing my driving test. I picked up my boyfriend to take him for a celebratory drink and as we drove off, he commented on my Aryton Senna driving style. I laughed, thinking how fabulous it would be to have the freedom to drive at full pelt down the street without anything or anyone else getting in the way.

But that was the one and only brush I had with the name – until Thursday when I was fully and wonderfully thrown into the life and times of three-time Formula One world champion Aryton Senna. And wow, was it fantastic. You don’t have to be into Formula 1 to feel the thrill of the race, with compelling footage taken, seemingly from Senna’s lap as he drives! Compiled solely and slickly from thousands of hours of footage, the film is a considerable feat of editing and frequently heart-stopping.  Senna was one of sport’s most compelling personalities – he had real humility, as shown in his close relationship and comments of the Formula 1 doctor. His deep feelings for humanity saw him giving millions of his personal fortune to help provide a better future for the impoverished in Brazil. He put so much of himself, his very soul, into everything he did and spoke with great feeling about his experience of the flow, which he puts down to God’s presence. My favourite scene was his eventual triumph in his home country Brazil – the tension, pressure and utter exhilaration he feels are vividly demonstrated in his emotion and subsequent muscle spasms as he hobbles away – pleading for his dad to come and give him a hug – but beseeching him to be gentle due to his extreme discomfort.

Early in 1994 he spoke about his own future, not long before his premature death: “I want to live fully, very intensely. I would never want to live partially, suffering from illness or injury. If I ever happen to have an accident that eventually costs my life, I hope it happens in one instant.”

He got his wish but the end of his life caused a wave of grief to wash over his home country as its inhabitants keenly felt it as a national tragedy and the Brazilian government declared three days of national mourning.”

Peugeot Gateway to sponsor our next film!

We’re thrilled to announce Peugeot Gateway as the sponsors of our next film Senna on 10th November. And if the fantastic turnout for the club’s first two screenings is anything to go by, it looks like the film concerning the blazing career of Ayrton Senna is in pole position for yet another successful night for the club.

The family run Peugeot dealership in Crewe, which has been in business for 30 years, had fulfilled its community budget for this year but always keen to support local community projects, the sales team has dug deep into their own pockets to help out.

When we first spoke to the sales manager Alex Walker he said there was nothing left of the company’s community budget for the year. However, he was keen to support us so he asked his sales team to help out with their own funds. Amazingly, the team, comprising Alex, Keith, Matt, Dave and Phil, agreed. This was no small amount for them each to personally cough up so it is an incredibly generous effort and helps to ensure the continued success of our project.

A total of 68 people turned up to see Another Year last Thursday and we received fabulous feedback from our audience, mainly from people who were over the moon to experience what we are offering in Nantwich.

It is so encouraging to see so many people turn up to support our venture. We’ve had terrific feedback from our audience and lots of encouragement which makes all the hard work we put in to getting the club going worthwhile. During the long period it took to get this project of the ground, we always thought we had a good idea and now we have had such a fantastic turnout to our initial films it’s great to know our gut instincts were right.

The film club’s next film Senna will be screened at 7.45pm in The Crown Ballroom on Thursday 10th November. Tickets, priced £5, are available from the The Crown Hotel reception in advance or on the door on the night, subject to availability.

You can drop us an email to nantwichfimclub@yahoo.co.uk or follow on Twitter @filmnantwich

For more information on Gateway Peugeot visit the Crewe Gates Industrial Estate branch or call 01270 587711.

Yet another fantastic turnout to Another Year and we’re already very excited about Senna

Members of Nantwich Big Cheese Film Club are celebrating yet another fantastic turnout to see Another Year.

A total of 68 people turned up to see our latest film by highly acclaimed British director Mike Leigh.

It’s really encouraging to see so many people turn up to support our venture. We’ve had terrific feedback from our audience and lots of encouragement which makes all the hard work we put in to getting the club going worthwhile. During the long period it took to get this project of the ground, we always thought we had a good idea and now we have had such a fantastic turnout to our initial films it’s great to know our gut instincts were right.

Thank you to everyone who keep on turning up to support us. Without your great support, our venture would not be possible.

The film club’s next film Senna will be screened at 7.45pm in The Crown Ballroom on Thursday 10th November. Directed by Asif Kapadia, the film is the story of the monumental life and tragic death of legendary Brazilian motor-racing Champion, Ayrton Senna. Spanning the decade from his arrival in Formula One in the mid 80′s, the film follows Senna’s struggles both on track against his nemesis, French World Champion Alain Prost, and off it, against the politics which infest the sport. Senna conquers and transcends Formula One to become a global superstar. Yet he is struck down in his prime on the blackest weekend in the history of the sport, watched live on television by 300 million people. Years on he is revered in Formula One as the greatest motor racing driver of all time – and in Brasil as a Saint. View reviews and trailers here.

Tickets, priced £5, are available from the The Crown Hotel reception in advance or on the door on the night, subject to availability.

For further information concerning the Big Cheese film season drop an email to nantwichfimclub@yahoo.co.uk or follow us on Twitter @filmnantwich

Mornflake to sponsor Another Year

Organisers of Nantwich Big Cheese Film Club are thrilled to announce the sponsorship of their next film by Mornflake.

With its many and varied scenes of domestic ‘bliss’, the club’s up-and-coming film Another Year by highly acclaimed British director Mike Leigh is an ideal film for sponsorship by the Morning Food company which has been milling oats locally since 1675.

Another Year will be screened on Thursday 20th October  at 7.45pm in the Ballroom of the Crown Hotel. Movie goers are encouraged to go along from 7.15pm for a drink and a chat before the film.

Big Cheese chairman Graham Egerton said: “We are delighted that Mornflake has agreed to sponsor our next film, a fantastic endorsement for our venture.

“If last month’s launch was anything to go by we are expecting a good turnout for Another Year and  can’t wait to hear what people think about the film. Everyone is encouraged to stay behind in the bar for a drink and a chat afterwards.”

Nantwich Big Cheese Film Club will show independent, foreign language and classic films each month. It aims to establish a ‘cinema’ for Nantwich, cultivating a quality and educational movie experience for members of the public and encouraging discussion in get-togethers before and after each screening. A season of films is available on the website: www.nantwichfilmclub.wordpress.com

The club is open to all film lovers over the age of 16 (under 18s must be accompanied by a guardian)

Tickets, priced £5, are now available from the reception of The Crown Hotel.  Alternatively, they can be purchased on the night, subject to availability.

You can email us: nantwichfilmclub@yahoo.co.uk or follow on Twitter (@filmnantwich)

A magical night for the launch of The Big Cheese

We couldn’t have got off to a better start, with a FULL HOUSE for our launch at The Crown Hotel last night. A big thank you to everyone who came along! And of course a big thank-you to The Crown for allowing us to use their magnificent ballroom for our venture.

Everyone enjoyed a glass of bubbly on arrival before making their way up to the ballroom for our inaugural screening of the 1988 Academy Award winning Cinema Paradiso. The film held the audience captivated and worked its magic on us all. Which for me begs two questions – is young Toto the cutest character to ever hit the silver screen? And does Cinema Paradiso have one of the best endings in film history?

We’ve decided to hold onto our copy of the Directors Cut (an hour longer with the re-appearance of Toto’s true love) and raffle it off with our other films for a bumper treat at the end of the year.

We had lots of comments praising the film and have taken on board those about the seats – we are working on it but in the meantime you are welcome to bring your own cushions to future screenings.

Another Year has received rave reviews

Which brings us to our next film, Another Year, which we will screen on Thursday 20th October.  Another Year is the latest creation by the great British director Mike Leigh. Tom (Jim Broadbent) and Gerri (Ruth Sheen) are a couple drifting past middle age into their sixties with a happy marriage and a grown son, Joe (Oliver Maltman), an activist lawyer who hasn’t yet settled down, much to the frustration of his mother. One of Gerri’s co-workers and close friends is Mary (Lesley Manville), who puts on a show of good cheer, despite suffering desperate loneliness since her husband left her, and has been drowning her sorrows in wine. Gerri has unsuccessfully tried to fix Mary up with Tom’s sloppy but good natured pal Ken (Peter Wight), and she’s startled when Mary begins openly flirting with Joe, more than 20 years her junior.

Leigh is a popular choice of great actors due to his extraordinary flair in bringing out the best in them by allowing them to develop their own characters. Leigh begins each project without a script. Instead, he works from a basic premise which is developed through improvisation by the actors. He works initially one-to-one with each, developing a character who is based, in the first place, on someone he or she knows. It is only after months of rehearsal, that Leigh writes a shooting script, a bare scenario. Then, on the shoot, on location, after further ‘real rehearsing’, the script is finalised. The result is a moving, edgy and emotionally honest picture of people trying to make sense of their lives.

We will show Another Year at 7.45pm on Thursday 20th October – arrive early if you fancy a drink and a chinwag!

Tickets, priced £5, will be available from The Crown Hotel reception from Monday 3rd October or on the door on the night. See you there – and don’t forget your cushions!

Welcome back to the Golden Age of cinema

Welcome to the website of Nantwich Big Cheese Film Club!

On Thursday, 15th September we will be launching our season with a screening of the much-acclaimed ‘Cinema Paradiso’ in the ballroom of The Crown Hotel in the town centre. There will be a welcome drink at 7.30pm followed by a screening of the 1988 Academy Award winning ‘Cinema Paradiso’.

As a not-for-profit organisation we will show independent, foreign language and classic films each month (a season of films will be available on our launch night) aiming to establish a ‘cinema’ for Nantwich, cultivating a quality and educational movie experience for members of the public and encouraging discussion in get-togethers before and after each screening.

We are really excited about launching our film club in the town and through it, hope to provide a further element of evening entertainment for people of all ages to come together and enjoy. Movie goers will be encouraged to meet up in the hotel’s bar before and after each screening to chat about their anticipation and experience of each movie – we want to generate a community of people who are passionate about film. And there is no better film than Cinema Paradiso to celebrate our launch and the magic of cinema.

The club is open to all film lovers over the age of 16 (under 18s must be accompanied)

We want to hear about the films you love and would enjoy viewing on The Big Cheese’s big screen – please drop us a line: nantwichfilmclub@yahoo.co.uk