Distributed Cinema

Back in 2009 when the festival began we converted the local hotel into a ‘cinema’ to screen submission entries and our main features. Unfortunately two years later it closed down and we lost our main venue. The Committee had to quickly come up with another way to screen our submission entries. We approached all the businesses in town in the hope that they would come on board and let us turn their premises into small unique cinemas.

Thankfully many said yes and ‘Distributed Cinema‘ was born.

Distributed Cinema is Schull’s very own unique way of screening films in a number of smaller venues throughout the locality. From a bookshop, to an art gallery, numerous local pubs and restaurants, to the hotel and the village hall, for 5 days at the end of May each year, the town with no cinema has many. Please note that ‘Distributed Cinema’ is just the term we have created for the small cinemas in our town, there are no financial implications to this term, as all screenings are free.

The hotel has reopened and we have it back as a screening venue. However, in order for us to give filmmakers the chance to have their films seen by as many people as possible, as we assume that is why filmmakers create their work, and to have multiple viewings in unique cinemas, Distributed Cinemas has become our calling card. Visitors love the concept and return year after year.