Deaf Today: Dec 12th UK Subtitled Listings below, but first...

December 12, 2002

Dec 12th UK Subtitled Listings below, but first...

From: subtitles @ your local cinema - 12 Dec 2002

Happy New Year! - Exciting News!

If you are one of the millions of UK movie fans with less than perfect hearing or vision, then 2003 could well be a very happy year for you.

In 2003, the Film Council and the cinema industry plan to work together to create a network of around 75 accessible cinemas (there are currently less than 20). If all goes to plan, these cinemas will be equipped with digital subtitle and audio description facilities.

Many films these days are ONLY released with 'digital' subtitles, which require a suitably equipped cinema. And audio description is ONLY available on the digital system.

Locations have yet to be decided, but equipping 75 cinemas with these facilities will eventually benefit millions of people who are deaf, hard of hearing, blind or partially sighted.

The Film Council have offered Â£350,000 to make this happen and have invited the UK cinema industry to 'match' the amount. This would double the amount available.

Another Â£60,000 has been offered to film distributors - to enable smaller distributors to add subtitles and audio description to their films. This should ensure a wider choice of accessible films. Again, it is hoped that film distributors will 'match' the funds - doubling the amount available.

In the words of the Film Council:

"Film is an immensely powerful medium which entertains, inspires, challenges and informs audiences. Films help to shape the way we think about and understand the world, and how people think about us, and the FILM COUNCIL wants to work with the film industry to ensure that as many people have access to as broad a range of films as possible.

"At a time when cinema going in the UK is at a 30 year high, these proposals are intended to help ensure that in the future the 15 per cent of people in the UK who experience hearing or visual impairments are able to enjoy going to the cinema as well as the rest of the population."

Read more about this here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/film/2549025.stm

Read the official Film Council press release here:
http://www.filmcouncil.org.uk/news/?p=1039452967117&qs=&st=

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Lord of the Rings II:

Lord of the Rings - The Two Towers WILL be available in a subtitled form, but only in the new 'digital subtitle' format. This means that less than 20 UK cinemas can screen it. Please ask your nearest accessible cinema to screen the film as soon as it's available (locations on the website).

We are hoping that the film will also be available in an 'open captioned' version - the format that every UK cinema can screen. But please don't hold your breath! The first Lord of the Rings movie was only available in the digital format. And because it only played in a handful of cinemas. 95% of it's intended audience missed it...

Watch the website for news of screenings. http://www.yourlocalcinema.com

Subtitled screenings coming up...
James Bond and Harry Potter and more...

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Subtitled and audio described cinema enables people with less than perfect hearing or vision to enjoy film, presented in it's original, and best form - the cinema.

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Subtitled and/or Audio Described Films
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*D* means 'digital subtitled' version - Only fourteen UK cinemas can screen it subtitled. Recent films available in this format include Powerpuff Girls, Lilo & Stitch, Triple X, Red Dragon, Lord of the Rings I, About a Boy, The Panic Room, Spiderman, Men in Black II, Austin Powers in Goldmember, The Sum of all Fears, The Quiet American, Santa Clause 2.

If they have not done so already, please feel free to ask your nearest digital subtitle equipped cinema to screen an accessible film. Full list on the website: http://www.yourlocalcinema.com

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The Quiet American (15) subtitled and audio described (*D*)

UCI Cardiff Atlantic Wharf, Hemingway Road, Cardiff
Monday 16 Dec at 6.25pm

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Santa Clause 2 (U) subtitled and audio described (*D*)

Moviehouse Cinema
York Street, Belfast, Northern Ireland
From Fri 6th until Thurs 12th Dec
daily at 2.15pm & 4.55pm

Odeon Uxbridge
Wed 18th December at 1.15pm
Thu 19th December at 6.00pm

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Triple X (12a) subtitled and audio described (*D*)
Glasgow Film Theatre 12 Rose Street , Glasgow
Sun 19 Dec at 6pm

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Lilo and Stitch (U) subtitled and audio described (*D*)
Glasgow Film Theatre 12 Rose Street , Glasgow
Sat 14 Dec at 1pm

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Star Wars: Episode II Attack Of The Clones (PG) subtitled
The Belmont Cinema, Aberdeen
11 Jan at 1.45pm

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Road to Perdition (15) subtitled and audio described
Glasgow Film Theatre 12 Rose Street , Glasgow
Tue 17 Dec at 8.15pm
Wed 18 Dec at 1pm

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The Grinch (PG) subtitled
Falkirk Town Hall, West Bridge Street, Falkirk
23 Dec 2002 at 3pm

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Subtitled Harry Potter & the Chamber of Secrets (PG) ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

As this is an 'open subtitled' version, every cinema in the UK can screen it, although there are limited copies of the film available. If your local cinema is not on the list of accessible shows (more on the website), please ask them to schedule a screening and publicise it as best they can.

This film is also available in a 'digital' subtitled version (*D*)

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