A successful film season is all about the planning
"Recently, the society's committee responsible for choosing the programme met to consider the films for the new season. We've been compiling a list, based on our viewings over the year at a range of festivals (London, Keswick, Bradford), the Independent Cinema Office viewing sessions (which we've just returned from) and trips to places like the Broadway in Nottingham and the Showroom in Sheffield."
Lincolnshire Echo, April 2013
Designer Sam Smith Talks About Creating the Poster for Carlos Reygadas’ Film “Post Tenebras Lux”
"For the UK release of ‘Post Tenebras Lux,” the Independent Cinema Office, who distributes the film in Britain, commissioned American designer Sam Smith to create the artwork for the poster, which features bold abstract visuals that reference vintage Mexican and European movie posters."
ARTINFO, Samantha Tse, April 2013
Analogue tweets: how we built a voice for our film festival and audience
Jo Comino from Borderlines Film Festival report on their pilot project from the ICO Creative Digital Marketing training course
The Guardian Cultural Professionals Blog, March 2013
ICO, FDA launch distribution workshop
The Independent Cinema Office and the Film Distributor’s Association (FDA) have teamed to create a distribution workshop, funded by Creative Skillset
Screen Daily, Samantha Sweeney, March 2013
Cinema Nation Radio - Episode 01: Independent Cinema
Interview with David Sin, Head of Cinemas at ICO
Cinema Nation, January 2013
BAFTA and ICO launch theatrical screenings of nominated shorts
"BAFTA is working in partnership with the Independent Cinema Office to launch theatrical screenings of this year’s BAFTA nominated live-action and animated shorts. It is the first time that BAFTA has worked on a theatrical release of the shorts."
Wendy Mitchell, Screen Daily, January 2013
Regional theatre and independent cinema: collaborating in a crisis
"David Sin, head of cinemas at the Independent Cinema Office (ICO) says performing arts programmes at independent cinemas are becoming increasingly popular: "It brings to those cinemas an audience they don't normally attract; it keeps the box office ticking over as the ticket prices for theatre are different from cinema prices.""
Laura Brown, Guardian Professional, January 2013
Film: Run! Hide! Its the invasion of the multiplexes!
"I don't think indie cinemagoers should stop going just because they've been taken over," says David Sin, head of development at the Independent Cinema Office. "Their programming is quite mixed already."
Cineworld's move is to regain customers they lost a long time ago. "They've come to understand that there are substantial box-office revenues to be had from audiences that, a few years ago, they were neglecting," Sin explains. "[The big chains] have started paying much more attention to those audiences in recent years. As have the studios."
Will Dean, The Independent, December 2012
David Sin is Borderlines Film Festival's new programmer
"BORDERLINES Film Festival, the UK’s largest rural film festival, welcomes a new name to the team as David Sin joins the team as progammer.
“It’s an honour to be programming the 2013 Borderlines Film Festival in its 11th year. My aim is to build on the great legacy of previous programmes, to present the very best in world cinema – films new and old, from many different cultural traditions, that will make you see the world in a new and different way.” "
Hereford Times, November 2012
Life of Pi and Sightseers previewed by ICO
"Independent Cinema Office’s event screened 25 upcoming independent releases to an audience of 162 representatives of the independent and cultural film exhibition sector."
Ian Sandwell, Screen International, November 2012
"With support from Creative Skillset, the Independent Cinema Office (ICO) has launched a new digital marketing course for marketeers working in the independent exhibition sector on cultural or specialised releases ...
Dan Simmons, Creative Skillset’s Head of Film, added: “Given the critical role of digital marketing in audience development, this is a fantastic course to help nurture and strengthen these essential skills within the sector, supporting the growth of businesses and helping to develop bigger audiences for cultural cinema in the UK. We are delighted to be supporting the ICO who have an excellent reputation and track record in delivering training to this sector.”"
Ian Sandwell, August 2012, Independent Cinema Office launches new digital marketing course - Screen International
Mobile culture: what are you working on? video
Tilly Walnes, Head of Exhibitor Development at the 2012 Mobile Culture conference
Arun Marsh and Nancy Groves, August 2012, Guardian Professional
"[Simon] Ward believes that the internet has been a great thing for cinema, as it provides a new way to market films and make people aware of them, driving more people to cinemas and more films being made. "There's a board in our office showing the films on release, and it's twice the size it was 10 years ago – people can be more confident that there is a market for independent cinema," he says.
However, turning that into a working, thriving cinema is still an awful lot of work, though the ICO's guides to groups thinking of doing it are an excellent starting point ..."
Dave Boyle, July 2012, How co-ops can save local cinema - The Guardian
“The UK’s Independent Cinema Office is teaming with Sweden’s Biografcentralen (Cinema Centre,) on a partnership that will identify 15 exhibitors from Swedish arthouse cinemas and their counterparts in the UK for work placements, job shadowing and training.”
Andreas Wiseman, June 2012, Screen International
“Why cultural film is no longer a secret, independent cinema is thriving against the odds, says the ICO's Catharine Des Forges, and closer to home than Hollywood”
June 2012, Culture Professionals Blog, The Guardian
“The Independent Cinema Office will run the second Developing Your Film Festival training and networking event from July 23-28, during the Motovun Film Festival in Croatia. With support from the MEDIA programme of the European Union, Creative Skillset as part of A Bigger Future 2, and the British Council, Developing Your Film Festival offers film festival professionals the opportunity to update their knowledge, gain new ideas and renew their motivation to strengthen and grow their film festival.”
Ian Sandwell, May 2012, Screen International
“The Independent Cinema Office's Simon Ward, who advises regional cinemas on programming, says: "This is uncharted territory. Le Havre is the first time a strong arthouse film is going out video-on-demand (VOD) in tandem with a theatrical release. Previously none of the films that have been simultaneously VOD have worked at the box-office, either because they were weak titles that wouldn't have had a theatrical audience anyway, or because they were weakened by the presence of VOD. Le Havre will be an interesting one to watch."”
Video on demand: kill or cure for arthouse cinemas? Charles Gant, April 2012, The Guardian
“Let's collaborate, not compete: Last Summer we ran a training event in Croatia for 40 film festival professionals – it resulted in the initiation of an informal network of festivals from 17 countries across Europe who are now working in collaboration with each other. What was interesting is that film festivals historically see themselves as competitors – for films, audience, industry delegates, slots in the calendar etc – but bringing a range of international organisations together to learn encouraged them to see each other as collaborators instead.”
Tilly Walnes for ICO, April 2012, Culture Professionals Blog, The Guardian
“A further 22 UK projects are to receive funding through the BFI’s Transition Fund for Audience Development, including the Independent Cinema Office, Power to the Pixel cross media forum and youg film-makers network Cineclub ... The biggest recipient is the Independent Cinema Office, a national organisation supporting independent film exhibition in the UK.”
Sarah Cooper, August 2011, Screen International
“This year’s Motovun also included the Developing Your Film Festival course organized by the UK’s Independent Cinema Office (ICO) in co-operation with the Vilnius International Film Festival, and funded by the MEDIA programme. The course gathered 40 festival organisers and programmers from all over Europe ... This was the first such course the ICO held outside the UK and wrapped with founding of an informal European film festivals network.”
Vladan Petkovic, July 2011, Screen International
“... Optimum Releasing are continuing their programme of restoration and reissue from the Studiocanal British Library Archive, and are pleased to announce that six classic titles have been restored and will be back on the big screens across the country this summer. The Independent Cinema Office will be handling bookings on these films, continuing their partnership with Optimum Releasing that has seen The Queen of Spades enjoy success on the big screen in 2010, and sees Apocalypse Now currently playing nationwide.”
June 2011, Close-up Film
“Something you should see…Civic Life. For specific dates, visit the Independent Cinema Office website.”
February 2011, The Cultural Expose
"The Independent Cinema Office ... do sterling work bringing often-overlooked and ignored films by fringe figures to proper cultural consideration."
Andrew Pulver, September 2010, The Guardian
"The ICO takes films outside mainstream - independent, experimental and artists' films - to a wide audience... Broadening horizons and seeing the world differently is - or ought to be - in the remit of film. Which makes ICO culturally significant and to be applauded."
The 2010 Guardian Film Power 100
“"In the last five years, a lot of independent cinemas have understood that, in order to retain a place in the market, they have to compete with more mainstream cinemas. A lot have upgraded their facilities with very high-spec sound and projection, more comfortable seats and digital facilities", says David Sin, Head of Development at the Independent Cinema Office.”
Say a long goodbye to the multiplex, Alice Jones, June 2010, The Independent
“Pulmo Marina, an alluring single shot of a jellyfish in an aquarium, is one of a number of artistic films commissioned by The Artists Cinema, a project launched by LUX and the Independent Cinema Office which will premiere at this year’s Cannes Film Festival.”
Tom Seymour, May 2010, Little White Lies
“The Artists Cinema: bringing experimental film back into mainstream cinema
Seven specially commissioned short films by leading visual artists will be screened alongside Four Lions and The Ghost in cinemas across the UK this spring. Here, the organisers and some of the artists give a sneak preview”
Jared Schiller, May 2010, The Guardian
“The Independent Cinema Office and LUX have teamed up for another year to present The Artists Cinema, a series of 35 mm shorts by seven international artists ... The Artists Cinema meanwhile is taking its collection of shorts on a tour of Britain’s cinemas.”
Laura Allsop, April 2010, Art Review
"…The Independent Cinema Office is just about to offer British audiences a major chance to broaden their perspectives and – possibly – change their minds about what makes a good night at the pictures."
Kevin Jackson, January 2008, The Guardian
“The Independent Cinema Office, set up to help independent films get screened across the country, not just to a small coterie of cinephiles in London, has come up with an excellent idea. With a number of young artists and curators, it has devised ICO Essentials, a series subtitled "The Secret Masterpieces of Cinema", each of whose programmes brings together classic but difficult-to-see artist films.”
Sukhdev Sandhu, January 2008, The Telegraph
“If you want to know what an artist is, and what kind of films and videos they are inclined to make, then an extremely rewarding place to start is with a new series of themed programmes assembled by the ever resourceful – and all too necessary – Independent Cinema Office (ICO).”
Gareth Evans, January 2008, Time Out
“A series of six programmes of artists’ films has been put together by the Independent Cinema Office, and it’s a fascinating collection of work from the ambiguous margins of the medium.”
“It’s a tempting array of films the ICO has put together; weird, wonderful and probably, from time to time, slightly embarrassing, as well. And I mean that as a recommendation.”
Philip Hensher, January 2008, Mail on Sunday
“With Hollywood dominating our cinemas, the Independent Cinema Office (ICO) has recently launched a new programme that supports artists’ filmmaking, and brings new works as well as great classics back to the public domain.”
Alice Roberts, January 2008, Aesthetica Magazine
“Bringing the “art” back into the art house, the Independent Cinema Office (ICO) launched the UK release and national tour of ICO Essentials: The Secret Masterpieces of Cinema at the Tate Modern on 18-21 January 2008, and it is now on national release at London’s ICA before hitting the road across the country.”
Alice Roberts, January 2008, Aesthetica Magazine
“The re-appropriation of avant-garde ideas and techniques by the mainstream is an old story but the increasing number of artists choosing to work in film and video and the expansion of what is called ‘artists’ film’ have convinced the Independent Cinema Office that it is time to re-assess the influence of these ground-breaking works on the wider visual culture.”
Virginie Sélavy, January 2008, Electric Sheep
“Next month, London hosts its first ever Children's Film Festival. Here SF Said explores the curious magic that gives this overlooked genre its particular power, while our critics choose their top 20 kids' movies of all time ... "I think of it in terms of all great cinema, really," says Catharine Des Forges of the Independent Cinema Office. "The great children's films are the ones that adults love too, that everybody loves. It's something that really engages you - makes you laugh, makes you cry, takes you into its world and you come out thinking differently." Des Forges is one of the artistic directors of the London Children's Film Festival, which runs from November 9-20 in cinemas around the capital.”
SF Said, October 2005, The Telegraph
“Qwerty Films boss Michael Kuhn has become Chair of the Board of Trustees of the Independent Cinema Office (ICO), it was announced in Cannes yesterday. The ICO's other trustees are Julia Short, M-D of Verve Pictures, and Ben Cook, Director of Lux.”
Adam Minns, May 2005, Screen International
“"It's a set line that independent cinema is dead and that audiences are cine-illiterate and it's all multiplexes and Hollywood. But if you go to a cinema in a small town and put on something interesting, people really want to watch it," argues Catharine Des Forges, head of the Independent Cinema Office, an outfit set up earlier this year to support independent film exhibition.”
Geoffrey Macnab, November 2003, The Guardian