Blog

The ICO blog brings you all the latest news from the world of cinemas and film festivals, including opportunities, best practice guides, festival reports, opinions and interviews. To sign up to receive regular updates on the blog, click here.  If you’d like to pitch a piece for our blog, email info@independentcinemaoffice.org.uk.

Home Blog

Latest Posts

The cover of the BFB’s summer/autumn 1995 issue © Black Film Bulletin
Black Film Bulletin Series, Part 3: Future vision
Posted on January 12, 2021

Publication ceased around the turn of the millennium, but now the Black Film Bulletin is coming back. ICO Director Catharine Des Forges spoke to its co-founder June Givanni, Curator and Director of June Givanni Pan African Cinema Archive; Melanie Hoyes, Industry Inclusion Executive at BFI and Jan Asante, Curator at Think Cinematic for part three of an extended conversation about the role of the BFB now, the effects of the pandemic on the industry and how they are looking ahead.
News & Opportunities: December 2020 round up
Posted on December 31, 2020

Our regular monthly update featuring all the news and opportunities that matter for your cinema, festival or film society right now.
The cover of the BFB’s autumn/winter 1993/94 issue © Black Film Bulletin
Black Film Bulletin Series, Part 2: Spotlight on Black talent
Posted on December 10, 2020

Publication ceased around the turn of the millennium, but now the Black Film Bulletin is coming back. ICO Director Catharine Des Forges spoke to its co-founder June Givanni, Curator and Director of June Givanni Pan African Cinema Archive; Melanie Hoyes, Industry Inclusion Executive at BFI and Jan Asante, Curator at Think Cinematic for part two of an extended conversation about the role of the BFB now and which filmmakers they would like to celebrate in the next iteration. 
One-inch barrier or a world of cinematic possibilities?
Posted on December 3, 2020

In this article, curator and subtitler Sonali Joshi considers the importance of subtitles and audio description in making films accessible to wider audiences, and highlights the skill required to make these elements blend seamlessly into a filmmaker's work.
News & Opportunities:
November 2020 round up
Posted on November 26, 2020

Our regular monthly update featuring all the news and opportunities that matter for your cinema, festival or film society right now.
Black Film Bulletin Series, Part 1: Interconnectivity
Posted on November 19, 2020

Founded by editors Dr. June Givanni and Gaylene Gould, the Black Film Bulletin (BFB) was first published at the BFI in 1993. An essential space for writing on new Black cinema and Pan African Cinema histories, it documented a renaissance moment for Black filmmaking culture around the globe. Publication ceased in 2000, but now the BFB is coming back. In this post, part one of an extended conversation, ICO Director Catharine Des Forges talks to co-founder June Givanni at the June Givanni Pan African Cinema Archive, Melanie Hoyes at the BFI and Jan Asante at Think Cinematic about the history of the BFB, their path to the new iteration and their hopes for it now.
What cinemas can do right now (again)
Posted on November 12, 2020

Back in March, just as the country was about to enter its first national lockdown, we published a blog with some ideas for what cinemas could do while their doors were closed. With many cinemas across the UK closed once more we wanted to do something similar, using what we've learnt in the time since then to provide some more advice, now with the added benefit of having done all this before.
A crowd sit in a dark cinema auditorium. Three people stand at the front, underneath a screen showing a dark graphic with text which reads: CCA Centre for Contemporary Arts
Manifesto 05: Welcoming people who are working-class and/or in poverty
Posted on November 6, 2020

Where we are now calls for a reinvention of the way we approach cinemas as a business and cinema as a community asset. In this blog series, we ask people to share a personal vision of what’s not working now and what the future of film exhibition should look like. In this fifth article we hear from Dr Leanne Dawson, Senior Lecturer in Film Studies at the University of Edinburgh, about the ways in which cinemas and film festivals can be more accessible and welcoming for people who are working-class and/or in poverty.
A person holds the pieces of a fleshy red fruit in their hands, their fingers are stained red by it.
News & Opportunities: October 2020 round up
Posted on October 29, 2020

Our regular monthly update featuring all the news and opportunities that matter for your cinema, festival or film society right now.
Three people walk crouched below a green metal wall, beyond which are three people on a worksite, two of which wear hard hats. A sign above the entrance reads Bubbles, Inc.
London Film Festival 2020 Round Up
Posted on October 22, 2020

We spoke to our film programmers Heather McIntosh, Isabel Moir, Jonny Courtney and Selina Robertson about what they watched at this year’s London Film Festival and their top tips for titles to watch out for in the coming months. 

Categories

Subscribe to our mailing list

What would you like to receive emails about?
* indicates required
Join the mailing list

Be first to hear about jobs, opportunities, our training, films and much more
Get in touch

Got a question about independent cinema? Send us an email

Our website uses cookies. This is so we can analyse how people use the website and improve it, and to optimise your experience.  For more details see our privacy policy.