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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.

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Questioning cultural blind spots in film programming
Posted on April 11, 2019

Film has the unique gift of giving its viewers the chance to better understand the lives of people from around the world and widening their perspectives. Having just returned from her work placement at Hanoi's DOCLAB, our FEDS alumna Umulkhayr Mohamed writes about her experience and what film programmers can do to help rectify today's cultural blind spots.

News and Opportunities: March 2019 round up
Posted on March 28, 2019

All the news and opportunities that matter for your cinema, festival or film society right now.

Cinema Spotlight: The Ultimate Picture Palace, Oxford
Posted on March 21, 2019

Oxford's beautiful art deco gem The Ultimate Picture Palace has been operating as an independent cinema since 1911 and is one of the ICO's latest programming clients. We spoke to their Marketing & Events Manager Tom Jowett about the craziest stories from their century-long history (including almost coming to blows with Stanley Kubrick!), the legacy of owner Becky Hallsmith and what they are planning for the future.
Programmers' Picks: Ones to Watch this Spring
Posted on March 18, 2019

In a new ICO blog series, our film programming team highlights a selection of independent films that have been picked up for UK distribution. In our first edition, David Sin, Jonny Courtney, Heather McIntosh and Isabel Moir write about nine upcoming films that they feel will make an impact this spring. It's looking like a mighty fine start for a great year in independent cinema.  
News and Opportunities: February 2019 round up
Posted on February 28, 2019

All the news and opportunities that matter for your cinema, festival or film society right now.
What I Learnt at Film Hub South East's Young Film Programmers Event
Posted on February 21, 2019

One of the key priorities for us at Film Hub South East is to support more young people going to the cinema in the region. With that in mind, we’ve encouraged cinemas to start more young film programmers’ groups and want to help build a network around existing ones. On 7 February, our young film programmers met at BFI Southbank for a networking evening, with speakers from the BFI’s Future Film Festival and Birmingham’s Flatpack Festival. Jasmine Alice, one of the BENSHI Programmers at the Palace Cinema, shared with us what she learnt at this fascinating event.

Berlinale 2019 Wrap-Up: Ones to Watch
Posted on February 15, 2019

Our Film Programmers Heather McIntosh and Isabel Moir watched over 40 world cinema gems at this year's Berlin International Film Festival. Read their thoughts on which films stayed with them the most, whether a new title not yet picked up for UK distribution or a classic restoration.
News and Opportunities: January 2019 round up
Posted on January 31, 2019

All the news and opportunities that matter for your cinema, festival or film society right now.
News and Opportunities: December 2018 round up
Posted on January 4, 2019

All the news and opportunities that matter for your cinema, festival or film society right now.
ICO's Best of 2018
Posted on December 27, 2018

Which screenings stood out? Which posters still linger in our minds? And how did The Rock make it on this list? We're wrapping up a great year with this list of cinematic highlights, as selected by the ICO team.

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