Moviola is one of the largest rural cinema operations in the United Kingdom.  We bring to the task twenty years of experience, built up in the best way – by simply going out and doing it.  Mindful always that we have to cover our costs, that we are reliant (just like the commercial cinema) on a supply of popular films, and that we must give the public a service that delights them, we have been successful in establishing a business that continues to grow.

Initially the service we offered included providing all the necessary equipment and a presenter who would take charge of setting up, projecting the film and packing up at the end of the evening, freeing the local committee to deal with booking the hall, putting out chairs, welcoming the audience and selling refreshments. We still have a number of venues which operate in this way (though we are not taking on any new ones), but they are heavily outnumbered by our associate venues, who have their own equipment and present their own shows, relying on us to arrange licensing and deal with the film distributors. This has meant that our network, instead of being limited to Dorset and its surrounding counties, now covers the whole country from Cornwall to Orkney, and from Norfolk to Wales.

Although our main interest is in making films accessible for all ages in the countryside, we are also pleased by Moviola’s contribution to community life: a Moviola show is a social occasion.  In summary: We love films.  We love showing them, we love creating the proper environment in which to appreciate them, and we love facilitating the shared audience experience.