Cinephiles rejoice: London’s newest cinema is opening in Covent Garden this week.
The Garden Cinema, in central London, will focus on showcasing independent and foreign language cinema as well as classic and lesser-known older films.
Michael Chambers, who set up the cinema after selling his business, Chambers and Partners, in 2018, is hoping to realise a long-held dream with the venture.
“I come from a film family,” he says. “I put the film world behind me and went into the law. But I thought, even in your old age you can have a go. So I sold the business, and I’m now in a position to create cinema films.”
Taking charge of the design, he built the cinema with an Art Deco feel, fulfilling a childhood passion in the process.
His aim is to show films outside the mainstream, with “a majority of the new releases will be foreign language” alongside independent English films.
“Films, in short,” he says, “That we’d want to see again.”
With two screens, and a third being added soon, Chambers is hopeful that the cinema’s unique offering will make it a gathering place for cinephiles, rather than purely a luxury location or a money-making exercise.
“You can really choose build up an audience that suits you,” he explains. “Cinephiles, people who love good films and would appreciate having this venue to go to. We hope to build up a good membership. I’m hopeful, but we’ll see how it goes.”
Filmmakers Ken Loach and Mike Leigh both wrote letters of support to help the cinema secure a licence.
“There is a lamentable dearth in Central London of truly independent arts cinemas,’ wrote Leigh. “The Garden Cinema will fill this gap most impressively.”
Not only that: Chambers’ refurbishment of the cinema will include creating a set of offices for people in the film business.
“We’re calling it Cine Centre,” he says. “It’ll be a hub for creative film people. And below will be the cinema as well. So I’m hoping it becomes a good venue that is creative and interesting.”
The cinema’s opening week programme will include screenings of Joachim Trier’s Oscar-nominated film The Worst Person in the World, and classic films celebrating the work of Marlon Brando.
To book tickets and view the upcoming schedule, take a look here.
