LOCAL HERO

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Creative Director: Film & Culture Jason Wood on the joy of Manchester’s multi-faceted favourite HOMEMCR.ORG

What’s the history?

Manchester’s Library Theatre and [cinema and art gallery] Cornerhouse merged and HOME was the result. We moved into a new multi-arts venue in 2015 with cinema, theatre and gallery spaces. We try to make the spaces work together, like when David Lynch did a takeover. He sent us his artwork to display, he curated a theatre programme and we showed his films in the cinema.

What’s special about your cinema?

It’s a really inclusive space, a venue for people from all walks of life — a place where people come to be entertained as well as stimulated. We have an accessibility scheme to encourage people from more economically challenged backgrounds to visit us: we very much want to be a place for all.

Share a memorable moment.

Holding the UK premiere of Mike Leigh’s Peterloo was a huge moment for us, especially because it was the first time a film in the London Film Festival had premiered outside of London. For a director of his stature to hold that here felt incredible.

How does the community play a role?

Really good art venues are community venues and that’s what we try to be. We work with many groups who do regular takeovers. We try to get our community involved via our Q&A events with filmmakers too.

What plans are you making for the future?

We’re hoping to continue delivering an online offering alongside physical showings because higher-risk groups continue to face challenges. People wanted to come back not only to support us, but to enjoy that shared experience of cinema.