SNOWCAT CINEMA, PENARTH

Creative Director Ben Rive on Wales’ Art Deco, pier-based stunner

What’s your cinema’s history? We’re a 68-seat cinema that’s based inside a beautiful pavilion on Penarth Pier. The Art Deco building first opened its doors during Hollywood’s 1930s Golden Era and it’s been a part of the community here now for over 90 years.

What’s special about your cinema? Our unique setting in the picturesque Vale Of Glamorgan makes us special; it can be very atmospheric. On Halloween a few years ago, we played The Fog and The Thing with both selling out. There was a full moon glistening across the sea when everyone arrived, making it just a little bit eerie!

Share a memorable moment... Forest Whitaker recently visited Penarth, as he was filming nearby. He posted a picture of himself outside our cinema, which ended up going viral in South Wales.

How does the community play a role in your cinema?

We’re kept going by our amazing team of community volunteers. Our film community in Penarth also play a big part in our programming, contributing to our film suggestion box.

How have you fared, post-lockdown? We’ve been selling out screenings, which has been a joy to see. We came back with a reduced-capacity soft launch, which has helped people feel more confident returning: we’re hoping to be back at full capacity soon.

What plans are you making for the future? We’re busy making plans for Halloween week with a big celebration of Welsh women in horror, and we’re working on some film screenings with scores being played live by local musicians. But more than anything, we’re just planning to keep doing what we’re doing.