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| Author | Zoe Aresti |
The UK Cinema Association (UKCA) has partnered with the Alzheimer’s Society and the BFI Film Audience Network to launch a new guide on dementia-friendly screenings.
The guide, Dementia Friendly Screenings: A guide for cinemas, has been developed by experts from the film industry and Alzheimer’s Society to show how cinemas can become more dementia friendly and offer adapted screenings.
The document offers practical advice on how to make venues more dementia friendly and accessible, as well as how to promote screenings effectively and adjust programming in order to be inclusive.
For a person living with dementia, watching a film in the cinema has many benefits. It can promote activity and stimulation of the mind, can be an important tool of reminiscence, and is associated with relaxation, engagement and, above all, enjoyment.
Everyone has a right to participate in the experience of going to the cinema, and with 850,000 people living with dementia and 700,000 carers in the UK there is an enormous audience for cinemas and independent film clubs.
The guide is flexible and can be used by national cinema chains, independent cinemas, theatres, community centres, or any groups (such as schools, social groups, cinema clubs) who could host dementia-friendly screenings of any size.
Phil Clapp, Chief Executive, UKCA, said: “The growth of Dementia Friendly screenings is another example of the UK cinema sector's commitment to ensuring that watching a film is a fully inclusive experience for everyone. This guide brings together the learnings and experience from a number of the pioneering cinemas that currently provide a regular programme of dementia-friendly screenings. We hope that the contents will not only inform but also encourage more cinemas across the country to embark on this rewarding journey and enable more customers to once again enjoy the big screen experience.”
Find out more about Dementia Friendly Screenings and download the guide here.