Heartland Film Society

Films for All in Highland Perthshire

http://www.heartlandfilmsociety.org.uk/

About Heartland Film Society

Heartland Film Society (HFS) was established in 2001 to:

• bring cinema experience closer to Aberfeldy and surrounding areas

• promote Scottish film-making (writers, directors, actors and locations)

• provide a range of films that people would not be able to see at the nearest cinema

• support local community events and interests through film media

The original cinema in Aberfeldy (The Birks) closed in the early 1980s. The nearest cinema is in Perth which is nearly an hour’s drive away and only shows mainstream films. The nearest alternative cinemas are in Dundee and Stirling (both about an hour and a half away from the HFS catchment area). Here was an opportunity to provide films for the Aberfeldy community.

The venue we use (The Locus Centre in Aberfeldy town square) opened in early 2001. It has an auditorium of 55 seats with built in digital media centre. In Autumn 2001, the nascent HFS committee became aware that the centre would be an excellent venue for showing films. With the help of Dave Skelsey (then secretary of BFFS in Scotland) the first steps were taken towards setting up a film society. We started with a free showing of ‘As Good As It Gets’ which was extremely successful.

We decided to try a short three month season in early 2002 showing three adult films and one children’s matinee. Since then there have been six 6-month seasons (April to September and October to March) and in 2005 it was decided to move to a ten film season with a summer break in July and August.

Right from the very start we have always had a raffle with each film. We only have one raffle prize per film and we endeavour to make it as appropriate to the film as we can. For example, a potted conifer for ‘Snow Falling on Cedars’ and a free piano lesson for ‘The Pianist’.

The AGM is held in January in the Town Hall to enable all our members, and anyone else interested in the society, to attend. This serves as an opportunity to show an extra film both to draw people to the AGM but also to thank them for their support. In keeping with Aberfeldy’s status as a FairTrade town, we serve free popcorn and FairTrade wine and juice. At the AGM we invite suggestions for future films and ideas for how to improve the society.

We have had an average membership for each season of 95 and the mailing list is now nearly 200. Most of our members live within or near Aberfeldy but our catchment area extends 25 miles in all directions. At each screening we carry out a film evaluation in the form of a Bean-o-meter. We ask members to rate the film from 0 (awful!) to 4 (awesome! – must see again) by placing a bean in the appropriate cup. We present the results of the Bean-o-meter at the AGM and as it helps us to understand the film tastes of our members, we use the results to select films and develop future programmes.

If you would like to suggest a film… …

Send your ideas to: oscar@heartlandfilmsociety.org.uk

The HFS Bean-o-meter

After each screening, we ask the audience to rate the film and to put a bean in the appropriate cup as they leave the auditorium. The rating categories are as follows :

For all the latest results from screenings see: http://www.heartlandfilmsociety.org.uk/Beano.html

How to become a member

If you would like to become a member of HFS, you can pick up a membership form (and the programme notes) at the Aberfeldy Tourist Information Centre. If you have any queries about membership, please contact:

Claire McConnell on 01887 829025

Do you have any comments or suggestions

If you would like to know more about HFS or have any comments to make about the films in the programme, please contact:

Karen Bennett on 01887 830548

Or

Charlotte Flower on 01887 830307

When you call, please mention that you have seen this web site.

You can also send comments to:

oscar@heartlandfilmsociety.org.uk