Film festival set for 2010 debut

Oliver Rogers BBC Essex

Penélope Cruz stars in 'Broken Embraces' coming in December

Chelmsford's Cramphorn Theatre is celebrating 10 years since starting regular screenings.

In 1999, Tom Johnson, the current theatre manager helped to kick start the project.

"The first film we showed was a French language called 'The Dreamlife of Angels'," he said.

To celebrate this landmark, the theatre is organising their first film festival in February 2010 and are inviting people to vote for a film to be shown.

The Cramphorn had put on special performances for the local film club before then, but it was not open to the general public.

The idea for putting on unusual and older films came from Tom.

"I liked to think there was an opening for serious cinemas, as opposed to popular cinema," he said.

"After a year to 18 months it became popular with the viewing public," he added.

The Cramphorn can show films on 35mm and on digital media

When choosing a movie to screen, Tom considers a number of different factors.

"It has to be a film that is critically acclaimed and one without borders, so doesn't have to be an English language film," he said.

Film festival

For the film festival that takes place in February 2010 the theatre are inviting people to submit votes for their favourite features.

You can nominate your choice by clicking on this link: Vote in 'The Little Big Screen Festival'

"I felt like celebrating 10 years and we had a week in February that was free. So, we decided we would have a film festival," Tom said.

"What we will do is choose the most popular film from people's votes and nominations and screen it next year," he added.

Highlights in the next few months include a chance to see the new Penélope Cruz movie, 'Broken Embraces' in December.