Thanet films screened in world's smallest solar cinema

The Sol Cinema is at four places around Ramsgate

The world's smallest solar powered cinema is showing short films about Thanet this weekend.

The cinema is a converted caravan which seats eight adults or 12 children.

Over the bank holiday weekend the cinema is at different locations around Ramsgate as part of the town's new Summer Squall arts festival.

The cinema is screening nostalgic promotional films of Thanet from the 1920s to 1970s as well as Thanet-made films and short animations.

The Sol Cinema runs on four large batteries which are charged via solar panels. It was built by a charity called Undercurrents which encourages people to make films about environmental issues.

The Sol Cinema can seat eight adults or 12 children

While the solar powered cinema is in Ramsgate it has a screening programme with a strong Thanet theme. A number of short animation films courtesy of the Isle of Thanet Film Society are on show.

Three short activist documentaries by Broadstairs production company IMS, Dreamland Dreams, Nazis in Margate and Building Over Thanet, are also being screened and Screen Archive South East have donated seven promotional seaside films of Kent, Margate and Ramsgate to the Sol Cinema programme.

Over the 2010 August bank holiday weekend the Sol Cinema is at these places in Ramsgate:

Sunday 29 August

11am: Newington Green, Newington
4pm: The Boating Pool, West Cliff

Monday 30 August

11am: Ramsgate Circus (the King Street, Queen Street, High Street and Harbour Street crossroads)
4pm: Harbour Parade

The Sol Cinema comes to Kent for the first time for the Ramsgate festival

The Sol Cinema screenings are part of A Summer Squall 2010; Ramsgate's new arts festival organised by Ramsgate Arts, a group of residents working together to promote and facilitate arts events and activities in the town.

Ramsgate Arts believes the town has what it takes to compete with the likes of Brighton, Whitstable and Edinburgh.

The festival has a green theme and includes as well as cinema; theatre, music, painting, crafts, workshops and talks on cartoons, jewellery and archaeology, and a treasure hunt taking in the town's nationally recognised architectural heritage.

The programme of events for 2010's A Summer Squall is at the Ramsgate Arts website.