One night only: special events at Showroom Cinema in March

Cinemas are usually a place to watch and appreciate films in a dark, tranquil space - but is sitting quietly in silence their only function?  

Although general cinema etiquette is something we largely agree upon (turn off your phones, please!), the rise in popularity of event screenings shows that audiences don’t always want to just passively appreciate film. Sometimes we want to make noise to celebrate cinema. 

Music and film have always been closely intertwined, and this is something we continue to embrace at Showroom. On 10 March, North Circular, a special event screening about the music scene in Dublin, will be followed by a musical Q&A with one of the film’s stars, Annie Hughes, and its director, Luke McManus. 

We’ll also be blowing off the roof with a special one-night only screening of 80s classic The Blues Brothers, which will be followed by a special live performance from Sheffield music legends, Highway Child. A 9-piece funk and soul band delivering unforgettable live performances, Highway Child will play a set of beloved soul classics, transporting the audience from toe-tapping along with a film to dancing in the aisle with a real-life band.

Part of Showroom’s mission as an independent cinema is to show thought-provoking films, and a form of talking that cinemas should encourage: facilitating discussions around films. This is something we do at Showroom year-round, and March is no exception.

Audiences can be part of the conversation around many subjects including the 40th anniversary of the Miner’s Strike, with a panel discussion on documentary Still the Enemy Within, or engage in conversations around International Transgender Day of Visibility, including a virtual Q&A with up-and-coming trans superstar director Alice Maio Mackay.

Events like these allow audiences to discuss ideas directly with filmmakers from around the world. In March, we play host to special previews of Banel & Adama and Silver Haze, with in-person Q&As from directors Ramata-Toulaye Sy and Sacha Polak respectively, and a retrospective screening of Hima with director Shireen Pasha.

These one-off screenings with pioneering women in film give Sheffield audiences rare opportunities to learn from their experiences. For example, Ramata-Toulaye Sy is only the second Black woman to compete for a major prize at the Cannes Film Festival – an accomplishment and milestone worth shouting about this International Women’s Day.

Although a cinema is usually quiet, it can also be good to make noise now and again. 

Discover Showroom’s special screenings at /special-screenings