£400,000 UK Film Council grant to fund digital cinema in rural North Yorkshire (From York Press)

£400,000 UK Film Council grant to fund digital cinema in rural North Yorkshire

8:59am Thursday 29th July 2010

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HOLLYWOOD blockbusters in big-screen high definition are coming to rural North Yorkshire – thanks to a huge lottery grant.

Easingwold, Whitby and the town hall in Selby are some of the venues which will benefit from the latest 3D and digital cinema technology, which will be funded over the next three years with a £400,000 grant from the UK Film Council.

The project is organised by a newly-formed consortium lead by Screen Yorkshire and comprising North Yorkshire County Council, community arts company Blaize and the National Media Museum in Bradford.

Screenings are expected to start later this year and will operate in easily accessible venues throughout North Yorkshire.

The county council’s lead member for corporate affairs, Coun Carl Les, said the scheme was a win-win situation for residents in remote areas.

“We are delighted that this is actually happening,” he said.

“In many locations in rural areas the customer has to go where the service is and we would like to take the service to the customer. It helps them feel less excluded from the rest of society.

“In the days of cuts, we are delighted this seems to have been successful. We hope the communities it serves will be especially happy.”

Sally Joynson, chief executive of Screen Yorkshire, said: “Screen Yorkshire is proud to be leading this project bringing together a new partnership which will impact across North Yorkshire.

“Drawing on the great experience in the region we can bring the joy and excitement of film to people and places without access to regular cinema – and add some of Yorkshire’s unique film programming to these new venues.”

Easingwold’s Galtres Centre already holds regular screenings of films, but the new investment will mean residents will now be able to enjoy the same technology offered to people in places such as York and Leeds.

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