Cinema Unbound

Take part in a UK-wide season exploring the creative worlds of Powell and Pressburger

Supporting Northern film exhibitors to take part in a UK-wide celebration of Powell and Pressburger.

“It’s Heaven, isn’t it?” - A Matter of Life and Death (1946)

This autumn we're diving into the cinematic universe of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger: the filmmaking team whose creative partnership in the 1940s produced some of the most stylistically ambitious, thematically rich, subversive, and sensual British films ever made.

Conceived by the BFI and delivered in partnership with the BFI Film Audience Network, Cinema Unbound is the greatest celebration yet of this extraordinary duo of filmmakers.

Powell and Pressburger not only transformed British film, but the vast, seductive creative universe they created has gone on to influence the wider worlds of cinema and popular culture. Backed by a UK-wide press and marketing campaign, the Cinema Unbound season will provide numerous entry points into Powell and Pressburger's work for a wide range of audiences.

Members of Film Hub North's exhibitor network - including cinemas, festivals and community groups - are invited to take part in Cinema Unbound by delivering events that celebrate the work and legacy of Powell and Pressburger. More information on the support available is below.

How to get involved

Before planning your Cinema Unbound programme, take a look at the Creative Brief [pdf] for more information on the scope of the season and for inspiration in developing your project.

There are three ways to get involved with Cinema Unbound:

• Screen titles from the curated Film Menu: access up to £500 (£125 per film) for audience development and wraparound activity costs.
• Develop your own Bespoke Project: access up to £15,000 to create an events programme that engages audiences in your local area. 
• Develop a Cross-FAN Project: access up to £15,000 to create an events programme that tours across the UK.

For more information on the support available and the eligibility criteria, download the Funding Guidelines [pdf].

Need more inspiration? A programming document is available via the Hub, get in touch to access it: info@filmhubnorth.org.uk.

Application information

Applications for Film Menu support can be made via the online form below. 

Proposals for Bespoke and Cross-FAN Projects are now closed.

All applicants will also be asked to complete an Equality Monitoring Form.

The online application form doesn't allow you to save your progress, so you'll find a list of the questions asked in our downloads section to help you prepare your application offline.

Apply now

Cinema Unbound runs from Monday 16 October - Sunday 31 December 2023. Titles on the Film Menu will be available to book beyond the main season dates until the end of February 2024.

The deadline for Bespoke and Cross-FAN Project applications is 17:00 on Friday 30 June 2023.

The deadline for Film Menu applications is Monday 16 October 2023.

If you have any questions about the season or the support available, contact our team.