In 1925, a pioneering group of visionaries founded the first film society in London, creating a space where avant-garde films, often overlooked by commercial cinemas, could be celebrated and shared with the public. Now, in 2025, we mark a century of community cinema with a year-long celebration of its rich history and ongoing impact.
Commemorate this incredible mile stone at the 100 Years Gala, the headline event of our centenary celebrations, hosted by broadcaster and critic Rhianna Dhillon. The Gala will take place in Sheffield on 20th September 2025, with a very special Film Society of the Year Awards, our short documentary premiere, special guests, and more!
Take a look at our pre-event brochure and programme here*.
Dress code: we want you to feel special at this event and give you an opportunity to dress up a bit more than at our usual conference. Traditionally this is called semi-formal, but please feel free to wear what you feel happy in.
Cinema For All will be hosting an exhibition of archive materials from the last century of community cinema at Bloc Projects from 12pm on the day of the Gala, with networking, speeches and fizz from 3pm.
Want to come but need some support? Your local Film Hub may be able to provide bursaries to help cover a percentage of the costs for your pass, travel and accommodation.
The event will be BSL interpreted and captioned.
Information on our Safer Spaces Policy can be found here. Guide, access assistant, emotional support and hearing dogs are welcome to attend the Gala. More information about the venue’s accessibility can be found here.
*The programme is subject to change.
