Should I buy a ticket in advance?
It’s sometimes a good idea to book in advance. Films occasionally sell out – especially course screenings, and special previews. Film courses are always very popular, and advanced booking is recommended. It’s generally a good idea to phone ahead if you’re worried about a film or event selling out. We are currently not offering online bookings.
This film is out, why are you not showing it?
There are many reasons why a particular film may not be screened at Cornerhouse. The most common ones are:
We only have three cinema screens. If too many films are being released at the same time we do not have the physical space to show them all so we have to make choices.
We try to give people the opportunity to see films that they may not be able to see elsewhere in the city. When a film is released in a large number of cinemas, we may choose not to screen it and programme a film that is not being shown elsewhere instead.
Films are sometimes screened in London before they are released in the rest of the UK, so even though a film is announced as released, we will get it a few weeks after. For information regarding upcoming Cornerhouse screenings please check the coming soon section of the website.
How do I get my film shown in the cinema?
If you are a student (i.e. you are attending an education institution, no matter what your age) then you can submit your short film to our national student film festival, exposures, which happens every year in December. For submission deadline, forms and requirements check the festival’s website on www.exposuresfilmfestival.co.uk
Cornerhouse is also actively participating in the programming of the big screen which is up in Exchange Square in the City Centre. If you have made a short film or video art check out the submission process for this space here.
Finally, if you have made a feature film or if your film does not meet the criteria for all of the above, you could just hire the cinema (outside of the public screening times). For information about private hire, please contact our General Manager, Pat Raikes on 0161 228 7621 or by email at pat.raikes@cornerhouse.org
Do I have time for a drink after my film?
It could not be easier as we have two bars in the building so you don’t have to go far. There are also soft drinks vending machines outside the cinemas if you are in a real hurry to quench your thirst. If your film finishes late, please check the opening time of our bars detailed below. As we now have a late license running from Thu to Sat, these are the days when you can linger for longer after your film.
The opening times of our café & bar are:
Ground Floor Bar:
Mon - Wed 9.30am - 11.00pm
Thu - Sat 9.30am - 12.00 midnight
Sun - 11.30am - 10.30pm
First Floor Café:
Mon - Wed 11.00am - 11.00pm
Thu - Sat 11.00am - 12.00 midnight
Sun - 11.30am - 10.30pm
I want to eat before my film, can I book a table?
You can only book a table for parties of eight or more people. Just contact our Café Bar on 0161 200 1508 or email cafebar@cornerhouse.org For less people, just turn up, get a table, remember your table number and place your order at the bar.
Remember that all our food is freshly cooked to order so we need a bit of time to prepare it. As an indication, many people order their food between 12.00 noon and 1.00pm and between 6.30pm and 8.30pm, so there will be a slightly longer waiting time around these times.
Can I hire the cinema next week?
Hiring the cinema is something that needs to be planned in advance as our cinema spaces are taken by our busy film and events schedule, which we programme a couple of months in advance. We occasionally hire the cinemas for private cast and crew screenings or other events but we take this case by case as showing films to the public always takes priority. To see if we can accommodate you and for all practical information, please contact our Operations Director, Pat Raikes on 0161 228 7621 or by email at pat.raikes@cornerhouse.org
Can I take a drink into the cinema?
Of course as long as it is not alcohol (the cinemas are not licensed for alcohol consumption) and it is not in a glass container (for Health & Safety reasons). And don’t forget to take your bottle/cup out with you and throw it in the bin after the screening!
Where can I get information on what's showing?
You can join our weekly emailing list which details what is happening in the forthcoming week and is sent out every Thursday. If you are interested in a specific area/genre, we also send out more targeted emails: just click and choose your subject of choice.
Of course, you can just check this website regularly or pick up our monthly listings in the building (they are usually out by the 25th of each month).
If you still have a specific question just email us at info@cornerhouse.org and we’ll do our best to answer your query.
Do you have a hearing loop?
We have hearing loops, or induction loops, in all three cinemas. Customers who use a hearing aid can switch to a channel whereby the film soundtrack plays through the aid. Deaf or hearing impaired customers who can’t use our audio amplification systems because they don’t have the right kind of hearing aid can borrow a headset from the box office which picks up the soundtrack via an infrared signal.
The screening I want to go to is subtitled and audio described; what does that mean?
Films which are audio described will look and sound exactly like any other film – to access this facility, you would need to ask for a special AD headset at the box office. Using the headset, you would then be able to listen to the normal film soundtrack whilst a recorded narrator explains what’s happening on screen, including gaps in the dialogue and sound effects.
Caption subtitles are similar to English subtitles for foreign language films. They also inform the cinemagoer of any significant music, sung speech or sound effects – especially if any of these are taking place off-screen.
Is it annoying?
Some people find it distracting; therefore we are limiting the number of subtitled screenings whilst ensuring that we offer a full range of screening times. We are also committed to ensuring that whenever possible, subtitled and audio-described screenings will be clearly indicated in the listings leaflet and on the website.
Why don’t all films have audio description and caption subtitling?
The film distributors decide whether a film will have caption subtitles and audio description. They have to pay to have the subtitles and description written by specialists and then transferred to specially manufactured discs that run in synchronisation with the film.
Most major Hollywood studios are committed to doing this with a good percentage of their films. However, many of the smaller companies do not pay for the facility as they feel it is too expensive for their budget on the film's release. Therefore, many smaller films (or films distributed by independent companies) do not carry ST/AD. It is hoped that the onset of digital distribution may make the process easier and cheaper and therefore more attractive to distributors.
The problem for us is that most of the films that have the ST/AD facility are not films we'd normally play - Batman Returns, Harry Potter, etc. However, when we are programming the cinema, we actively seek to include films that have ST/AD, and this can influence whether a film is chosen or not. For more details, visit www.yourlocalcinema.com
What do the film certificates mean?
The film certificates mean that people under a certain ages cannot come to watch certain films (except for PG & 12A certificates). For more information on what each certificate means, please click here
Can I bring a baby into the film?
For any films certified 12A, 15 or 18, no children under the age limit are allowed into the auditorium. These rules relate specifically to the licence issued to Cornerhouse by Manchester City Council. For films certified U and PG, babies are allowed in the auditorium on the understanding that they will be taken out of the screening if their presence causes problems for other members of the audience.