The Screen at Hay started in February 2007, kicking off on a snowy night when the roads were impassable with a screening of “Withnail and I”, introduced by Bruce Robinson, the writer and director of this cult classic. In spite of the weather people made Herculean efforts to be there, sledging, walking and even, in one case, hitching a lift in a funeral cortege.
We have not looked back since that triumphal start. In the last year we have had some brilliant nights, perhaps one of the most noteworthy being the very first screening of Nick Broomfield’s 2008 film “Battle for Haditha”. He was at the Hay Guardian Winter LitFEst, where we were screening a weekend of Bergman films as homage to the great director who died in 2007, and he asked us if we would screen his latest film !!!

Our mission as a film society is to show films that people would not normally see on general release. We favour independent films, a balance of foreign and English language films. We also like to have at least 2 classics each season, to introduce/ reintroduce some of the great films of 100 years + of cinema. We also aim to have at least one documentary per season.
Our season is September to May; we show 10 films over that period to members and non-members. We also screen other films during the year for local community organisations.
Enthusiastic volunteers who all work hard to make the nights a success run the Society. We screen with cabaret style seating and Bring Your Own Drink. The atmosphere is relaxed and convivial we use digital projection, surround sound and a full size screen.