I will not attend any #LFF screenings held at Picturehouse venues, unless they start paying Living Wage to their staff.
I don't think I need to lecture you on the matter to which I am referring, after the last festival's protests, but for the benefit of all others that can see this, the short version of the story is that Picturehouse, and their parent company Cineworld, have not being paying their cinema staff the London living wage (approx. £9.75 per hour). This has been going on in various forms since 2007 at the Ritzy Brixton, and has come to a head in recent years. For more details on the campaign's progress, you can see the Twitter account for the Picturehouse Central staff specifically. Suffice to say, the board of Picturehouse recently voted to give the CEO a £3 million bonus, so they can afford to pay their staff fairly! (Those who want to know more and support the workers, here's a petition!)
Last London Film Festival, I was at the closing night film, the premiere of Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri, so I saw the extraordinary protest outside, complete with their own three billboards. I was already aware of the issue by that point, so I respected them for presenting this act at this key moment in the festival, especially in terms of media attention. I should mention I did see one thing at Picturehouse Central that year, a screening of Suspiria, however I had booked before I knew that Central was involved in the pay dispute. I was unable to refund or exchange the ticket, so I went anyway to save it going to rest. That night was October 6th, and that was the last time I was in Central, I have not been in there since.
Let me make clear what this is little open letter isn't. I am not demanding, threatening, or pressuring you directly to do anything. I am not here going "as some loud idiot on the internet that occasionally gives you money, you must LISTEN AND OBEY!", I'd be very surprised if ultimately I influence your decision either way to be honest. This is simply me stating clearly a factor that is going to influence how I enjoy your festival, and I will be going regardless. Rest assured, I am not going to cause trouble there, I am not going shame anyone who does go to events at Picturehouses, or do anything to disrupt matters, I just will not be going to those venues myself. I will not feel comfortable supporting the cinema chain to any degree until this matter is resolved.
I should briefly mention that it's not just London Film Festival which this decision of mine has affected; Frightfest is coming up, and partially because of this matter, I have decided not to attend any of the screenings at the main screen in the Cineworld Leicester Square. It's a shame, there are things on there I have been looking forward to, but now I have made this choice, I am standing firm. I am still supporting the festival, but only in attending films at the Prince Charles Cinema instead.
On a related note, I'll also state that before this matter fully came to my attention, I loved Picturehouse Central as a venue, I held a membership there for a while, and have many fine memories there. That includes #LFF screenings, such as seeing the restored Phantasm with Don Coscarelli in attendance in 2016. It is an excellent cinema in many regards, especially when I remember how it used to be as the old Cineworld Trocadero. I honestly would like to be able to go back there regularly, enjoy properly what they have to offer, but I could not do so with a good conscience until the pay issue is fully resolved. It is a shame, but I am a person of principles, ones which I am going to stand by.
Of course, all of this could be a moot point. It could very well be that you already have made a decision about this, which given the protests last year and the subsequent pressure from the industry would not surprise me. It may also very well turn out that this year's schedule doesn't contain anything playing at those venues that I would be going to anyway (hey, I can only attend so many screenings!). However, I should still state my feelings on the matter, if only to make clear to all where I stand on this issue.
I honestly don't expect this to affect matters at all, I am in a sense pouring a cup of water into an ocean, and I have no idea if anyone at the BFI will even see this. However, this will do its work if it gets even one of my followers and/or friends to be more aware of the issue. As I said, I love and support the London Film Festival, and will be attending and supporting it gladly whatever happens. This is just to make clear one point when it comes to deciding what I choose to see and what events I attend. In fact, I think I'll say it again, to make it clearer.
I will not attend any #LFF screenings held at Picturehouse venues, unless they start paying Living Wage to their staff.
BFI, continue to do your good work in supporting film as an art form and as a communal experience. Picturehouses, please do the right thing and treat your staff properly, we can still fix this, I'd love to be able to come back to Central. Thank you.
Ed (Internet Nobody)
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