Mention the name Ealing and people immediately think of our town’s place in the history of British cinema. In all corners of the world, film-lovers know about Ealing Studios and the classic comedies made here in years gone by. But we’re not just talking about cinema history. Our studios are still in business…the oldest in the world still in regular use. Today they provide a creative hub for the film and television industry, with many productions still being made in and around our borough.
We also have MetFilm School and the University of West London on our doorstep, offering courses for the next generation of filmmakers. So, when we started Ealing Film Festival in 2020, we were determined to provide a platform for the wealth of talent in our town. In three short years, we have established a festival that screens hundreds of films from far and wide, from within our town and from the other side of the world. And local people have been among the award-winners.
Our festival slogan is ‘shining a spotlight on new talent’ and we are now starting to develop an outreach programme to offer better opportunities for young filmmakers in this part of London. These days, anyone with a smartphone has the technology to make a film. We aim to provide workshops to show new filmmakers how it’s done, and then enable them to screen their work in Ealing.
For too long, Ealing has not had a high street cinema. Happily, that is changing. We are already taking the magic of the movies into our community, by organising screenings at venues across the borough. We are showcasing the work of our winning filmmakers, and also celebrating some of the best feature films of recent years. We have a proud history, and now cinema is returning to Ealing.
