Relaxed screenings are screenings where the environment has been adapted to be more welcoming and accessible to people with additional needs.
These could be people living with dementia, autism, or other neurodiverse people. These screenings are identifiable by some adjustments such as altered lighting, volume of sound, arrangement of the venue, and usually don’t have trailers, and customers are encouraged to get up and move around, or speak or make noise if they want to/feel the need to. Screenings are usually introduced so that everyone attending realises talking and movement is allowed.
Here is a list to signpost you to some UK venues who currently host Relaxed Screenings or Autism-Friendly Screenings:
Manchester | Relaxed events at HOME
Greenock | Fun Film Club at the Waterfront
Dunoon | Autism Friendly screenings at Studio Cinema
London | Relaxed Screenings at BFI Southbank
Leeds | Relaxed Screenings at Hyde Park Picture House
Glasgow | Take 2 Access at Glasgow Film Theatre
Glasgow | Access Film Club at Glasgow Film Theatre
Belfast, Glengormley & Coleraine | Autism friendly screenings at Movie House Cinemas
Stockton | Relaxed performances and screenings at ARC
Dundee | Relaxed Screenings at DCA
Worthing | Autism Friendly screenings at Worthing Theatres
Neath | Relaxed Screenings at Gwyn Hall
Walsall, Dudley, Nottingham, Derby, Leicester & Coventry | Autism Friendly Screenings at Showcase Cinemas
Saffron Walden | Relaxed Screenings at Saffron Screen
London | Relaxed Screenings at Barbican
Hebden Bridge | Autism Friendly (Relaxed) Screenings at Hebden Bridge Picture House
Birmingham | Relaxed events and screenings at Mac
Canterbury | Accessible film screenings at Gulbenkian
Chester | Relaxed Screenings at Storyhouse
Merlin Cinemas | Penzance, Redruth, Falmouth, Torquay, Ilfracombe, Okehampton, Coleford, Cromer, Kingsbridge, Prestatyn | Autism friendly screenings at Merlin Cinemas
The Life and Death of an Anonymous Autistic Man. An experimental film installation invites the viewer to confront the question of mortality and the role that pathology and the dehumanisation of the self has within the lived experience of autism. Directed by Daniel Bendelman. Produced by DYSPLA.
Blog: I’m an undergraduate film student at Queen Mary University of London and I love film. I make films, I write about them too, and I’m hoping to one day work in the industry.
Beacon Films Relaxed Cinema project is helping cinemas in the North of England to build their confidence running inclusive film screenings that are accessible for Deaf, Disabled and/or Neurodivergent audiences.
The world’s biggest learning disability film festival.
Going to the cinema or theatre with a child with autism can be a stressful experience. Busy foyers, unexpected music, lights going up and down and applause can all be unsettling. Here are my top tips for taking a child with autism to the theatre.
The ICO commissioned this toolkit for (primarily) independent film exhibitors to support their work in making their venues and services more inclusive and accessible for visually impaired people.
People living with sight loss want to enjoy the same experiences as everyone else. This includes going to the cinema and there is therefore a strong economic argument for film exhibitors to meet this demand, as well as the obvious social and moral imperatives for cultural organisations to aim to serve everyone within their community.
In addition, cinemas have a legal duty to make their services accessible to all people with disabilities, including visually impaired people, under the Equality Act 2010. People with disabilities who feel they have been refused or denied reasonable access to a service have the option to take the service provider to court.
Organisations that are inclusive and welcoming to people with disabilities gain enhanced community reputation and trust. People with disabilities are loyal to organisations which provide a consistently good and inclusive service.
Read the full ICO guide to Developing Visually Impaired Audiences, and check out their web page on Subtitling and audio description for information around screening accessibly to blind and partially-sighted audiences.
Project Overview A strategic project as part of Film Hub Wale’s Diversity & Access strand for 2015/16, developed in response to both audience and member demand. Contact a Family are a national charity that support families with children who have a range of sensory needs and learning difficulties. In 2015, Film Hub Wales awarded support … More
A handbook for embracing neurodiversity in the creative industries.
We recommend using professional subtitling and audio description services for your film wherever possible, to ensure the best possible standard and accessibility for your screenings.
To provide subtitles which are accessible for D/deaf audiences you will need to provide caption (descriptive) subtitles for your film, which provide extra information about the sound onscreen as well as dialogue. Subtitling often used for foreign language films translates the dialogue only and assumes a hearing audience. Please check with the individual subtitle supplier whether they provide this.
For foreign language films, you will need a Subtitler and/or Audio Describer who can translate for screen.
Here are details of some UK based organisations who may be able to help:
Matchbox Cineclub – Subtitling.
Day for Night – Subtitling , audio description, translation in 45 languages.
Voicebox – Subtitling.
Glocal Media – Subtitling and BSL translation for media.
Zebra Uno – Subtitling and BSL translation for media
Capital Captions – Subtitling, audio description and translation.
Screen Language – Subtitling, audio description and translation.
Matinee Multilingual – Subtitling, audio description and translation in 80+ languages.
Mind’s Eye – Audio Description
Vocal Eyes – Audio Description
Audio Description Association – Offers a directory of freelance Audio Describers, sorted by region.
Sign Language Media – BSL translation for media.
Reflect BSL – BSL translation for media.
Red Bee Media – BSL translation for media.
Bradford Talking Media – Subtitling and BSL translation for media.
Sign Language Direct – BSL translation for media.
Tarjuman – Subtitling and translation.
If you are looking for a BSL interpreter for your film screening, event or meeting, here is a list of Interpreter services and organisations who may be able to help:
Action On Hearing Loss – BSL Interpreters, Deafblind interpreters, Lip Speakers, Sign Supported English (SSE) Interpreters.
Clarion UK – BSL Interpreters.
Sign Language Direct – BSL Interpreters and Lip Speakers.
Sign Solutions – BSL Interpreters.
Deaf Umbrella – BSL Interpreters, London and South East (Kent).
Prestige Network – BSL Interpreters.
Zebra Uno – BSL Interpreters, Lip Speakers, Sign Supported English (SSE) Interpreters, Deafblind Interpreters, international Sign Interpreter.
LanguageLine Solutions – BSL Interpreters.
BID Services – BSL Interpreters.
Royal Association for Deaf People – BSL Interpreters, Lip Speakers, Deafblind Interpreters.
Link Hearing – BSL Interpreters.
List of BSL interpreter contacts.
AVSTTR (The Association of Speech-To-Text Reporters) – Speech-To-Text Reporters
Action on Hearing Loss – Speech-To-Text Reporters
MyClearText – Speech-To-Text Reporters
Clarion UK – Speech-To-Text Reporters
NRCPD (The National Registers of Communication Professionals working with Deaf and Deafblind People) – Speech-To-Text Reporters
BIVR (British Institute of Verbatim Reporters) – Speech-To-Text Reporters
Stagetext – Subtitling and live captioning
AI Live – Live captions
Transcription City – Subtitling and live captioning
Capital Captions – Live captioning
Streamtext – Realtime caption solution
CC Extractor – produces subtitle files from closed captions
Rev.com – transcription, subtitling and captions
Zubtitle – captions for social media
Speakertext – cloud-worker generated captions
