The Courtyard Cinema FAQs

Here are some of The Courtyard Cinema FAQs. We hope you’ll find the answer you’re looking for, if not, perhaps you’ll learn something new about UK Independent Cinema!

Why don’t you show films as soon as they are released?

For each film we screen we have a contract with its distributor including a minimum amount of screenings we are required to show. We are open 6 days a week with 1 or 2 screens available – where most distributors will require 4 screenings per day 7 days a week in the first few weeks of a film’s release, we don’t have the capacity to accommodate this while also providing you with a varied programme of films. We screen most of our films approximately 3-4 weeks after their general release.

Why do you show so many adverts after the advertised time? 

Our adverts now begin at the advertised time of the film and not beforehand, the doors will continue to open at the same time. We’re afraid this change was unavoidable and ultimately out of our control. To better plan your visit with us, please add 15 minutes to the runtime of the film, this is the maximum amount of time that adverts will play for. Borderlines Film Festival and special screenings (35mm screenings, Young Film Programmers events etc.) will continue to not feature adverts. We understand that this change is frustrating and will take some time to get used to, however the money earned from these adverts goes a long way to keeping The Courtyard Cinema running year on year.

Why don’t you screen blockbuster titles?

Similarly to why we don’t show films as soon as they are released, we aren’t able to facilitate the needs of the distributors when screening big, blockbuster titles. That being said, we will sometimes screen these titles later in their run if we feel it’s something our audience will be interested in and there’s a demand. It’s always worth telling us if there’s something you really want us to screen; being an independent cinema we have the flexibility to respond to our audience requests – this goes for independent films as well.

Where are the best seats?

This is entirely up to interpretation. Some people like the ends of Row J because you get unlimited leg room where others like to be smack bang in the centre of row F or G to get a head on view. We’ve put sofas in row A for all of our screenings in for no extra cost so why not give those a go and tell us what you think?

Why don’t you serve popcorn?

We like to offer an alternative setting to enjoy film in and we receive regular feedback from our customers that they appreciate being able to enjoy the experience without hearing rustling and munching throughout the screening. You can still get small snacks and take drinks in to the auditoriums in a plastic cup.

How do I find out about extra screenings?

If a film is extremely popular, we will do our best to have it back for more screenings where possible. The best way to find out when these happen is to follow our Facebook page @TheCourtyardCinema or regularly check the website.

Can you do screenings at different times?

When scheduling we have to consider how many different films we are showing that week and the times our audience are most likely going to want to come and see them. For example, during term time we won’t put children’s films on during the day Monday – Friday when they are in school and it would probably be inappropriate to put an (18) rated horror movie on for an 11am Breakfast Screening. While we try to cover as many timeslots as possible to account for peoples different working patterns and lifestyles, we only have a certain amount of slots, especially when factoring in live performances in the Studio, so it isn’t always possible to meet everyone’s needs.

How do you pick which screenings are audio described or subtitled?

We will have audio description available if it has been recorded for a particular film as it is an optional extra that is unobtrusive for other customers. Unfortunately, not all film companies are able to offer audio description especially if they are small or independent. Similarly, subtitling for Hard of Hearing and Deaf audiences is only available on certain films. We aim to provide subtitles screenings on as many of our films as possible at widely accessible times. Look out for these logos to find out if the film you want to see has Audio Description or Subtitles…

The Courtyard Hereford - Audio Described EventThe Courtyard Hereford - Subtitled Event

Can you still show “old school” films?

Yes! We regularly programme older films, whether it be our 1930s-50s classics for Breakfast Screenings, mini-seasons celebrating a filmmaker or just one-off screenings. When available, we also have the facilities to screen these in 35mm film so you can get the real retro experience.

Why should I come to The Courtyard to see films?

The Courtyard is an independent cinema venue dedicated to providing Herefordshire with a wide variety of film options. We screen up to 4 films per day, 6 days a week and show everything from foreign language movies, popular family friendly titles, live screenings from national and international venues to local filmmakers short works. We often have added extras and event cinema including dog friendly screenings, director’s talks or Q&As and, live pre-screening performances. You can find out more about the importance of supporting your local, independent cinema in this article from GEEKS. We are also excellent value for money with our highest standard cinema ticket priced at £7 with lots of concessions and offers available.

To see what films are coming up at The Courtyard visit The Courtyard Cinema page on our website.