What’s not to like about an independent cinema? Indie picturehouses have great bars, programme expertly curated line-ups and have a community spirit that gives them the kind of magic you’d never get at an Odeon or a Vue (no offence to those places). That’s why every year the British Independent Film Awards (BIFA) gives our beloved local institutions their flowers and names the UK’s best indie cinemas.
More than 70 cinemas across the UK entered this year’s awards, with nearly 50,000 Brits voting for their favourite local spot. Earlier this week BIFA revealed the 15 cinemas that made the longlist for the 2026 Cinema of the Year. And one London location was featured.
Theatreship, a cinema housed in a historic cargo ship docked in Canary Wharf, was named as one of the 15 best cinemas in Britain. The 90-seat cinema first opened in 2024, and is known for being a volunteer-led community asset that makes half of its events free. Some of the cinema’s popular events include a weekly free ‘Mystery Cinema’ night, where attendees don’t know what’s playing until the film starts, and free folk music nights.
Speaking to Time Out, Natalie Hill, head of film programming at Theatreship, said: ‘We’re over the moon. We’re a young and new cinema trying to do something unique and special, so to have so many people vote made us feel very special.
‘We give away a lot of free tickets. We want to make cinema accessible and genuinely welcoming of all. Getting that love back is amazing.’
As well as the mystery film nights, which could range from old black and white flicks to foreign documentaries, Theatreship has introduced intervals to its screenings, and loves to surprise audiences with films accompanied by live bands or special guests. Recently the cinema surprised visitors with Lee Thompson, the saxophonist from Madness.
‘We’re bringing back old school magic [to the cinema],’ Hill said.
BIFA directors Amy Gustin and Deena Wallace said: ‘Tens of thousands of audience members voted and told us how much their local cinemas mean to them. This longlist for Cinema of the Year supported by Kia is a fantastic showcase of the exceptional cinemas up and down the UK that are – in the words of one voter – what community feels like.’
The longlist will be narrowed down to a shortlist of five, revealed on November 3. Then the Cinema of the Year will be chosen by a BIFA jury and announced on December 6.
The 15 best indie cinemas in Britain, according to the British Independent Film Awards
Hooray! The Prince Charles Cinema has been saved.
And here are the 25 best cinemas in London.
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