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BATHWORKS
BATH LIFE AWARDS 2020
General manager Mason Pollock celebrates THE LITTLE THEATRE'S Award
hank yo e were really hono red to have won and really didn’t expect it in s ch a strong category. he wards evening was an incredible event and the b and excitement was palpable throughout the whole evening. The nerves only kicked in when it came to our category, and it suddenly hits you that we could actually win this, then when our name was announced it’s all st a bl r.
Tell us about life at The Little over the years.
e’ve been open as a cinema since , having originally opened as a community theatre, and we are still owned by the same family all these years later. Over the years, there have been many changes including the addition of a second screen in the 80s, but we have still retained the vintage vibe and charm that o r ath audience love so much. The cinema has had its own starring role on film too... es e’ve made a brief appearance on the big screen ourselves when Wes nderson visited the cinema d ring a visit to ath and fell in love with the ittle and decided we’d fit perfectly into a scene in Fantastic Mr. Fox, which we continue to screen every so often st to show o o r big screen deb t – and of co rse es s fantastic work.
What do you think it is about The Little that helped you secure your Bath Life Award?
hat sets s apart from other cinemas in the area is the sense of community and the long r nning relationship
ARTS WINNER we have with o r patrons. e hold a special place in a lot of ath residents’ hearts from past and present, and always go above and beyond to make the cinema experience that bit more special for o r c stomers. What are some of your special screenings you do? These range from our Kids Club on Saturday mornings where we have arts, crafts, games and activities for 30 min tes before the film, to o r pop lar Silver Screen screenings on Tuesdays and h rsdays for retired people. hese screenings are more than st watching a film. hey are abo t retired people sing o r cinema as a meeting place, to see friends, to have a natter over a c p of tea, eat all of our free biscuits (we don’t mind!) and then, of co rse, en oy the film.
What does winning the Award mean to The Little?
There was a real buzz within the team after we won the ward. t cemented the achievements that we have made over the past years, and was tr ly rewarding to be honoured for the hard work and dedication we p t in each day to be more than st a cinema.
Do you collaborate with other local businesses? e have many partnerships set p within the city of ath to s pport various initiatives and our on-going programme of Dementia riendly, tism riendly, Silver Screen and
“I LIVE AND BREATHE THIS COMPANY VISION”
© SOUL MEDIA
You won! Congratulations! Talk us through the night...
The Little's Benoit Cuvier and, left, Mason Pollock at last year's Awards ceremony
Hard of Hearing screenings with care homes, trusts, charities, schools and colleges. Our dog-friendly screenings allow s to reg larly link p with local pet services, pet shops and vets to o er competitions and an experience for our guests and their dogs that is more than st coming to watch a film. e promote and raise money for ath Cats and Dogs Home and local guide dog charities at these events. And you work with other Bath cultural institutions as well? e worked with the ane sten Centre for promotion of the film Emma earlier last year St dio D and The Edge for our Exhibition on Screen films ath Spa niversity for their end of year film showcases, andalyns ar for o r screenings ictoria rt allery for a recent exhibition and film package and many, many more.
Is there someone at work that you admire and try learn from?
t’s got to be Clare inns, o r managing director, who started out as a pro ectionist and sher at a cinema in ondon and worked her way p from there. passionate cinephile who is h gely respected within the ind stry, she has progressed her career through grit and determination.
What’s The Little's philosophy?
“Our cinemas are at the heart of neighbourhoods. They are distinctive buildings that blend seamlessly into the fabric of their environment with excellent and original design throughout. These are Cathedrals to Cinema! O r film programme is a broad and a curated range of quality mainstream, indie, family, foreignlang age and doc mentary films. Through our various strands we also champion classic and contemporary, independent thinking films, providing ality cinema experience to a diverse and inclusive audience. We will always try new things and nexpected things, engaging with o r a dience as partners and as friends from all age backgro nds, we are yo r local international cinema.” What does it mean to you, as manager? live and breathe this company vision and it inspires me in everything do at the ittle heatre. t’s the bedrock of any pro ect ndertake, and the foc s of all the work we do here. For more: The Little Theatre, St Michael’s Place, Bath; www.picturehouses.com
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