Every week we invite our readers to tell us about where they go to watch films. This week it's the turn of Edwin Davies, who writes about film at A Mighty Fine Blog.
Location
Based opposite the train station in Sheffield, the Showroom manages to be right at the centre of the city yet just far enough away to feel like it's off the beaten track. That sense of being accessible but also outside the mainstream extends to the whole feel of the cinema, which balances a sense of arty affectation with a homey, accessible vibe.
Building
Occupying an art deco structure that was originally a car dealership, the Showroom was converted into a cinema in the early '90s and boasts four screens, a bar and a cafe, all of which take advantage of the building's angular architecture to create a laidback, bohemian atmosphere. The box office, restaurant and foyer are all situated in open, airy spaces, while the screening rooms themselves range in size from large and spacious to compact and intimate, like an air-raid shelter without the sense of impending doom.
Clientele
Since the Showroom is located directly opposite the Sheffield Hallam student's union, students unsurprisingly make up a large part of its audience, and they're amply catered for by the programme, which offers regular opportunities to see cult favourites such as Withnail & I. It also has a fairly large following among the over-55s – the "Early Doors" senior screenings are routinely sold out. The Showroom also has plenty of screenings for children, a strand which extends to Showcomotion, its own festival dedicated to films for children.
Programme
In addition to the latest arthouse fare, which at the moment consists mainly of the heavy hitters from the awards season, the Showroom also screens a large number of classic works from Hollywood and beyond. Thanks to its close ties with Sheffield Hallam's film department, it is able to offer seasons on directors such as Werner Herzog, or more esoteric topics such as representations of medieval society in films. They even find time for the odd blockbuster or two now and then.
Further comments
The Showroom distinguishes itself from a lot of arthouse cinemas by having enough screens to give it a full and varied schedule. The programme can be intimidatingly dense, with up to a dozen films screening on a single day, something which is pretty much unheard of outside of multiplexes. My burgeoning love of cinema was very much fostered by the Showroom: I discovered it just after moving to Sheffield in 2004 and the first film I saw there was End of the Century, the Ramones documentary. From then onwards, The Showroom became a pretty central part of my cultural experience, as it has for many of Sheffield's film fans, and I saw many of the films that inspired me to write about cinema there.
It's also a strong part of the cultural heart of Sheffield, often playing host to the work of local artists and putting on nights for local musicians. Its relationship with Sheffield-based production studio Warp Films has led it to host special screenings of many of Shane Meadows's films, as well as the premieres of both series of This Is England, and it also acted as a location for the Arctic Monkeys' video for Leave Before the Lights Go On and a scene in Chris Morris's Four Lions. For the curious, the scene in question is the one in which Kevin Eldon argues with his fellow officers over whether a Wookie is a bear, and it was filmed on the roof of the cinema, much to the bemusement of patrons of the cinema, who wondered why armed police were swarming over the building.
The Showroom is a charming cinema with a great atmosphere that nicely complements the sort of idiosyncratic and offbeat films it screens.
The Twitter view
@guardianfilm The latest in arthouse and world cinema wrapped in a wonderful art-deco shell. Great cafe/bar too, with excellent live events.
— Liam Bush (@deathnbreakfast) March 7, 2012
@guardianfilm great environment, ideal for those of us with eclectic film taste, well priced & a liquor lisence to boot. Superb!
— Griff™ (@I_Griff) March 7, 2012
@guardianfilm Comfortable, clean and well situated near the train station. The refreshments are pricey though even by inde-cinema standards
— LauraGenevieveJones (@LauraGenevieve_) March 7, 2012
@guardianfilm Friendly staff, a wonderful selection of world and independent film and affordable. Personally find it hard to critise.
— Daniel Cozens (@danielcozens) March 7, 2012
@guardianfilm Stylish multi-screened indie theatre combining cosiness, a varied programme and a killer cup of coffee.
— Nathan Ditum (@NathanDitum) March 7, 2012
Is there a cinema you love (or hate) that you think our readers should know about? If you're interested in reviewing a cinema, email adam.boult@guardian.co.uk with the subject line "Cine-files".
