Four people raise their hands in the air in front of an outdoor cinema screen, on a hill high above Bradford.

Bradford: A City of Film

Cinema for everyone, everywhere.

What's onA screen near youCinema for all

We’re teaming up with the National Science & Media Museum to bring the joy of cinema to people across the district for Bradford 2025.

Bradford: A City of Film is our celebration of cinema in Bradford in 2025. With the support of the BFI, we’re taking the magic of the movies to people and places across Bradford – from established cinemas, such as Pictureville at the National Science & Media Museum, to arts centres, village halls – and some more unexpected spaces.

You can catch British film favourites under the stars at Ilkley Lido, Hollywood gems in Haworth and Holme Wood, cult classics at church halls and community centres – and that’s before we’ve got on to film festivals, previews and premieres, special CineSpotlight screenings, director Q&As and much more.

But Bradford: A City of Film is about much more than movie screenings. We’re also celebrating community cinemas across Bradford. We’re connecting different parts of the district’s cinematic ecosystem. And we’re even helping groups across Bradford to set up their own community cinemas where they are – which may be where you are, too.

This page is your one-stop shop for Bradford cinema in 2025. Scroll down to read about how we’re supporting and promoting cinema in our year as UK City of Culture, see what’s on, book tickets – and then roll camera!

Open-Air Cinema

We’re bringing the magic of cinema to big screens around Bradford – including some truly iconic locations.

Our Open-Air Cinema season with Wild Rumpus opens at Ilkley Lido with immersive screenings of Everybody’s Talking About Jamie and Sexy Beast.

And at the iconic Thornton Viaduct Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel gets the Wild Rumpus treatment under the stars.

Book Open-Air Cinema tickets

Film seasons

Specially curated film seasons will be taking place across the district – so look out for special events, Q&As, gala screenings, and more taking place throughout the year.

Film4 Presents at Pictureville Cinema includes premieres, previews, classics and director Q&As with the likes of acclaimed director Ben Wheatley, curated by Film4 at Pictureville.

At Epic Yorkshire you can catch iconic favourites and discover hidden gems in a city-wide film season and screen celebration of Yorkshire.

Past seasons include a spotlight on northern female filmmaking with Northern Soul, a celebration of young identity at Northern Youth, and a look at Bradford’s rich history of migration with A Time and a Place.

Widescreen Weekend

25-29 Sep 2025

Widescreen Weekend is a unique festival of large-screen formats and cinema technologies celebrating the past, present and future of film at the National Science and Media Museum. Enjoy a long weekend of big, bold and wide cinema experiences which showcase the museum’s fantastic projection facilities.

Glorious 70mm screenings, new Cinerama restorations and great guests will remind you why going to the movies is so magical.

Book tickets (opens in new tab)

More film events

Discover more film screenings from Bradford 2025

See all film

A screen near you

There are independent cinemas in communities across Bradford bringing more movies to more people – from you-had-to-be-there special screenings, to the latest blockbusters.

We’re celebrating cinema across the district in 2025. Explore our list of cinemas and film clubs across Bradford District below.

Discover a screen near you:

Addingham Film Club
Enjoy a variety of films amongst friends.

Bingley Arts Centre
A home for cinema and the arts in the heart of Bingley

Bradford Movie Makers
A community of film enthusiasts – founded in 1932. Featured in the film A Bunch of Amateurs (2022).

Bradford Playhouse
Screening films in Little Germany.

Clayton Community Cinema
Monthly screenings at Clayton Village Hall, tickets just £3

Haworth Cinema
The best new movies and more at West Lane Baptist Church

The Hive, Silsden
Catch regular screenings at this charity-run community hub

Ilkley Cinema
Two screens, a bar, house-made pizza – and the movies!

Ilkley Film Society
Set up over 50 years ago to screen some of the best films that contemporary world cinema has to offer.

The Light, Bradford
The best new releases in the centre of Bradford

Picture House, Keighley
112 years old – and still going strong

Pictureville, Bradford
Yorkshire’s biggest independent cinema offers an outstanding programme across three screens

South Square, Thornton
Cinema, artists’ studios and more in these converted workers’ cottages

Stockroom Cinema, Keighley
Movies new and old in a converted stockroom

Thornton Community Cinema
Monthly Sunday screenings at this volunteer-run community centre

Cinema Creators

We’re working with the brilliant Cinema for All to provide a training programme for groups to start their own cinema in Bradford.

Cinema for All is the national charity for community cinema, and have a wealth of experience in supporting new community cinema groups. The Bradford groups have been learning about everything you need to start a cinema from scratch: licensing, marketing, ticketing, programming and even sustainability. And this year, you can see the fruits of their labours as these new community cinemas get off the ground!

Discover community cinemas in Bradford:

Brontë Flicks, Thornton
A brand new community cinema in the historic village of Thornton

City of Film Echoes, Bradford
This community cinema celebrates Bradford’s legacy as the first UNESCO City of Film

Holme Wood Cinema
Look out, Holme Wood – the movies are coming to town…

Ponden Picture House, Keighley
A new community cinema for Keighley in a historic mill setting

Saltaire Community Cinema
New pop-up film nights for Saltaire, starting at the Caroline Street Social Club

CineSpotlights at Pictureville

Take a deep dive into cinema history with this new film education season at Pictureville.

Each month, a special guest (or guests!) guide us through a special film screening, with illustrated talks, panel discussions and Q&As offering fresh insights into familiar favourites and hidden gems. It’s a friendly and informal way to indulge your passion for the pictures – and expand your understanding of what cinema can be.

Discover CineSpotlights (opens in new tab)

Bradford: UNESCO City of Film

Bradford became the world’s first UNESCO City of Film in 2009, bringing international recognition to the city.

The status pays homage to Bradford’s extraordinary movie heritage and contributions to the art of the moving image – which continues in 2025 with regular film and television shoots, a major film education programme and much more, aligned with Bradford’s place as part of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network.

Learn more
A logo that reads Bradford City of Film, a UNESCO creative city