Five nights of classic films will celebrate Taunton’s love of cinema, and the town’s remarkable Gaumont Palace heritage this September.
The first Taunton Film Festival will take place at Wyndham Hall from 9–13 September, with the event organised by the Gaumont Palace Community Trust and sponsored by Taunton Town Council.
Five much-loved films have been chosen for the inaugural festival, with doors opening at 6pm each evening and tickets costing just £5.
The festival opens on Wednesday, September 9, with the dazzling 1930s musical Top Hat, starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. The evening will have an added touch of 1930s glamour, with Blitz Time Sally performing songs from the era before the film.
The programme continues with Carol Reed’s classic thriller The Third Man on September 10, Thomas Hardy’s Far From the Madding Crowd on September 11, the inspiring British film Billy Elliot on September 12, and the much-loved Italian classic Cinema Paradiso on September 13.
There is a particularly special Taunton connection to Billy Elliott: the film was directed by Taunton’s own Stephen Daldry, who launched his career with Taunton Thespians and went on to become one of Britain’s most acclaimed theatre and film directors. His remarkable career included multiple Academy Award nominations and major international productions (recently, ‘The Crown’)
This festival has a special significance for Taunton because it celebrates the history of the town’s former Gaumont Palace Musical Hall, which opened its doors in 1932 as a cinema.
For generations, the Gaumont Palace was an important place for entertainment, bringing films, music and live performance to the heart of Taunton. The Gaumont Palace Community Trust now has an ambitious vision to see this important building and its heritage once again become part of the town’s cultural life.
Andrew Knutt, Chair of the Gaumont Palace Community Trust, said:
“We want the Taunton Film Festival to be a celebration of cinema, but also a celebration of Taunton itself. The Gaumont Palace was once a much-loved place where people came together to enjoy entertainment, and we hope this festival will capture some of that magic.’
The festival takes place at Wyndham Hall, Taunton, next to the Museum, from September 9–13.
Tickets are £5 per film and you can pay cash on the door. Doors open at 6pm.
For more information about the Trust come along and find out, visit www.project-gaumont.co.uk or contact: info@project-gaumont.co.uk
