Glasgow Film Theatre announces special birthday anniversary screenings including David Lynch classics

This year, a special season of classics throughout the month of May will showcase films that have been hugely popular with audiences and have played a unique role in the history of Glasgow Film Theatre (GFT) over the past five decades.

Glasgow’s original independent cinema, GFT first opened its doors as the Cosmo 86 years ago, on 18 May 1939, and became Glasgow Film Theatre as we know it today, 51 years ago, on 2 May 1974.

Highlights of the Birthday Programme include:

• A chance to see some of the most popular classics in GFT’s history back on its big screens, including a new 70mm print of Alfred Hitchcock’s North by Northwest.
• Four of David Lynch’s best films, screening in memory of the great director.
• A showcase of GFT’s projection expertise, including a screening of Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds in 35mm.
• A special event screening of The Room followed by a Q&A and signing with star Greg Sestero.

The headline event in the cinema’s Birthday Programme is a week-long run of the brand new 70mm print of North by Northwest, Alfred Hitchcock’s irresistibly fun and spectacularly cinematic espionage adventure, screening from Friday 2 – Thursday 8 May. The greatest romantic Hollywood musical Singin’ in the Rain will screen on Saturday 3 and Monday 5 May, taking us back to The Roaring Twenties when the ‘talkies’ started to sing. Classic cinema fans can also celebrate the 80th Anniversary of David Lean’s romantic drama Brief Encounter, in a new 4K restoration, on Friday 16 and Sunday 18 May. Lean’s powerhouse of restrained emotion has had a profound influence both on filmmakers and audiences through successive generations.

GFT also has a reputation as a place of discovery for film fans, presenting endless opportunities to come across examples of cinematic excellence from off the beaten path. The Birthday Programme will include a chance to see the new 4K restoration of Nine Queens, a minor classic from the early 2000s and an essential addition to the 'con man' genre. The film is a favourite of the cinema’s departing CEO, Allison Gardner, who will celebrate her last GFT anniversary before her retirement in October, after more than 30 years with the organisation.

The cinema will also present a tribute to one of Glasgow’s favourite directors, David Lynch, who visited GFT in person in 2007 and whose films never fail to fill the cinema’s seats. The Birthday Programme will include screenings of four of Lynch’s greatest films: Mulholland Drive, Blue Velvet and The Elephant Man in 4K, and The Straight Story, which will be projected on 35mm.

Allison Gardner, Glasgow Film’s CEO, said: ‘The excellent film programme celebrating GFT’s birthday is a testament to the brilliant team we have at GFT. I’m sad that this will be my last year celebrating our important and beautiful cinema as a staff member, but I look forward to coming back to watch films as an audience member next year. This organisation is driven by a dedicated staff who are passionate about ‘Cinema For All’ and I am extremely proud to have worked here for over 30 years. Happy Birthday GFT.’