Movies At The Mansion

The Cambridge Film Festival, in partnership with English Heritage, presents:

Movies at the Mansion – A Cinematic Celebration  in Wrest Park’s Magnificent State Rooms

There is VERY limited ticket availability left for this intimate and exclusive one-off event, so book your ticket now via the Picturehouse Cinemas website, by calling 0871 902 5720, or in person at the Cambridge Arts Picturehouse cinema.

Saturday 25th February

Wrest Park, Silsoe, near Bedford, MK45 4HR

We’re delighted to announce our first film event for 2012: a special one-off day of cinematic indulgence at the opulent, French-style mansion at Wrest Park in Bedfordshire, recently restored and revitalised by English Heritage.

Our portable cinema screens will pop up in Wrest Park’s magnificent State Rooms for a specially selected programme of rarely-screened features and short films, including two classics by Stanley Kubrick, a true master of cinema who lived and worked for over twenty years at his own mansion a mere 25 miles from Wrest Park.

The full film screening schedule for Saturday 25th February is as follows:

2pm and 3pm: FREE drop-in family screenings of the award-winning adaptation of THE GRUFFALO. Bring your little ones to take a walk in a deep, dark wood with a brave mouse who outwits a scary Gruffalo.  Tickets for these drop-in screenings cannot be booked in advance, and are available on a first come first served basis from the Wrest Park Visitor Centre on the day of the screenings ONLY.  Visitors will have to pay the usual Wrest Park entrance fees to attend THE GRUFFALO screenings. No unaccompanied children or adults will be permitted entry to this screening.

7pm:  BARRY LYNDON (PG, 1975, 184 mins), with an introduction from Stanley Kubrick’s producer Jan Harlan. We’ll be screening Kubrick’s Oscar-winning adaptation of Thackeray’s literary classic in the grand Drawing Room. This breathtaking epic – for which the splendour of Wrest Park makes a particularly fitting backdrop – follows the picaresque adventures of its roguish hero as he cuts a swathe through 18th century society. You can see the original BARRY LYNDON trailer here.

8pm: THE SHINING (15, 1980, 120 mins) with an introduction from Stanley Kubrick’s Producer Jan Harlan.  The atmospheric Library provides the ideal setting for one of the most chilling and stylish horror films of all time. Jack Nicholson dazzles – and terrifies – as the writer slowly losing his mind in Kubrick’s spine tingling adaptation of Stephen King’s novel.   You can see a truly fantastic – and appropriately spooky – trailer for THE SHINING here.  They don’t make trailers like this anymore!

Universally acknowledged as one of the greatest and most influential of post-War directors, Kubrick also spent many years living and working in the east of England, making his films the perfect way to celebrate the rich cultural heritage of the region.  Jan Harlan worked with Kubrick on all his films  from 1971′s A CLOCKWORK ORANGE onwards and we are delighted that he will join us at this event to introduce both feature film screening.

About Wrest Park:

Wrest Park is one of the most magnificent gardens in England.  In August 2011, the firest phase of a 20 year master plan to restore Wrest Park was unveiled. The stunning rose and Italian gardnes were restored as well as miles of lost path networks, There are new exhibitions in the Mansion and garden buildings and for the first time the Countess’ Sitting Room is open to view.

Useful info:

Info about getting to Wrest Park is available on the English Heritage website here.  The doors for the evening feature screenings will open at 6.30, and both films will finish around 10.15pm.  There is ample free parking at Wrest Park. This event is fully accessible for disabled customers.  Popcorn, water, wine, and nibbles will be available, you will need to bring cash to pay for refreshments as there are no card facilities on-site.

There is strictly limited ticket availability at this intimate and exclusive one-off event, so book your ticket now via the Picturehouse Cinemas website, by calling 0871 902 5720, or in person at the Cambridge Arts Picturehouse cinema.

Ticket prices:

Adult £9

Concessions: £8

Picturehouse and English Heritage members: £7 (NB English Heritage Members will only be able to receive this discounted price on telephone bookings NOT bookings done via the internet).  

Children under 15 (BARRY LYNDON only): £5.50

Movies at the Mansion is part of the Cambridge Film Festival’s Screen Team initiative. This innovative events and training programme -  a first for any film festival in the UK – will inspire at least 45 young people from across  the East of England to acheive their ‘personal best’ and develop their skills and confidence by taking part behind the scenes – and screens – at film events across the region.

The project has been funded by Legacy Trust UK, creating a lasting impact from the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games by funding ideas and local talent to inspire creativity across the UK.  Under the banner of Eastern Rising, Legacy Trust UK is supporting Cambridge Film Trust to deliver a range of spectacular film events across the East of England in 2012 as a major part of the Cultural Olympiad.  Eastern Rising is using the opportunity and inspiration provided by London 2012 to raise the region’s profile and reputation for major cultural events to new heights by developing the quality and social and community reach of a porftolio of leading events.  The Screen Team has also been awarded the Inspire Mark by the London 2012 Inspire programme.

Event Partner: 

Event Funder:

If you have any further queries about this event email becky{at}cambridgefilmtrust.org.uk