The challenges ahead for Chichester Cinema at New Park

Anne-Marie’s appointment comes as part of a reorganisation following the retirement of Chichester International Film Festival founding curator and cinema founder Roger Gibson. Walter Francisco, who has overseen the cinema's yearly seasonal programming for almost two decades, has now taken on the role of head of programming for both Chichester Cinema and the Film Festival.

“But with Walter being the cinema director, that means that we needed someone involved on a day-to-day today basis, and really we felt it was time to have more of a focus on building up the financial future of the festival and of the cinema.”

Which is where Anne-Marie comes in: “There's something very special about the place. It really is a proper neighbourhood cinema. It's properly independent and not one of those boutique chains. You really feel that it is source of great friendship. A lot of people go there on their own just as I did when I first started coming. Lots of women go on their own. It feels like a real safe haven, and it really is a little gem in terms of what it does. And we turn over so many films – and so many different kinds of films. We probably show a more varied and much richer menu, particularly in foreign language films, than any other independent cinema other than the BFI. But the real challenge is that for us 80 per cent of our revenue comes from the box office, and you only need one bad year with not very good films and then you are up the creek. We've also had the pandemic. Audiences are coming back now but really we're only just starting to recover now and for the last few years we've been eating into our reserves which is quite scary. I see my challenge at the cinema as forging new partnerships and sponsorships, looking for other means of bringing in other money for the cinema so that we are not so much at the mercy of the box office. It means that we need to be looking for a lot more smaller partnerships. The days of great big sponsorship income are over are unless you are a huge film festival. I can't see it happening. But I think in Chichester we are very much a community and I think lots of companies in Chichester would feel that they want to act on their social responsibility.”

Anne-Marie added: “I came to Chichester four years ago now from London. I was managing director of the London Film Festival but I've worked in film all my life. I worked for Screen International. I was their publishing director. I loved those days and then I worked at BAFTA for five years as head of awards and I've also done various things with the BFI. What interested me about Chichester is that the London festival had become too stressful and my sister happened to live in Petersfield. I would come down to Chichester a lot and I saw just how beautiful it was and I always said that I would retire here. In the end I fancied a change of pace and sold my London flat and came down here.”

It was the annual film quiz that drew her to the cinema: “I went along and I met all these lovely people and they asked if I would like to join the board.”

​