If you’re a film fan of any level, Manchester is one of the best cities in the UK to be. It has a thriving film scene, both on and off the screen, with a massive array of film-y things that you can dive into.
HOME Cinema
My personal highlight for cinemas in Manchester is HOME. Only a 15-minute walk from campus, HOME contains a theatre, an art gallery, but most importantly, a five-screen cinema that shows a fantastic selection of films from mainstream hits to tiny indies. They frequently have retrospective seasons celebrating big directors; this year, there have already been seasons for Alfred Hitchcock, Michael Haneke, and Wes Anderson, as well as genre-themed seasons like their film noir season running till the end of September.
They offer reduced tickets for students, but my recommendation if you’re a big film fan is to get the HOME pass, which allows you to see anything they show in the cinema for only £18 a month (essentially paying for itself after more than two visits).
ODEON Great Northern
However, for as great a place as HOME is, they will not have you covered for the big blockbusters. If you want to watch the latest big franchise films you will have to stray to one of the chain cinemas, of which there are many options. The Everyman is gorgeous, but by far the most expensive cinema in the city so probably best to avoid on a student budget. Much cheaper is the ODEON Great Northern. This is my usual spot for the big releases, given tickets are usually only £5, but do be aware it is slightly hidden away within an unassuming building.
Vue Printworks
The cinema sweet spot is the Vue Printworks, with reasonable prices, a great roster of films, and – most importantly – recliner seats are standard. This is a real lifesaver, especially for longer films. Alternatively, if you live further from the city centre, or can’t get enough of 4DX or other slightly odd gimmick screenings, you might want to give the Cineworld in Didsbury a visit.
Cultplex
Last, but certainly not least, is Cultplex. Cultplex is a wonderful little cinema slightly north of the city centre which shows a fascinating array of cult films and classics. In the last few months I’ve seen such gems as Mulholland Drive, Paprika, and a delightfully rowdy screening of The Room. They’ve also recently hosted a Twilight marathon, screened two seasons of Twin Peaks in one day (with The Return coming later this year) and a sing-along showing of The Wicker Man. Their line-up is always worth keeping an eye on and is a great chance to rewatch favourites, get around to watching stuff you’ve always meant to, or discovering strange curios.
Fopp
If you’re a big physical media fan, your best option in Manchester is Fopp. Situated just opposite the Arndale Centre, they have so many DVDs and Blu-rays, some really great collectors’ editions of all sorts, and always have deals on to keep the price down.
The University of Manchester
If you don’t want to spend any money at all – and why wouldn’t you – the University has you covered for some great film watching. The main library has a fantastic film selection for casual borrowing; I recently used it to watch Okja on the Criterion Collection disc. You can also make use of university resources (like Box of Broadcasts or Kanopy) to find a treasure trove of film and TV, just by using your university log-in.
Film Festivals
Another benefit of being a film fan in Manchester is the great film festivals that run every year. The UK’s best animation festival, the Manchester Animation Festival, is held in November and always hosts a great line-up of films (I saw Flow there last year 6 months before it came out), as well as events such as Q&As or student film showcases.
If animation isn’t your thing, every March plays host to the Manchester Film Festival, which similarly attracts a great roster from big names before they release to the public, such as 2024’s Love Lies Bleeding, to tiny gems you would struggle to catch otherwise. Both festivals offer reduced tickets to students as well as opportunities to volunteer if you want to get closer to the action.
It is also worth keeping an eye open for the range of smaller festivals that take place all year round: for example, the horror festival Grimmfest in October, Kinofilm short film festival – and that is just scratching the surface. There is always an abundance of film to be engaged with in Manchester if you’re looking for it.
