The heart of Glasgow cinema, The GFT

When discussing the Glasgow cinema scene it can prove impossible to miss out the Glasgow Film Theatre well known as the GFT. The GFT has been around since 1974, taking over form the Cosmo cinema, but wasn’t recognised as an independent company or charity until 1986. It vastly differs from chain cinemas as it shows not only film but also video and TV and runs educational classes. GFT can be seen as the heart of Glasgow’s cinema scene as it is aimed at the community showing international and classical films as well as documentaries. An example of the classes run to bring the community together through cinema is the Film Discussion Group run every Wednesday for free by film writer Eddie Harrison.

As a community based cinema, funded mostly by Glasgow City Council and Creative Scotland, prices are surprisingly similar to chain cinemas. A full price ticket is £7.00 and student tickets are £5.50, this is not far from the ticket prices you would find in Cineworld. With the workers unpaid on a volunteer basis and funding from the Council surely prices could be lower so a trip to the cinema would not be as rare for Glaswegians seeking to be part of the community.

The GFT allows a break from the rush of in your face, Hollywood films and has the ability to add a mass amount of education and culture to the cinema scene in Glasgow. Films screening at the GFT don’t follow the classical Hollywood narrative and base the film on institutional factors but create films to inspire and inform through entertainment. The GFT may educate the community on World issues and different communities over the world but when looking to escape the stresses of work and everyday life the GFT might put too much of a strain on your brain while posing questions and ideas through their films.