Community Cinema Night Out

As a Rotary Club in Billericay, we want to support local community initiatives and in 2023 we had a most enjoyable outing to the Billericay Community Cinema to see two silent films - Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton classics from approx. 100 years ago.  We were long overdue another visit, and this month we returned to see another film. 

So Popular

Peter Greene obtained the film schedule, and the club consensus was to try to get tickets for a showing of “Conclave”, a modern, year old, and already a classic.  All this took time, and the film was so popular with the public that only 12 tickets were still available – so we snapped them all up.  Twelve members and partners/friends bought these tickets and Peter Strong and Christabel, daughter Lucie and James, Les and Val, President Stephen, Brian, Roger, and Wendy and Peter were subsequently able to attend.

They went along to the show on Thursday November 6, arriving from just before 7.00 p.m. for the start of the show at 7.30 p.m.  A good thing too, as it gave an opportunity to buy a cocktail (only £4) or other drink and some snacks before the film started.  The cocktails were definitely a “best seller”.

Intrigue and Drama

Adam Adshead, Chairman of the Community Cinema, updated on us on the state of the Cinema, noting that it had now been operating for over 10 years, and “Conclave” was its. 200th film!  Not only that, but at the recent the 2025 Film Society of the Year Awards, it won two national awards and a commendation.  

• 2025 Community Award – for outstanding community connection and involvement over the past year.
• Outstanding Contribution by an Individual Award – won jointly to BCC Chairman Adam Adshead and Elizabeth Costello, founder of Leigh Film Society.
• Commendation – the MPLC Legacy Award for Community Building – shortlisted alongside three of the UK’s most established community cinemas: Leigh Film Society (that’s Leigh in Wigan, not Leigh-on-Sea), Chorley Empire Community Cinema, and Manchester Salford Film Society.

What an achievement!  There were only twelve awards and the Billericay Community Cinema was the only group to take home more than one award on the night.  Adam Adshead, Chairman of the organisation, summed it all up “It is a huge honour for our community cinema to win the Community Award, one of 12 presented on the night …. if we could have chosen any award – and if any award sums up what we aim to achieve – it really is the Community Award”.

Adam did his usual introduction to the film, always mentioning some interesting facts about each film and … we were off.   

What is Conclave about?  The Pope has died, and Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) presides over a papal conclave to elect a new Pope.  He has to assemble all the Cardinals of the Catholic Church to be sequestered away from the world until a majority (over 70) agree who the next pope should be.  

If you are expecting a procedural film about the process of electing a Pope and what makes the “ideal candidate”, you couldn’t be more wrong.  As the cardinals engage in heated debates, first one candidate and then another fall be the wayside, politics rules as the various candidates manoeuvre and lie, personal secrets and hidden agendas surface, challenging their faith and the integrity of the election process amidst a backdrop of suspense and intrigue.  A classic of hidden motives and duplicitous actions, and a surprising end (at least it was to me - Editor).

The show had an intermission halfway through, a chance for a natural break and to buy more drinks and cocktails.  

A very entertaining evening enjoyed by all.