FAQs

Can I invite people?

Yes! Feel free to spread the word!

However, please bear in mind that this is a queer-friendly and neurodivergent-friendly club - we'd appreciate it if you didn't invite your shitty racist co-worker.

Also, the group is designed with adult audiences in mind - many of the films we screen will be R or MA rated. I'm not saying your 17 year old cousin is banned from attending a screening, but maybe run it past me if you're planning inviting anyone who gets asked for ID at a Bottle-O.

Where?

Henkel St Cinema is located at 10/102 Henkel Street, Brunswick.

How much?

Right now we're working on $17 per ticket. A two-and-a-half hour booking at Henkel St is $167, so this means we break even with 10 attendees or more.

If we have more than 10 attendees, extra money will go to snacks, or toward future screenings.

There aren't any "membership fees" or anything, outside of the $17 you pay to actually sit down in the cinema.

When, and how often?

Screenings will be scheduled movie-by-movie - we don't have a recurring schedule.

"How often" will depend on interest and momentum. Ideally, I'd like to have a screening every month or two. We'll alternate screenings between the even and odd numbered weeks in the year, as this gives fortnightly shift workers a better chance of being able to attend.

When we decide on a specific film, we'll do a poll on a range of dates, and schedule the date that most people can attend. Right now we're organising this though WhatsApp - contact Vox if you'd like an invite.

How do we pick a film?

We take suggestions from members to generate a shortlist, then hold a vote.

This is currently being organise in a WhatsApp group chat - contact Vox if you'd like an invite.

What kinds of movies can I suggest?

Anything you want! If you can play it on a laptop at home, we can probably screen it!

Really think outside the box: old musicals, mocumentaries, and youtube student films are just as valid as Oscar winners or the Criterion Collection. Maybe you're really keen to watch three consecutive episodes of Iron Chef. I can't guarantee the members will vote for it, but from a technical perspective there's nothing stopping us from doing it.

Accessibility?

We want this to be as accessibly as possible - if you have any accessibility needs, reach out to Vox.

Mobility: Henkel St has two theatres, only one of which is wheelchair accessible. If any guests have mobility needs, please let Vox know in advance so we can book the appropriate theatre.

Sensory needs: in general, we plan to screen movies as they would be screened in a regular cinema (in the dark, cinema-level volume, etc). This isn't set-in-stone though, so please contact Vox to discuss any adjustments.

Captioning: Captions or subtitles can be organised for most screenings, depending on what's available for the film we choose. Please contact Vox in advance of the screening if you'd like captions to be displayed.

Psychological/emotional triggers: If there are certain topics, themes, or depictions you find triggering or distressing, please contact Vox. We can't guarantee every movie will be appropriate to every person, but we'll try to make sure people aren't left out for multiple selections in a row.

Duration: If for whatever reason longer movies are challenging, let Vox know. Among other things, we can usually schedule an intermission.

What if I'm not available for a screening?

Unfortunately, not everyone will be able to attend every screening. If we only scheduled films on dates everyone was free, we'd never be able to screen anything.

If you can't make it to a screening, we encourage you to watch the film at home or with friends when you can. That way all club members can still take part in the conversations about the movies we watch, even if we weren't in the same room when we watched them.

For clarity: there's no cost if you don't see a movie - you only pay the $17 price if you actually turn up for one.

Can I bring food? Me hungy!!

Officially, no. Henkel St is a small operation, and in their own words:

"We don’t allow any outside food or drinks at the cinema, nor do we have a BYO alcohol license. We rely on food & drink purchases to keep the projectors running."

Henkel St sells snacks, and can even do pizzas if you place an order in advance. Check their website for more details.

Can I talk during the movie?

The reason we're booking a cinema is because we want a cinema experience. Expected ettiquette is more "regular cinema environment" and not so much "loungeroom watch party".

Part of that cinema experience is being in an audience, so obviously we're allowed to react to the film - laughing, screaming, gasping and crying are all encouraged.

But the other part of the cinema experience is to give the movie our attention and time. So the rule of thumb here is "let the movie set the tone".

If the movie is trashy or goofy, we can laugh and riff on it. If it's a slasher, we can scream and tell the heroine not to open that door. But if the movie turns sombre and serious, we should let it be sombre and serious.

What about phones?

Quick phone use is fine - no one will be ejected for taking a selfie, sending a short text, or ordering some food from one of the QR codes in the cinema.

That said, this isn't supposed to be a "second screen" experience - if you're bored enough that you feel the need to scroll, please step outside first.