We’re in the running for Cinema of the Year, and we need you!
The Ultimate Picture Palace is once again up for BIFA’s Cinema of the Year award, supported by Kia. And it’s you, our wonderful audiences, who will decide whether we make the shortlist. Back in July, cinemas from all over the country threw their names in for a shot at this year’s title. Now the vote is in the public’s hands, and we’d love your support.
Here’s how the Cinema of the Year award plays out:
• 21 August – public voting opens
• 22 September – public voting closes
• 13 October – the long-list is announced
• 3 November – five nominees are revealed, alongside the rest of BIFA’s 2026 Awards lineup
• 6 December – the winner is announced live at the BIFA ceremony at London’s Roundhouse, decided by a jury of cinema professionals
It’s another chance to stand up for the cinema you love. Right now, the UPP is at great risk. To remain commercially viable, we need to modernise. Funders want to support us, but because we have a short lease they can’t. Nearly 24,000 people have signed a petition calling for the cinema’s landlord Oriel College to commit to the long term future of the UPP.
Click here to Vote for the Ultimate Picture Palace (or copy and paste the following URL link: https://www.bifa.film/coty-vote/the-ultimate-picture-palace)
Nothing beats the experience of watching films on the big screen, and BIFA’s Cinema of the Year award recognises cinemas that do more than show films – venues that become part of their community, and bring people together around the films they love. Kia has been backing independent cinema since 2022, and now in its second year, their partnership with BIFA gives audiences across the UK the chance to shout about what makes their local cinema special. So please go and vote for us!
