Faversham Film Society

Faversham Film Society Welcome to Faversham Film Society, based at the listed Royal Cinema in the town centre of Faversham, Kent. Membership fees were £7.50 for eight films!

Faversham Film Society is a non–profit making, voluntary organisation that aims to show the best of modern British, American independent and international film. For over three decades we have been screening the best of modern world cinema, British and US independent films and the occasional classic. We began in 1981, when a local film director, John Bennett, placed an ad in a Faversham paper, and was gratified when over 40 film enthusiasts turned up. A committee was formed, equipment borrowed, and the first film society season began in the upper room of a pub, with “All the President’s Men”. Over the following years we grew in size and changed venues – a function room in the local council offices, the old Arden Theatre, the meeting hall of the Fleur de Lis Museum, and finally back to the rebuilt Arden Theatre. But in 1994 a huge event happened in Faversham – the local cinema reopened. The Royal as it looks today
Originally called the Odeon, the Royal was built in 1936, designed by cinema architect Andrew Mather to fit in with Faversham’s many medieval buildings (it is now one of the only two surviving mock-Tudor cinemas in the UK). In 1974, after various name-changes, it was closed as a full time cinema. Rows of seats were removed from the mezzanine and bingo machines installed. For another ten years it struggled on as part cinema/part bingo hall, then just bingo until 1992 when it shut completely. Plans were afoot to demolish it, and a very active pressure group sprang up to try to save it, perhaps to use as a local arts centre. Stalemate ensued; but then the unexpected happened; like a Phoenix, the Royal Cinema rose again! Negotiations began between the cinema operators Peter Baldock and Michael Harlow, and the Film Society Committee to show our films at the Royal. There were huge advantages to the members – for the first time they would see films as they were meant to be shown – on a large screen (and the Royal also has the distinction of being one of only 100 surviving big-screen cinemas in the UK) and with ‘proper’ Dolby Stereo sound (dodgy sound quality had always been our worst feature). So in 1995 we moved to the Royal. We were offered alternate Mondays to show ‘our’ films, which meant that we could double the amount of films that we screened previously – we now have three ‘seasons’ showing up to eight films in each season with a break in August. Looking back over all the films that we have screened — comedy, drama, social realism, fantasy, westerns, animation, horror, sci-fi, documentary… cultures from Inuit to Australian Aboriginal… in languages from Urdu to Xhosa… from countries as diverse as Senegal and Mongolia… it could be said that there is something for everyone. We don’t expect everyone to like all our films; after all, the people on the current committee who choose them also have widely differing tastes! If you have suggestions about films you would like to see, either click on the sign up link which will direct you to our website or see us in person at the Film Society table in the cinema lobby before the screenings. Have a look at our current programme – hopefully there is something that you would enjoy. See you at the movies!

On Monday 26 October at the lovely Royal Cinema we have ‘Crossing’, from acclaimed Swedish/Georgian Director Levan Akin....
15/10/2026

On Monday 26 October at the lovely Royal Cinema we have ‘Crossing’, from acclaimed Swedish/Georgian Director Levan Akin.

A Georgian woman travels to Istanbul, looking for her estranged, long-lost transgender niece, Tekla. With Tekla's former neighbour (the unpredictable Achi) she meets Evrim, a lawyer fighting for trans rights - and Tekla starts to feel closer than ever.

“Transgender people have always been part of [Istanbul], one of its most vibrant colours … and they (have) paid a high price…. Hate crimes against them never stopped. Yet they continue to stand and resist. Levan Akin chose to tell this side of Istanbul, presenting a strikingly realistic picture. The story is woven with impressive care, and the pertormances are outstanding.”

“I really liked how the title explains perfectly what this film is about. It's about people who cross to a different country, whose own lives cross with characters that are nothing like them, and finally about people who are crossing genders on a quest to find themselves. The acting was superb”. (All quotes from IMDb)

Come and appreciate this richly complex and engaging journey at 7.30pm on 26 October.

As ever, The Royal is offering its own movie treats, with ‘Verity’ starting at 7pm on Fri 16th and ‘Exhibition on screen: James McNeill Whistler’ at 4pm and 7pm on Mon 19 October. Details and online booking at https://www.ticketsource.com/whats-on/faversham/the-royal-cinema

See you at The Royal!

Forthcoming events at The Royal Cinema in Faversham

11/10/2026

Such disappointing news - the distributors have let The Royal down very badly, and we can’t show ‘The President’s Cake’ on Monday 12th. It’s unlikely we’ll be able to show it at a later date, sorry folks, though it seems the film is available on Mubi and Prime Video.

Looking forward, our next screening will be ‘Crossing’ on Monday 26th. Fingers literally crossed!

The Royal are of course continuing their regular programming with Brad Pitt in ‘Heart of the Beast’ - 4pm on the 11th and 12th, 7.30pm on 13th, 14th and 15th October.

So see you at The Royal! But sadly not this Monday evening.

05/10/2026

It’s just a week away - on Monday 12 October we’ll be bringing you ‘The President’s Cake’ (“a crowd-pleaser in the best sense”) at the lovely Royal Cinema.

It’s 1990 and Iraq is poverty-stricken but Saddam Hussein still decrees that everyone must celebrate his birthday in lavish style. Nine year-old Lamia has the almost impossible task of baking her class’s cake for the big day. With her grandmother and best friends, Lamia must somehow get hold of the scarce ingredients …

“Hadi tells an engaging story, brings complex and surprising characters to life, lends a locale an aesthetic iconography, and renders personal identity inextricable from the forces of history”. “A stirring drama laced with humour”, “beguiling and unforgiving, culturally-specific yet universal, funny and heartbreaking”, “beautifully shot and acted … it makes for an exhilarating adventure” (all quotes from IMDb).

Please take your seats in good time for a 7.30pm start (after the customary ‘short’ welcoming speech). Why not book online and avoid queueing at the box office?

You’ve still a few more chances to see the latest version of ‘Sense & Sensibility’ before ‘Heart of the Beast’ comes to The Royal on Friday 9th (with 4pm matinees on Sun 11th and Mon 12th). Details at https://royalcinema.co.uk/faversham/now/

So one way or another - see you at The Royal!

We are an independent cinema showing art and major releases and home to Faversham Film Society

29/09/2026

A great turn-out of 190 for ‘Rose of Nevada’ at the lovely Royal Cinema on Monday 28th. Not everyone fell for the mysterious charms of this extraordinary Cornish film, but it was given an overall rating of 3.5*.

Guessing our next film might score more highly - ‘The President’s Cake’ has been described as “a crowd-pleaser in the best sense (which) overflows with empathy for its beleaguered people”. This debut feature from Iraqi director and screenwriter Hasan Hadi won the Audience Award and Golden Camera prize at last year’s Cannes Film Festival.

It’s 1990 and Iraq is poverty-stricken under Saddam Hussein’s dictatorship. Yet he insists that all Iraqis must celebrate his birthday in lavish style, or face imprisonment - even death. At her school in the southern marshlands, 9 year-old Lamia is unlucky enough to be given the almost impossible task of baking the class’s birthday cake for the big day. With her grandmother and best friends, Lamia must go to the city and somehow get hold of the scarce ingredients …

“A stirring drama laced with humour”, “beguiling and unforgiving, culturally-specific yet universal, funny and heartbreaking”, “beautifully shot and acted … it makes for an exhilarating adventure” (all quotes from IMDb).

All this can be yours at 7.30pm on Monday October 12th. See you at The Royal!

26/09/2026

Come along on Monday 28 September to be engaged, intrigued, puzzled, mystified by Cornish director Mark Jenkin’s ‘Rose of Nevada’. To avoid queues, why not book online? Or take your seats early so we can start promptly at 7.30pm.

Before then, the latest take on ‘Sense and Sensibility’ starts at The Royal tonight (Sat 26th) at 7.00pm with a 4pm matinee on Monday. And on Sun 27th there’s the National Theatre Live’s ‘The Misanthrope’ at 4pm. What a busy movie week ahead!

All details at https://royalcinema.co.uk/faversham/now/
See you at The Royal!

We are an independent cinema showing art and major releases and home to Faversham Film Society

21/09/2026

Just a week til we can show you ‘Rose of Nevada’ at the lovely Royal cinema - that’s 7.30pm on Mon 28 September. Cornish director Mark Jenkin brings us the unreally real tale of a lost fishing boat that somehow reappears in its home harbour 30 years later. The new crew find themselves sailing back to a town in happier times, and to the lives of the vanished fishermen of 1993. Have they really been transported through time? Are we watching a ghost story, “simultaneously naturalistic and other-worldly”? Or “an enigmatic drama steeped in loss, memory and the unsettling rhythms of coastal life”? Or both? And more!

“A very singular and incredibly immersive piece of film making. You won’t find another film like it”. “The work of a major cinema artist”. (All quotes from IMDb)

Come along and be intrigued by this unique Cornish film. See you at The Royal!

15/09/2026

Our new season got off to a great start at the lovely Royal Cinema on 14 September, with 122 in the audience who (almost all!) loved ‘La Grazia’, rating it 4.3*.

We’re following it up with the very VERY different ‘Rose of Nevada’ on Mon 28 September at 7.30pm, the latest from Cornish director Mark Jenkin. His unique approach uses a hand-cranked 16mm camera, with sound and dialogue synched in post-production, adding to the real but unreal feel appropriate to this film.

The ‘Rose of Nevada’ was a fishing boat that went missing in 1993. Somehow it reappears in the same harbour 30 years later and sets sail with a new crew. Returning with their full catch, the fishermen find their town somehow livelier, happier,more prosperous. Have they really been transported back to 1993 and the lives of the original crew?

A mystery? A ghost story? A tale of time travel? Critics call it cryptic, haunting, fascinating, beautifully shot, “simultaneously naturalistic and other-worldly”. It “blends the social realism of … Ken Loach with British folk horror”. “A very singular and incredibly immersive piece of film making. You won’t find another film like it”. “The work of a major cinema artist”. (All quotes from IMDb)

Come along and be intrigued! See you at The Royal!

12/09/2026

Quick reminder - on Mon 14 September at 7.30pm the Film Society returns to the lovely Royal Cinema with top notch Italian movie ‘La Grazia’.

The Royal’s advance booking system is now up and running, so why not book online to help avoid queues on the night and get us off to a prompt start? You can walk straight through to the auditorium, give your name to the attendant, and get checked off on their list.

Advance warning - our next film will be the Cornish ‘Rose of Nevada’, 7.30pm on Mon 28 September.

For details of all films being shown at the cinema, go to
http://royalcinema.co.uk/faversham/out-now

See you at The Royal!

We are an independent cinema showing art and major releases and home to Faversham Film Society

08/09/2026

Yes! It’s less than a week til we can welcome you back to a Film Society screening in the town’s lovely Royal Cinema - at 7.30pm, Monday 14 September.

In ‘La Grazia’, a president at the end of his term faces legal and moral dilemmas (should he sign a bill legalising euthanasia, and pardon two killers) and personal struggles with grief and bitterness over his late wife's memory.

“Paolo Sorrentino has rediscovered his voice, his wan humour and his flair for the surreal and sensational set piece; this wintry, elegant movie … is a dry comedy of grief and regret.” “The direction is confident and contemplative, allowing each moment to breathe. It's absolutely a film worth seeing on the big screen: every frame feels carefully composed … meant to be observed rather than rushed through.” “The magic of La grazia is that Paolo Sorrentino makes a convincing argument that doubt is a beautiful thing.” (All quotes copied from IMDb)

Intrigued? Check it out on 14 September - and come early to avoid queues!

Meanwhile, The Royal is also bringing you the WWII drama ‘Pressure’, starring Andrew Scott and Brendan Foster, starting 7.30pm on Fri 11th (4pm matinees on 13th, 14th and 15th). Why not get yourself added to the cinema’s mailing list for weekly programme updates?

See you at The Royal!

We’re (almost) back! Come Monday 14 September, we’re showing ‘La Grazia’ in the lovely Royal Cinema at 7.30pm. Promptly ...
03/09/2026

We’re (almost) back! Come Monday 14 September, we’re showing ‘La Grazia’ in the lovely Royal Cinema at 7.30pm. Promptly - after the customary ‘short’ welcoming speech.

‘La Grazia’, by acclaimed Italian director (and writer) Paulo Sorrentino, focuses on a lawyer and career politician coming to the end of his term as president. He finds himself alone, faced with complex ethical, personal, and emotional dilemmas which, as his nickname of ‘reinforced concrete’ suggests, he will struggle to resolve.

“A distinctly mature film … (with) the customary creative arias, the witty humour and visual delights that have distinguished (his) best work”. “It intrigues, it exhilarates and it shows that Sorrentino is Italian cinema's heir to Antonioni”. It “gradually, seductively seeps into you and becomes near impossible to shake”. “I was drawn in and I'm still trying to understand why.” (All quotes from IMDb reviews).

An intriguing start to our new season, don’t miss it.

The Royal itself has lots to offer with ‘& Sons’ showing on Mon 7th and Tues 8th at 7.30pm, and ‘Pressure’ starting on Weds 9th with 4pm matinees on 13th, 14th and 15th September.

See you at The Royal!

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Address

9 Market Place
Faversham
ME137AG

Opening Hours

Monday 7:30pm - 10pm

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