The Rio Cinema’s Art Deco facade winks down Kingsland High Street, a permanent landmark in East London’s shifting makeup. To mark the venue’s 50th anniversary as a community-run space, the RIO FOREVER programme was launched on 17 April.
The six-month celebration is designed to fundraise and secure the site’s future for the next generation of movie-goers.
From Punch-Drunk Love to Purple Rain, the upcoming schedule brings audiences a mix of comfort watches and fan favourites, featuring guest presenters like writer-director Molly Manning-Walker (How to Have Sex) and takeovers by Sports Banger.
Whether it’s the whirr of 35mm film or the popcorn-crunch during a film club, the Rio team is proving that community remains the primary marker of success for independent cinema.
Speaking with executive director Rosie Greatorex, she explains the anniversary follows years of cumulative effort.
"Everyone here running the Rio at the moment is very aware that we are continuing the project of the many cinema workers who have run the Rio over the years," Greatorex says.
"To be here at a moment like this is really exciting, and we hope the audiences for RIO FOREVER feel this way too."
The Rio is often cited as a beacon of hope for indie film, a feat Greatorex attributes to an almost protective commitment to in-house programming.
"I am slightly obsessed with the idea that independent cinemas should be programmed in-house, by their team," she explains.
"So many cinemas which feel independent are actually booked by somebody who isn’t based at the venue or who is programming several cinemas at once. When you programme in-house, that complete independence allows you to really respond to your audience. It creates a dialogue. It’s also way more fun."
The celebrations began with a poignant nod to the site's origins: the unveiling of a plaque for Clara Ludski. Part of the Hackney Society’s Women of Hackney project, the plaque honours Ludski as the founder of the Kingsland Palace - one of London’s first cinemas - which sat on the very same location.
"Clara Ludski was a moving image pioneer and a cultural entrepreneur who built a venue which has outlasted any of her rivals," says Greatorex.
"She did all this before women even had the vote. We must pay tribute to Clara as we celebrate our half-century - and to have this plaque on the building, right there on Kingsland High Street, we are just really proud to honour her in this way."
Historically, the Rio has served as much more than a film house: it has been an unofficial community centre for the borough. During a recent dive into the archives, the team unearthed evidence of the cinema’s past, including a flyer for a "mixed disco" - tickets just 50p - held to support the families of striking miners.
"I love seeing photos of people organising protests and community action here," Greatorex adds. "I also really love seeing photos of all the fantastic children's events which happened here. I have lived in Hackney for 20 years, but my son was born here, so he is a true Londoner. Now he comes along to the Saturday Morning Picture Club - this is his heritage, too."
That spirit continues through the cinema’s current partnerships. The Rio remains the host of festivals such as the London Short Film Festival (LSFF), Doc’n Roll, and Queer East, as well as local fixtures like the Arabic Cinema Club and the Kurdish Film Festival.
"Because of the way we are programmed, we are unusually accessible," Greatorex notes. "It’s actually pretty easy to get in touch with us and arrange to programme something. We are here to be part of the creative life of the borough, and as Hackney changes, no doubt our programming will change too. But we will always primarily be a cinema for the people."
The RIO FOREVER line-up itself was a collaborative labour of love, curated by a staff of "genre nerds" alongside patrons like Asif Kapadia and Dionne Edwards. Greatorex spent hours poring over catalogues of 35mm films to see what could be sourced, ensuring the programme felt like a gift to the archive.
One particular highlight is Sally Potter’s presentation of her masterpiece Orlando. "It’s her personal print and I’ve heard it’s really gorgeous," Greatorex says. Potter will be in conversation with So Mayer, one of the UK’s leading film thinkers.
"So actually wrote a book on the cinema of Sally Potter a few years ago, so it will be a rare treat to hear this discussion. Tickets have sold fast, but we still have a few left."
While the current programme online covers the April and May launch, the celebration is set to run for a full six months. Upcoming contributors include Rose Glass, Ben Whishaw, Jarvis Cocker, and Akinola Davies, alongside takeovers from Club des Femmes and Queer Horror Lates.
But beyond the glamour of the guest list, the ultimate goal remains the preservation of the cinema’s rich history. "For the longer term, we are working hard to secure funding for further work with our amazing archive, and to refurbish the cinema," Greatorex concludes.
"I dream of comfy seats, new toilets, and Dolby Atmos in both screens. We want the Rio to be here, thriving, for another fifty years."
The Rio Cinema
107 Kingsland High Street
E8 2PB
