Cosy Memories Film Series
A film series chronicling the history of cinema in Mexborough, produced and directed by Lauren Townsend and David Sànchez. A project supported by Right Up Our Street.
Cosy Memories is a film project Right Up Our Street have created with Lauren Townsend and David Sànchez along with local heritage groups, stemming from past projects with The Cosy Cinema in Mexborough.
Right Up Our Street is an Arts Council England Creative People and Places programme which is about more people choosing, creating, and taking part in brilliant art experiences in Doncaster.
During lockdown, Right Up Our Street wrote letters and communicated with older members of the Mexborough Community including those living in Residential Care Homes, asking them to share their memories of the nine cinemas that used to be in and around Mexborough.
The letters Right Up Our Street received back were filled with memories from the community.
“I went for my first date at the Royal in Mexborough. I then went on to marry him.”
“I as a young girl went to the Majestic Cinema in Mexborough with my older sister. She always wanted to treat me to the latest films.”
You can read more stories here: www.rightupourstreet.org.uk/cosy-cinema
The team also interviewed and filmed members of The Cosy Cinema, including its chairman John Beal, alongside Mexborough born Brian Blessed and Channel 5’s All Creatures Great and Small Set Designer Helen Watson.
“The cinemas there in Mexborough were the talk of the town, they inspired me to be an actor. So, I owe everything to Mexborough. I got a scholarship there. I got awards there. I got marvellous teachers. Harry Dobson - the greatest director I’ve ever worked with in my life.” - Brian Blessed
Right Up Our Street in turn has made a series of films chronicling the history and future of cinema in Mexborough using their responses.
The films are a beautiful reflection of how local cinemas, and the wider film industry has inspired the people of Mexborough, whilst also looking forward to what cinema could be like for the community.
Project Director Sally Lockey says, “One of Right Up Our Street roles is to support communities to celebrate their stories in creative and innovative ways. Over the past few years, working with Cosy Cinema, it has become clear that Mexborough has a very rich history, and ties to film and cinema industry. We've loved highlighting just a few of those local stories through this project and we can't wait to see what comes next.”
The films are now available to watch on the Right Up Our Street YouTube Channel, including the interview with Brian Blessed and poetry reading with Benny Wilkinson.
Right Up Our Street would like to thank everyone who took part in the creation of the film series, and they feel so proud to be able to share it with the Mexborough community now.