As you know we love a community project, so when we got to team up with Studio Canal & Havering Changing on something really cool, we jumped at it.

While still running in some cinemas and ahead of a Blu-Ray and DVD release on December 15^th our trio of organisations are recreating the more positive aspects of the latest Ken Loach film The Old Oak.

The film set in a small Durham town follows TJ (Dave Turner) a publican who lends a hand to local community-based charities, through an incident TJ strikes up a friendship with Yara (Ebla Mari) a Syrian Refugee who has a passion for photography. Yara persuades TJ to open the back room of his pub, to allow people within the community to bond and enjoy cuisine from different nationalities. The film has one much acclaim at both Cannes Film Festival and Locarno where Romford film Festival representatives Peter Blunden and Spencer Hawken saw the film and began discussions with Studio Canal, who loved the idea of creating a community event.

Ken Loach is no stranger to creating important narrative on issues within society his past movies include Kes, I, Daniel Blake and The wind That Shakes The Barley. His latest film illustrates the importance of working together to help the community at large.

For the special event, attendees will be able to watch the film, then take part in a discussion about the film’s messages, while enjoying a meal with elements from different cultures, challenge stereotypes and have an entertaining time while making new friends. The event essentially replicating the experience of being in The Old Oaks’s Community kitchen.

The event will be free to attendees who have booked tickets by Eventbrite and marks the start of an exciting community cinema project between Havering Changing & Romford Film Festival throughout 2024, that will show films for free to residents of Orchard Village every first Saturday of the month at the Mardyke Community Centre. The films schedule will include a mix of family movies, recent blockbusters and important films through cinema history.  Some of the movies will have important ties with the area and the community and will include talks with actors and filmmakers. The events will also include film related activities including quizzes and maps of locations locally where attendees can become closer to film.

Havering Changing & Romford Film Festival worked on a similar project in 2022 which included an open air cinema showing of Star Wars and the screening of exclusive editions of movies and important independent short films hosted by their creators.

The Old Oak Screening is free for people aged 15 and over and during the event, the teams will be interviewing attendees regarding their thoughts on the film.

You'll be able to book your ticket from Wednesday 8th November.

The organisers ask that you kindly only book tickets if you intend on attending to reduce food wastage.