“It is very important for me that those fragments of beauty, of paradise, are brought to the attention of friends and strangers equally.” – Jonas Mekas

In July 2015 we opened our independent state-of-the-art 40-seat cinema, film library and resource centre with the help of your continuous support. Thanks to you all who came and watched films on the big screen, used and discovered the wonders of our library, and expressed in so many different ways your love for our work!

Our ever-expanding library’s unique collection of over 19,000 titles covers the whole spectrum of film history and the moving image. Our film programmes explore the history of the medium from early to auteur cinema and contemporary artists’ films. And whilst all other cinemas are converting to digital only, we continue to offer the opportunity to see films as filmmakers intend them to be screened, on 35mm and 16mm prints as well as high quality digital projection.

At Close-Up we pride ourselves on presenting a distinctive programme of films otherwise rarely seen or unavailable in London. However, as the means of accessing and watching films have dramatically changed over the last decade, with the ever growing expansion of new technologies, we see a risk in the future of access to film culture, its exhibition and the general quality of programming.

We believe that if independent resources such as Close-Up were to disappear from London’s cultural landscape, it is a fundamental access to film history, culture and its unfathomable diversity that would be lost. Our commitment and dedication to present in-depth and uncompromising programmes to general audiences makes Close-Up a difficult if not impossible resource to replace.

The absence of funding means that our relentless work and passion cannot survive the bulldozing of culture by corporate entertainment and the growing complacent acceptance of poorer & more limited ways of watching films. The rumour that everything is available on the net is a myth, carefully curated programmes are becoming a rarity, and London more than ever needs serious resources like Close-Up.

“We must support these spaces and I cannot believe how they are disappearing in London. London is an important capital of culture it is not only a culture of capital.” – Jem Cohen