By Dan Schell

Staff writer

No longer will it take an hour and a half in travel time to go and see a movie, the cinema is on its way to Bancroft. Through a partnership with the Village Playhouse and Hospice House North Hastings, some of the world's most cutting edge and esteemed films will be able to be viewed in the walls of the area's most historic stage for the arts.

Heather Brough, Executive Director of the Hospice House North Hastings, is thrilled that this opportunity has come up and is excited to see what more will come from this partnership.

"We are all just ecstatic, this is an exciting time for Bancroft and the Hospice House as more people will be able to come and enjoy the Playhouse in a different way and our programs can grow as a result," says Brough.

Through the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), the organization has been able to secure access to a number of the critically acclaimed titles that are previewed each and every year at the renowned event. The films are made available through the The Film Circuit program that allows communities access to these movies no matter where they might be.

With Hospice House looking for more funding and the Village Playhouse trying to bring more people to their venue, the opportunity to transform the stage into a cinema was exciting.

The aim is to begin showing films in the spring of 2011 and continues on throughout the year with 12 showings throughout the year. People will be able to not only watch the movies, but also make it a full social outing with wine being served before and after the films in the lobby of the Playhouse.

Season tickets will be sold for the event with only 30 tickets being made available to those who decide to spontaneously attend the films at specific nights.

Though the films that will be shown will not be your typical blockbuster flicks, Brough says it is an opportunity to bring some of the best of today's film world to North Hastings for all to enjoy. Also, there will be a selection committee formed from within the community's film buff contingent in order to pick some of the best films for the area to enjoy.

One of the most exciting parts of this project for Brough will be the potential that lies for future cinematic events in the area. She says that already people are discussing the potential to bring in different titles for kid focused matinees or even themed festivals for the people to enjoy.

"With this project, the equipment will be available to do so many more film events in the area and really bring more people to the Playhouse," says Brough.