Dalston's Rio cinema celebrates its 100th birthday

IN the heyday of British cinema, Hackney's movie-going public had no fewer than 23 cinemas to choose from.

Today, all but one of Hackney's long-lost cinemas have been consigned to the scrapbook of history.

The only remaining cinema, the Rio in Kingsland High Street, Dalston, is celebrating its 100th birthday this year.

The grade two listed building has been transformed into one of the capital's most popular independent cinemas.

In addition, it has developed many outreach schemes, including free screenings for the over-60s with free tea, cake and transport.

It also has a school screenings programme that works with more than 10,000 children and young people every year.

To celebrate its centenary, the cinema is embarking on a new community project to make archive film more accessible and to bring the borough's rich and vibrant history to the big screen.

As well as using existing material in the Hackney Archives, the Rio is interested in secret treasures residents may have hidden away.

"Home movies are a rich source of memories and key to unlocking and accessing our pasts," said Jemma Buckley, the audience development officer at the cinema. "8mm, 9.5mm, 16mm, Super 8 - we are interested in it all.

"Over the last 30 years, video players have eroded the need for home projectors and we are aware that film owners may no longer be in possession of the appropriate equipment to view this special footage at home.

"Some may even have inherited the films and never seen the content."

The Rio is staging a special home movie screening day when residents will have the opportunity to bring along their film reels and view them on screen.

Furthermore, the Rio is able to digitise this material - so it can be played and enjoyed again and again at home on DVD.

If you have any old film footage at home, or would just like to know more about the project, contact Jemma at the Rio by emailing jemma@riocinema.org.uk, or calling 020 7241 9419.

THE RIO - A SHORT HISTORY



* In 1909, Clara Ludski, the owner of an auctioneer's shop at 105 Kingsland High Street, recognised the growing potential of moving pictures and converted her shop into a 175-seat electric picture house. It was called the Kingsland Palace and was among the first full-time cinemas.

* Such was the success of the Palace that the building was extended in 1913 and opened two years later as the Kingsland Empire.

* Despite success, the Empire changed hands a number of times over the next two decades. By the mid-1930s it belonged to London and Southern Cinema Group, which was eventually brought out by Classic Cinema Group.

* In 1936, the London County Council inspected the building and thought it insufficiently ventilated. The balcony and auditorium were altered to ensure improved ventilation. This, with almost no alteration, is the Rio as it is today.

* The advent of television in the 1950s led to a decline in cinema audiences across the country. In an attempt to restore enthusiasm, the Dalston Classic became the Classic Cartoon Cinema and the Classic Continental Cinema.

* Following the relaxation of censorship laws, it relaunched as the Tatler Cinema Club in 1970, offering a steady stream of blue movies with only a quick breather for horror films on Friday nights.

* Audiences were not convinced, however, and four months later, the grand tradition of the cinema variety was revived in the form of live strip shows. In 1971, the Tatler returned to showing general release films at weekends. It survived in this dual role until 1975 when it became the Dalston Classic once again - but only briefly as Classic decided to close the cinema in 1976.

* The building was re-opened in April, 1976, by Dalston businessman Paul Theodorou, with a new name - the Rio. However, Mr Theodorou was unable to make a success of the venture and soon agreed to sell the lease to residents who wanted to open the building as a community arts centre.

* In 1977, the Rio Cinema Working Party approached Hackney Council for funds to buy the building. The council agreed to finance the purchase of the sub-lease and made the working party the new managers of the building. The Rio became a not-for-profit company and a registered charity.

* By 1995, the Rio was badly in need of extensive refurbishment. The Arts Council funded the revamp, which was completed in 1999. The building was awarded grade two listed status.