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At Time Out we love an independent cinema. And while cinemas might be facing hard times at the moment, it’s not all bad news. We’re thrilled to say that the capital is getting a brand new indie movie theatre, and it’s going to be entirely dedicated LGBTQ+ films.
London's ‘first dedicated LGBTQ+ cinema’ has just been approved. The Arzner, named after Dorothy Arzner, a trailblazing lesbian filmmaker who was the first woman to direct a talkie, will open in late 2024.
The people behind the new cinema are Simon Burke and Piers Greenlees. They will open the Arzner as a picture house and cocktail bar in the former home of the Kino Bermondsey, an independent cinema (pictured above) which closed in 2023.
Speaking at a Southwark Council licensing meeting, Burke said the venue would give visitors ‘access to art house and independent film’.
Burke and Greenlees also own The Rising SE1, a gay bar in Elephant and Castle. ‘We are currently the only LGBTQ+ pub in SE1 and this to our knowledge will be the only LGBTQ+ cinema in all of London,’ Burke added in the meeting.
‘This licence will allow us to operate a safe space for all in one of the most LGBTQ+ densely-populated areas of the country.’
The Arzner hasn’t announced an opening date or programme yet, but we’ll keep you posted when we know more.
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