The Old Oak (15)

The screening at 7.30pm on Wed 1 Nov is in association with Beacon Films and will be a relaxed screening for autistic people, learning-disabled people, and/or those with access requirements. The screenings at 7.30pm on Wed 1 Nov and at 2pm on Thu 2 Nov will have descriptive subtitles. The screening at 2pm on Thu 2 Nov will be relaxed for people living with dementia.

The latest film from visionary filmmaker Ken Loach. The Old Oak is a special place. Not only is it the last pub standing, but it’s also the only remaining public space where people can meet in a once thriving mining community that has now fallen on hard times after 30 years of decline. Landlord TJ Ballantyne hangs on to The Old Oak by his fingertips, and his predicament is endangered even more when the pub becomes contested territory after the arrival of Syrian refugees who are placed in the village without any notice.

In an unlikely friendship TJ meets a curious young Syrian, Yara, with her camera. Can they find a way for the two communities to understand each other? So unfolds a deeply moving drama about their fragilities and hopes.

Director: Ken Loach

Cast: Debbie Honeywood, Elba Mari, Trevor Fox, Neil Leiper

GALA SCREENING: A gala screening of The Old Oak, with a very special guest, will be presented on Wed 25 Oct at 7.30pm as part of the Tees Valley International Film Festival 2023. Please click here to book tickets for the gala screening. 

• Relaxed screening for autistic people, learning disabled people, and/or those with access requirements

  The screening will have some adjustments to make it more comfortable for audiences who may be autistic, learning disabled and/or those with access requirements. Anyone is welcome to attend, so long as you are respectful towards audiences with a range of access requirements, including people who may need to make a bit of noise or movement during a film.

  During this relaxed screening:

  • There will be no ads or trailers
  • The lighting will be turned up a bit
  • The sound will be turned down a bit
  • There is a chill-out space available if you need to take a break
  • You are able to make noise or movement during the screening if you need to
  • The screening will not be full of people – there will be plenty of space in the cinema
  • There will be friendly staff or volunteers on hand to help with anything you might need
  • The film will be screened with captioned subtitles
• Screenings with descriptive subtitles

  Descriptive subtitles, sometimes referred to as subtitles for D/deaf and hard-of-hearing people or captions, transcribe dialogue and relevant aspects of the soundtrack, including music and sound effects, attempting to give D/deaf and hard-of-hearing viewers an equal experience to those who are able to watch films without descriptive subtitles. Descriptive subtitles would include speech identifiers and descriptive elements such as [door slamming] and [kettle whistling].

• Relaxed screenings for people living with dementia

  Every Thursday at 2pm we have relaxed screenings for people living with Dementia. During these screenings, the lights will remain at a higher level throughout the screening, and sound levels will be lower. (As they are new releases we’d recommend checking the BBFC information about the films’ ratings, which is available on the film listings on our website.)

• Seating accessibility info

  Cinema

  Seat size

  Seats in the Cinema are 45cm (172/3“) wide and 46cm (18“) deep, are 40cm (152/3“) from the floor, and have 12cm (42/3“) between seats.

  Armrests

  Seats in the Cinema have armrests that do not fold away, and cannot be completely removed.

  Legroom

  Seats in the cinema have 30cm (112/3”) of legroom in front of seats, with additional legroom on row A and seats B1-B4 and B11-B14.

  Further information

  If you have any questions about accessibility our Box Office team are always happy to help and can be contacted on 01642 525199 or by emailing [email protected] - you can also tell us about your access requirements when prompted to do so during the online booking process.

• BBFC rating information (may contain spoilers)

  Violence

  A teenage boy is briefly attacked and held down by three youths.

  Language

  There is infrequent very strong language (‘c**t’), frequent strong language (‘f**k’), and milder terms (‘prick’, ‘dickhead’, ‘bastard’, ‘piss’, ‘shit’, ‘bastard’, ‘crap’, ‘arse’, ‘screw’, ‘Jesus’, ‘Christ’, ‘God’, ‘hell’).

  Sex

  During a group conversation, a man briefly uses a crude sexual euphemism.

  Discrimination

  The film contains an anti-immigrant discrimination theme and there are associated scenes of threatening behaviour, as well as racist language (for example, ‘raghead’). There are also scenes in which refugees are called ‘foreigners’ and told to go back to their own country. However, these scenes are both criticised and challenged, and the film as a whole promotes and encourages mutual respect and understanding.

  Sexual violence and sexual threat

  In one scene, a man reads an online post stating “No foreign paedos on our streets”.

  Suicide

  In a prolonged scene, a man tells a woman that he contemplated taking his own life. We see the man on a beach before he explains that a dog unexpectedly ran onto the beach, and that this intervention and subsequent bonding with the animal averted his intention to take his own life.

  Injury detail

  Brief footage showing the aftermath of a bomb blast includes sight of injured adults and children, with brief sight of bloody clothing.

  Theme

  Scenes of emotional upset include a prolonged scene in a which a woman grieves for her dead father. However, she is comforted by people in her community who provide companionship and sympathy.