Converted from a 1930s art deco car showroom, the Showroom is one of the biggest independent cinemas in Europe. It's also one of our absolute favourite places to be in Sheffield. Just across the road from the station and with its own bar and restaurant, it's easy to while away whole days here.
On any one day the Showroom's film listings may range from the latest subtitled indie drama from the continent to a hard-hitting piece documentary; a kids' classic from the 35mm vaults to a slasher movie barely aired since the early 80s. That's variety of a kind you just won't find anywhere else in Sheffield.
Its programme also includes educational seasons of talks and screenings, and on-stage performances beamed in live from the likes of the National Theatre, the RSC, Glyndebourne and the Bolshoi. Saturday Club keeps kids busy with crafts and films, and the Interactive club saves teenagers some pocket money. Early Doors, meanwhile, treats pensioners to coffee and cake, and Kino Bambino looks after parents and their newborns with baby-friendly screenings.
The monthly film quiz in the bar is tough enough to put the most expert of film buffs through their paces, while the free Showroom Shorts evenings are a great way to discover short, mostly local films over a drink and a chat. We were dead chuffed to have our own film featured in the programme once – we felt like proper filmmakers for an evening!
Keep a look out for annual festivals, which include the superb Doc/Fest, Sheffield Adventure Film Festival and, not for the faint of heart, Celluloid Screams horror film fest.
And while you're there, don't forget to pick up an ice-cream from the kiosk. It's homemade, and it's completely delicious.
Showroom features in a short film we made with Sheffield Hallam Uni, alongside a bunch of the city's other top cultural attractions – watch below.
- Words by
- Claire Thornley
- Images by
- Nigel Barker
