On trying to watch a film every single day for a year

Reflections on spending 447.5 hours in the cinema in one year

Like all good films this story has a beginning, a middle, and soon to be, an end.

In the beginning…

My love affair with film began as a young child walking hand in hand with my dad to our local cinema every weekend to become time travellers, adventurers and heroes for a couple of hours in the dark with a giant screen filled with imagination and dreams. The cinema became my world and I always knew I would end up working in film in some way or other and I have been fortunate enough to make a career out of the thing I love.

Just over a year ago, I learnt of a film charity called MediCinema, a charity that builds and manages cinemas in hospitals for children and for wounded soldiers. This service allows patients to escape with their families for a couple of hours and do something normal in an otherwise alien environment. I volunteered to help to bring the children from their wards to the cinema and saw the lift it gave them whilst we watched the film together. I met with the acting CEO afterwards and he explained how difficult it is to get funding and his worry that some of the cinemas would have to be removed. That didn’t sit at all well with me and, in a moment of heightened enthusiasm, I decided I had to do something.

I am no athlete, (running down the stairs is quite enough physical exertion for me), so I thought I would have to do something more relevant to the charity. Whilst at work one day it hit me: I watch a lot of films already, so why don't I try and watch a film every day for a year, documenting my journey while spreading the word about MediCinema? Easy I thought, but little did I know how wrong I was!

I decided that going to the cinema every day I physically could would have more impact, so that was the goal. If I’d watched all the films available at the cinema, or there were extenuating circumstances, I would allow myself to watch a film at home doing retro film nights, new DVD releases, Netflix and Sky Cinema releases. I asked for forfeits from the film community in case I gave up - they were extreme, including getting a tattoo from somebody that had never tattooed before and sleeping in a zombie camping environment - that really was all of the motivation I needed to keep it up and so it began.

The middle…

The first couple of months flew by. I’d recruited my family and friends to join in and come with me, it felt like I was having the best time whilst trying to do something good for other people… a real win win. I was seeing films that I would never normally see and I enjoyed every minute of the challenge.

I think it was at around Day 70 that I realised that this was a very long term commitment and that there would be no night off. The major challenges started to present themselves in the form of evening work events, family functions, illness, social events, going abroad five times... On one occasion, I had to go to a work event for the opening of London Fashion Week and after a few glasses of fizz, the time had flown by and I ended up literally running (in heels I might add) to get to the 11.40pm showing of Lion, which, half cut and emotions running high, completely broke my heart.

I could tell you about all 360 films to date and the crazy journey that I have been on, but I feel fairly confident that you have neither the time nor the interest to read about it. I've been keeping a proof of the challenge on Instagram, @afilmaday365, though, if you want to take a look back, (it’s the same on Facebook and Twitter too), but I thought I would share a couple of memories with you.

High points:

The film industry is generous and supportive. All of the distributors have been wonderful during this period. I’ve been sent to film premieres, screenings, set visits, award ceremonies, studio tours etc. It has definitely made this challenge one of the most memorable years of my life to date. But, I have become a bit of an old lady in the cinema and as it turns out, people frequently talk loudly, text, browse the internet a lot more than I had ever noticed and I have perfected a disapproving glare like no other.

My high point was amazingly on holiday in Las Vegas over New Year. We found a cinema and inside it was like something out of The Twilight Zone. They had clearly not seen real customers for days, if not weeks (and quite right too in the City of Sin) - we were the only people in the theatre and it felt truly immersive without any interruptions or waves of anger and frustration. We had a similar experience on Christmas Day in the UK (I should point out that the staff at our local cinema clearly think we’re insane). I have always thought I would one day tell them why we are in the cinema almost every day, but it has proven much more amusing to keep it to myself.

Low points:

A year is a long time, life has its ups and downs and some days have been really hard to find motivation; around Day 200 I felt exhausted. A couple of months ago I discovered that I myself am unwell and have been suffering from double vision, nausea and fatigue - that’s not the low point, people get poorly - but it has made going to the cinema difficult at times. My absolute low point was going to a very strongly visual film premiere and sitting in a 3D impact screen. I had a little tear the first time and had to walk out and get some air, but kept coming back in to watch the whole thing. I did it, but I couldn’t grasp the story very well.

My relationship with film:

I have realised that I still love film, I still love going to the cinema and I have learnt that I can appreciate all films - I even recently took a film from ‘The Bad Movie Bible’ to try to really challenge myself.

My family feel closer, we bond over films now. My husband is not from a film background, but now listening to his post film analysis makes me very proud indeed. I have laughed, cried, learned, screamed and cheered my way through a year in film and on reflection, I wouldn’t change a thing.

My favourite films:

I can’t put them in order because they are all so different and were great for very different reasons.

Best Surprise – The Hunt For The Wilderpeople

Most Tears Shed – Lion

Best Action – John Wick 2

Best True Story – Hacksaw Ridge

Best Superhero Film – Wonder Woman

Best Scares – Lights Out (I genuinely slept with Christmas lights around the bed)

Best Family Film – Moana

Best Retro Film – Stir Crazy

Best War Film – Dunkirk

The End…

Overall I have eaten 171 buckets of popcorn, I have spent 447.5 hours in the cinema (that’s 26,850 minutes). I have spent 201.5 hours travelling to and from the cinema, so in total 40.5 full 16 hour days going to the cinema and watching films. The challenge in total will have seen me watching around 730 hours (43,800 minutes) of film. There will not be a sequel year!

During my year of adventures in film, I discovered another wonderful project called The Backyard Cinema, it all began in the founder’s back garden (hence the name) and has grown from strength to strength into a permanent fixture in Mercato Metropolitano. Backyard Cinema is a themed, immersive experience aiming to evolve the way that we watch films. Throughout my challenge so far I have been on a couple of occasions (I saw ‘Forgetting Sarah Marshall’ and went to the Tarantino themed Chapel set up to watch ‘True Romance’) and have always admired the creativity, passion and pure love that goes into it.

I’m telling you this because Monday 7 August will be the last day of my challenge and I want to cross the finish line properly. Backyard Cinema has been kind enough to offer a charity screening with 100% of ticket sales going to MediCinema. They currently have a Miami Beach Theme, so, if you fancy it, you can trade your shoes in for flip flops, feel the sand between your toes, pick up a Pina Colada from the bar, grab your comfy beanbag chair and join me to watch my favourite film of all time, 1978's Superman, on the big screen.

You can pick up £10 tickets here. I’ve promised that, if it sells out, I will be wearing my Superman costume - it won’t be pretty, but it is for charity after all. If it does sell out, but you still feel donating, or even volunteering to help MediCinema you can do so here.