Your
Belmont
Memories

"I can't remember the name of the film, but it was a documentary about ageing people who play table tennis.

A whole group of people from a Aberdeen table tennis club were there and we smiled for the whole duration of the film.

The whole night was joyous!"

NB: The film might be Ping Pong (2012).

"One of the most memorable screenings of my life was seeing Old Boy in the tiny screen (Screen 3?) with just one other person, a total stranger. Aside from being able to watch such a great, niche, foreign film in a local cinema (nearly impossible now) when the credits rolled we both stood up and gave each other a well-needed hug after seeing such a bonkers and emotionally draining movie. Didn't say a word, and never saw them again! The power of cinema!"

"I have many great memories of The Belmont, but two stand out. The first was watching a film by Swedish film maker Roy Andersson, called A Pigeon Sat On A Branch Reflecting On Existence. With a title like that, I felt I had to see it. I had no knowledge of Anderssons prior work, and read a review which said that it was heavily influenced by surrealist film maker Luis Bunuel. And it was very similar, except it was a bit of a slog. There were three of us in the cinema, however what Ive never forgotten is one of them got up and left the cinema with about five minutes to go! I was a bit astonished, but then I thought maybe Roy Andersson would appreciate this, because like his film, it was a very surreal moment.

Second memory was in the Cinema One watching the Joy Division documentary. I was the only person in the cinema for the duration. First and only time it has ever happened, and although enjoyable, I hope this doesn't happen with the proposed new Belmont."

"The Belmont was a place where real magic occurred - a coming together of film lovers, of community, to share something special.

I saw films I loved that I'd otherwise never have seen on the big screen in Aberdeen - Beginners, Troll Hunter, Potiche, Iron Sky, to name just a few.

I first witnessed the glorious travesty of The Room and delighted in taking new people every time it screened.

I saw screenings of some of my all-time favourite cult films - Scott Pilgrim vs the World,Muppet Christmas Carol, Die Hard, Batman, and more.

I witnessed some of the most beautiful theatre through NT Live.

I attended talks and presentations and shows in the bar, the screens, everywhere possible.

It was - and can be again - a place for the community to come together."