After a very successful 19^th year Maldon Film Club is preparing already for its new season which begins on Tuesday, September 10 2024.

The season, which opens with the highly acclaimed Other People's Children, continues until May 28, 2025 with films being shown fortnightly on Tuesdays in 2024 and Wednesdays in 2025.

The Club meets at Maldon Town Hall, doors open at 7.15pm, wine and soft drinks are available, at a charge, from 7.30pm and unless notified to the contrary all films commence at 8pm.

Our first film of the new season, Other People's Children, tells the story of Rachael who is 40 and with no children.

Rachel loves her life, her students, her friends, her guitar lessons, even her ex. When she falls in love with Ali, she grows close to his 4-year-old daughter Leila. She tucks her in, looks after her, and loves her like a mother... which she isn't. Not yet. The desire for her own family is growing stronger, and the clock is ticking. Is it too late and what are the risks?

Our second film of the new season, to be screened on Tuesday, September 24, is the Oscar winning The Holdovers.

Nobody likes teacher Paul Hunham, not his students, not his fellow faculty, not the headmaster, who all find his pomposity and rigidity exasperating. With no family and nowhere to go over Christmas holiday in 1970, Paul remains at school to supervise students unable to journey home.

After a few days, only one student remains -- a trouble-making 18-year-old named Angus, a good student whose bad behaviour always threatens to get him expelled. Joining Paul and Angus is head cook Mary who caters to the sons of privilege and whose own son was recently lost in Vietnam.

These three very different shipwrecked people form an unlikely Christmas family sharing comic misadventures during two very snowy weeks in New England. The real journey is how they help one another understand that they are not beholden to their past-they can choose their own futures.  

The films to be screened from October to December include The Phantom of the Open, One Life, Perfect Days and The Last Bus and I am delighted to confirm that our programme from January 8 until May 28, 2025 has now been finalised.

The full timetable for the 20th Season is as follows:

10/09/24 - Other People's Children

24/09/24 - The Holdover

8/10/24 - Black Box

22/10/24 - The Phantom of the Opera

05/11/24 - One Life

19/11/24 - Pig

03/12/24 - Perfect Days

17/12/24 - The Last Bus

08/01/25 - 20 Days in Mariupol

22/01/25 - Wicked Little Letters

05/02/25 - Till

19/02/25 - 1976 (Chile 76)

05/03/25 - Scrapper

19/03/25 - All of us Strangers

02/04/25 - Anatomy of a Fall

16/04/5 - The Old Oak

30/04/2 - Casablanca

14/05/25 - The Eight Mountains

28/05/25 - The Great Escaper

The price of an annual subscription remains at £30 and this entitles members to free admission to all of the season's 19 films, that's less than £1.60 per film! In addition there are a limited number of places for junior members aged 16-18 in full time education and training at the reduced cost of £20.

As a member you will be asked to give your reaction to the films you have seen and also help the committee compile the programme for the following season. Membership is open to all and new members will be made very welcome. Members' guests pay just £4 per film!

For further details and an application form please visit the website, pop in to the Maldon Visitor Information Centre (Tuesday – Saturday between 1100 and 4pm) or phone 01621 869340 for membership enquiries.

Alternatively you are welcome to come along as my guest to the first film of the new season, meet members of the committee and pay your annual subscription on the night.

If you have any further questions please do not hesitate to contact John Salisbury on 07905 971608.