Shorter films are key to cinema survival, says Picturehouse boss

Film directors should think twice before letting their movies run for more than three hours if they want them shown widely in cinemas, according to Clare Binns, creative director of Picturehouse Cinemas.

Binns made the comments after being named the recipient of this year’s BAFTA award for outstanding British contribution to cinema. Her remarks come amid growing concern across the industry that film runtimes are becoming too long for audiences and cinemas alike.

In recent years, several high-profile releases have crossed the three-hour mark, including Killers of the Flower Moon by Martin Scorsese and The Brutalist by Brady Corbet. Festival organisers have warned that such extended runtimes make cinema scheduling increasingly difficult.

“You could take 20 minutes out”

Binns said directors need to remember they are making films for audiences, not just for themselves.

“I often look at films and think: you could easily take 20 minutes out of that,” she said. “There’s no real need for films to be that long. If people feel uncomfortable about what they’re committing to, they’re less likely to come back to the cinema.”

While Picturehouse does include intervals when filmmakers build them into their films, long runtimes still limit how cinemas can operate. “Sometimes it means you can only have one evening showing,” Binns explained. “That should be a wake-up call.”

A career built on championing cinema

Binns has worked in cinema for more than 40 years. She began as an usher at the Ritzy cinema in Brixton in 1981, later ran Zoo Cinemas, and joined Picturehouse in 2003. Over her career, she has supported a wide range of filmmakers, from major British directors to emerging independent voices.

Like many cinema chains, Picturehouse has faced major challenges in recent years. Covid lockdowns, the slow return of audiences, and the 2023 Hollywood writers’ and actors’ strikes all disrupted the industry.

Earlier this month, Leonardo DiCaprio questioned whether audiences still had the appetite for cinema after one of his recent films struggled at the box office.

Binns, however, said cinemas are now recovering. “We’re in a much better place than we were two years ago,” she said. “People got used to watching films at home, but that’s starting to change.”

Young audiences and classic films

She pointed to renewed interest in repertory cinema as a positive sign. “We’re seeing young audiences coming in to watch classic filmmakers like Alfred Hitchcock and Agnès Varda on the big screen,” she said.

Still, Binns warned about growing consolidation in the industry, including Netflix’s interest in buying Warner Bros. Discovery. “Any big studio shake-up is unsettling,” she said, while noting that cinema has survived many predicted endings before.

Local cinemas need support

Binns also highlighted the importance of local cinemas as community spaces. She has led projects linking cinemas with local organisations and warned that closures were “definitely something to worry about”. She called for measures such as VAT reductions to help keep them open.

“Local cinemas get people out of their houses and bring communities together,” she said. “If they disappear, it’s a real tragedy.”

Binns will receive her Bafta award at the ceremony on 22 February. Calling it an “incredible honour”, she said it recognised not just her work, but the wider cultural value of cinemas.

“I’m one of many people trying to keep great films on the big screen,” she said. “Cinema still matters, both culturally and commercially.”