ABSTRACT
In this chapter, the author draws a connection between the ideas behind the interrupted screening, the historical exhibition practices that have inspired it, and its practical application in the contemporary context of UK film culture. Embedding interruptions in a screening, and thereby giving people some time to talk, becomes part of a collective experience, and starting to undo their background anxiety can produce the right climate for organising change. Regarding how the interrupted screening changed the way participants experienced the film, a few people mentioned that the format helped them remember what happened in the film in more detail and aided concentration. Introducing the interrupted screening for the first time using a film that does not exceed 90 minutes would allow us to gauge participants’ response to this format with a standard duration event. Finally, it is important to ensure that the filmmakers and/or the distributor are not against the film being shown with interruptions.
