2nd June 2026    The Old Oak

Ken Loach pictured at Cannes Film Festival where he holds the record for the most films in
main competition with 15 selected for the prestigious prize. Ken will be 90 years old in June 2026.
Image: Georges Biard, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Ken Loach  2023  •  UK  •  1hr 53mins
David Turner, Ebla Mari, Claire Roberson, Trevor Fox , Amna Al Ali

Drama  •  Rating: 15

Set in a former mining town in the northeast of England during the Syrian civil war (circa 2016), the only place where the community can meet is a rundown pub: the Old Oak. The pub’s landlord, Tom Ballentyne (TJ), is a kind-hearted man, but worn down by life. He’s divorced and his son no longer speaks to him.

When a coach full of Syrian refugees arrives in the town and they are given housing, the residents are up in arms. A scuffle breaks out and the camera of a refugee photographer gets broken. Tensions rise ever higher, especially when TJ lets the refugees use the Old Oak’s back room, which has previously been off-limits to locals.

However, news of a far-off tragedy brings compassion and empathy to many in the town.

Notable films by Ken Loach: Poor Cow, Kes, Sorry We Missed You and Palme d’Or winners: I, Daniel Blake and The Wind That Shakes the Barley. He is only one of 10 filmmakers to win the award twice.

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A brief reminder about buying tickets:
To buy a ticket in WOW, you need to show your membership card, or at least tell them your membership number. You can buy a ticket for another member if you have their membership card. This is intended so that if you’re coming to a film with a friend, partner, etc, you don’t both have to go to WOW. We would ask you not to buy more than one or two extra though.

You can occasionally bring a guest – for instance if you have someone visiting you who is unlikely to come again. But local people, especially if they are intending to come more that once, should become members.

Non-members can buy a ticket for a film from WOW, but need to get a membership form from them and bring it (completed) when they come to the film. Membership is free.

Above all, please do not put the staff in WOW in the position of having to make difficult decisions on our behalf.

• Tickets will remain on sale (unless sold out) until midday on the day of the film.
• Please only pay using cash (to help WOW keep the ticket money separate from their own sales).
• Please note we no longer sell tickets on the door on film night.
• We would like to emphasise that the staff at WOW are doing us a massive favour by selling our tickets, purely out of good will. We hope our members will return that good will, even when they are disappointed when a film is sold out.

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Hythe Community Cinema

Our aim is to screen films from around the world and to promote enjoyment of the artistic medium of film.

We have a reputation for being friendly and welcoming. Our audiences have steadily grown since we started in 2011 as The Hythe Film Society. Before the pandemic, we regularly had audiences of over 100, although for the moment we’ve imposed a limit of of 88.

As well as showing a main film each month, we have sometimes also had a talk by a visiting speaker, some extra short films or a get-together over a drink after the film.

Wine and soft drinks are for sale before the films.

New members (there is no charge for membership) are always welcome – more details below.

Where

The Hythe Community Cinema is at the Tin Tabernacle, Portland Road, Hythe, Kent, CT21 6FL. Full disabled access, but please let us know if you have particular requirements.

For map, directions and information about parking, please click here.

When

7.30 on the first Tuesday of the month, from October to July. Doors open at 7.00.

Membership

We are a film society and so, to come to a film, you need to join the Hythe Community Cinema. Membership is free and every member will receive a membership card. The minimum age is 16. To join, please:

• either email us your details (hythecommunitycinema@gmail.com)
• or get a membership form from WOW and bring it with you when you come to your first film. You can buy your first film ticket from WOW! before you have received your card. 
  

When you join, we will need your name. We will also ask for contact details (address, email, phone number) which are useful both for you and us (for instance in the unlikely event of a change of date), but giving these is optional. We will never pass on your details to a third party without your permission.

Entry

Tickets are £5, bought in advance from WOW! in the High Street, usually during the three weeks up to midday on the day of  the film.

We are no longer selling tickets on the night.

We regret we are unable to refund the cost of unused tickets.

Guests

As we are a society, we expect the great majority of people who come to our films to be members. However, there will be occasions when, for instance, members have someone staying with them from elsewhere who will only ever be coming to a single film. In such cases guests will be welcomed, but will need to be signed in by a member.

About us

For more information about us, please click here.

Contact us

For information about how to contact us, please click here.

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The photograph at the top of this page incorporates the Hythe Crest. The crest is reproduced courtesy of Hythe Civic Society and designed by ARC Creative.

 

 

Tickets to our films are sold at WOW, 76 Hythe High Street.