Honorata Mikołajew said the ‘excitement’ didn’t end there
Honorata Mikołajew, founder of Cinema Social Club in Liverpool(Image: Liverpool Echo)
A woman said she was “thrilled” when she spotted an unexpected audience member at a tiny film screening. Honorata Mikołajew, who lives in Edge Hill, is the brains behind Cinema Social Club – a community that gathers tri-monthly to enjoy thought-provoking productions.
The 45-year-old, originally from Poland, started the club in 2022 after a “fateful” conversation with a friend. Since then, the NHS worker has said it has gone from strength to strength in numbers, with more members turning up each time.
However, at the most recent event, and unbeknownst to Honorata, a familiar face to her appeared in the clique. The personal assistant for the University Hospitals of Liverpool group told the ECHO: “The audience keeps growing. We started off with 50 people, and now it’s doubled. It’s amazing to see the numbers each time.
“At the last screening, I hosted a Q&A with three-time Oscar nominee Agnieszka Holland. It was a rare opportunity to go behind the scenes with her. But the excitement doesn’t end there on the stage.
“The last time, I was thrilled to learn that Stephen Graham’s stepdad had come along to join in. That was an amazing moment. I was later told he spoke with Stephen about the screening and how it all went. It was a good feeling to have a full house, but seeing the likes of these people in the audience is great.”
Honorata Mikołajew is the brains behind Cinema Social Club(Image: Liverpool Echo)
Honorata has always been interested in the industry, having studied film direction and media in her home country of Poland before moving to the city 14 years ago. She “never dived into the film-maker lifestyle” but still wanted to support it when and where she could, and so Cinema Social Club was born.
She said: “I love spotlighting lesser-known productions, especially ones that spark conversations. I want everyone to come together and keep the magic of film alive.
“I feel Liverpool has been lacking a real sense of community cinema ever since Liverpool Small Cinema and Big Adventure Cinema closed their doors. And let’s face it, not everyone wants to spend their weekend nights in a pub.
“I wanted us to step in to fill this gap, offering an alternative for those looking for something a little more meaningful – watching fascinating films and actually talking about them. It’s like a book club but with movies and without the pressure of remembering what chapter you’re on.
The screenings currently take place on the weekend at the Museum of Liverpool. Honorata said the movies picked are ones that wouldn’t be able to be shown in Poland because of their content.
She said: “The films we watch would divide Poland because of what it shows. But nothing is black and white, we need to show all sides. If there is a problem, then we want to show it. We will criticise if we need to. Film is similar to art and painting, some people will like it and others won’t.
“I love Liverpool because it’s completely different. So many people are open-minded and interested in alternative culture. We had a screening in Birmingham where we didn’t have many show up, whereas that isn’t the case with Liverpool. It’s why I treat and call this place my home now.”