BLACK MOON FILM CLUB CASE STUDY
Black Moon Film Club hosts screenings all over Northern Ireland, with a home in Belfast's Black Box arts venue in the Cathedral Quarter area of the city. The film club has been supported by Film Hub NI who offer funding and audience development support to film exhibitors in Northern Ireland. Black Moon Film Club is an inclusive event.
ABOUT BLACK MOON
Black Moon Film Club originated from the Black Moon club night that has been running for 5 years at Black Box arts venues in Northern Ireland. Black Moon is a night for and by adults with learning disabilities – giving people a chance to socialise in a modern environment, meet new people and learn new skills. The night also furthers Black Box’s desire to be a safe and neutral place for everybody. It was set up with support from the Now Project, which focuses on helping people gain life/work experience so that they can improve their employability prospects. At the Black Moon club night attendees are encouraged to have a go at producing DJ sets, whilst getting support from Black Box staff. They have groups coming from Omagh, Bangor and Carrickfergus each month and they are often joined by Mencap’s Livenet project, an initiative that focuses on making technology more accessible.
SCREENINGS
Black Moon Film Club have had screenings in arts venues such as the Black Box in Belfast, the Nerve Centre in Derry/Londonderry, in pubs and clubs in Lurgan and Enniskillien and community venues such as Involve House in Magherafelt. Recently they have hosted events such as a sing-a-long double bill of Grease and Little Shop of Horrors, the original Hairspray, The Breakfast Club, the Back to the Future trilogy and Japanese anime classics such as Howl’s Moving Castle. They also recently put on a screening of The Lego Movie at The Hive in Belfast as part of Disabled Access Day. Disabled Access Day takes place across the UK on 17 January and encourages people with disabilities to go to public venues that they haven’t been to before and reflect on how accessible they are. The screening was part of the ‘Hive Bargainers’ project – a guide for people with disabilities on the best deals and best access-friendly venues in the social and entertainment sector in Belfast. This year, Black Moon Film Club got involved in the Belfast Film Festival putting on two Autism friendly screenings, showing Ice Age and Spirited Away. In addition to these screenings they also showed The Grand Budapest Hotel as an alternative for parents and friends.
‘What plans do we have for the future? We plan to take over the world! We are doing some research into the viewing habits of people with learning disabilities, so from that we hope to explore new opportunities and ways in which to watch film!’
Sarah Jones, Black Box
Black Moon Film Club:
Black Box:
Now Project:
Mencap:
Film Hub Northern Ireland: