Hoylake Community Cinema: Secrets & Lies

Star-studded Film at Community Cinema

Screening of Secrets & Lies (15)

Friday 31 August

Doors open at 6:30 pm, the film starts at 7:30 pm

At The Parade, Hoylake Community Centre, Hoyle Road, Hoylake

Licensed bar and homemade snacks available

Tickets cost £5, available online at www.hoylakecommunitycinema.co.uk;
From Urbane, Market Street, Hoylake; Staacks, Banks Road, West Kirby; The Parade, Hoylake Community Centre, Hoyle Road; or on the door on the night

Two of Britain’s “national treasures”, actors Brenda Blethyn and Timothy Spall, star in this month’s film, Secrets & Lies, on 31 August. Although credited with writing the screenplay, Director Mike Leigh said the film was largely unscripted after he had told the actors about their roles and asked them to make up their lines.

The film tells how Hortense, an adopted black optometrist, sets out to trace her family history. She discovers that her mother, Cynthia, is working class and also white. When they finally meet – in a scene filmed in one uninterrupted take and lasting 8 minutes – there is added authenticity because Cynthia was not told beforehand that her daughter was black and insists there had been a serious mistake. However, Cynthia later admits that Hortense was conceived while on holiday in Benidorm and the father was a black American medical student. The reactions of Cynthia’s family to the news that she has a black daughter, revealed at a family barbecue, forms the basis of much of this powerful and moving film. Over time each family member gradually accepts Hortense and lasting friendships are formed.

At the 1996 Cannes Film Festival Secrets & Lies won the prestigious Palme D’Or award and Brenda Blethyn won Best Actress. The film also won BAFTA awards for Best Actress in a Leading Role (Blethyn), Best Film and Best Screenplay.

Tickets for Secrets & Lies cost £5 and are available from gift shop Urbane, Hoylake; Staacks, Banks Road, West Kirby; The Parade, Hoylake Community Centre; on the door on the night; and online at www.hoylakecommunitycinema.co.uk. Doors open at 6.30 pm; the film starts at 7.30 pm. There is a licensed bar selling homemade snacks, and a quiz after the film with prizes for the winner and runner-up. Hoylake Community Centre has full disabled access and is induction loop enabled for the hard of hearing.