Small Cinema - Big Stars

There's to be a quirky launch for Northern Ireland-born Kenneth Branagh’s latest movie - it will premiere at La Charrette – a 23-seat cinema located in an old railway carriage.
Ironically though, ‘Alien Love Triangle’ - will be the last film to show at what the British Film Institute has recognised as the smallest cinema in Wales.
The 30-minute movie was made in 2002 by Danny Boyle, director of Trainspotting, 28 Days Later and Sunshine and features Hollywood stars Courtney Cox and Heather Graham.
The film, about a scientist - played by Branagh - who discovers his wife is a male alien was supposed to be one of three 30-minute short films shown alongside each other.
But it was never released and the other two other films, Mimic and Imposter, were turned into full-length features and the project was cancelled.
La Charrette, in Gorseinon, was due to close in November after it screened heist flick Ocean’s 13 but the cinema’s regulars were keen to give it a finale with a difference.
Chairman of the club Ron Williams who has visiting the cinema for the past 47 years said: “It is the end of an era and we wanted to out with a bang.”
The late Gwyn Phillips built the miniature cinema in his back garden after falling in love with celluloid as a teenager.
The premiere in La Charrette will be a black tie event. Branagh will appear and Courtney Cox is expected to send a video message.
Following the premiere La Charrette will be dismantled and may be moved to a heritage park in Gower.
The event will be filmed for The Culture Show and screened on BBC2 on Saturday, 1 March.
(DS)