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Motion · S6M-13114 · 7 May 2024

Glasgow Film Theatre Celebrates its 50th Birthday

Lodged by Paul Sweeney (Scottish Labour) Standard Motion 28 supporters

The motion

That the Parliament celebrates the golden jubilee of the Glasgow Film Theatre (GFT); understands that the building, which originally opened on 18 May 1939 as the Cosmo, derived from "cosmopolitan", and with a screen capacity of 850, was Scotland’s first arts cinema and the second purpose-built arthouse cinema in the UK; further understands that the architect was noted Scottish cinema designer, James McKissack, whose modernist design was greatly admired, and that this was his final project before his death; notes that the Cosmo was bought by the Scottish Film Council, the predecessor body of Scottish Screen and then Creative Scotland, and on 2 May 1974 became the GFT, subdivided into a 404-seat cinema in the former balcony and an exhibition space in the stalls, launching with a screening of Federico Fellini’s Roma; understands that the GFT has been independently run since 1986 and was category B-listed by Historic Scotland in 1988, the same year that it raised £425,000 to further develop the cinema by adding a second 142-seat screen and café-bar in the former stalls, which, in a nod to the cinema’s past, was named Café Cosmo; further understands that it underwent a further £1.6 million renovation in 2013, which included the addition of a third 60-seat cinema screen; believes that it is one of the only cinemas in Scotland that is still able to screen from 35mm and 70mm film; understands that GFT presents educational screenings, workshops, courses, events and outreach activities for schools, colleges, community groups and special interest groups, as well as hosting the annual Glasgow Film Festival, which is a platform for independent cinema and up-and-coming talent in Scotland, and wishes the GFT well in its wide-ranging 50th anniversary programme of screenings, including double bills, modern classics, arthouse favourites, late-night cult movies and special 35mm and 70mm presentations, which, it believes, all help to keep independent cinema alive in Glasgow.

Supporters (28)

Source: the Scottish Parliament motions and amendments record.