Nearly 2,000 Wellingtonians are spending their Monday nights at the movies, as the Wellington Film Society continues to grow its audience at The Embassy Theatre.
The volunteer-run society, now in its 80th year, has seen membership rise sharply in recent years, climbing from around 700 before COVID-19 to just under 2,000 in 2025.
Screenings take place most Monday evenings at the Embassy’s Grand Theatre, where up to 750 seats regularly fill with a mix of office workers, students and retirees.
Vice president Johnny Crawford said the appeal of watching films on the big screen has remained strong despite changes in how people consume media.
“People crave this experience. Even when venues close and conditions are unfavourable, that feeling of wanting to have these experiences does not go away,” he said.
The 2026 programme includes more than 30 films from around the world, running from February through to December.
President Harry Evans said younger audiences had increasingly been drawn to the screenings.
“I think one of the reasons for that appeal to younger audiences is the fact that it provides an opportunity to focus on something,” he said.
“We all need that social pressure to completely focus on a film and to not go on our phones.”
One of the highlights of this year’s programme is the return of the society’s live cinema event in July, where a silent film is accompanied by a newly commissioned score performed by local musicians.
This year’s feature is The Wind, directed by Victor Sjöström, with music by Wellington-based artists Hara and Thomas Arbor.
The second screening of the event will be open to the public, not just members.
The society is also planning its first mini film festival weekend in June, with a curated programme of films scheduled across several days.
Evans said the atmosphere created by audiences remains a key part of the experience.
“You’ll see groups of friends, people on their own, and families coming together,” he said.
“All of those different ways that we’re together form part of creating the atmosphere.”
Wellington holds UNESCO City of Film status, and Crawford said the society plays a role in maintaining that identity.
“We are a UNESCO City of Film, and I think it’s awesome for us to find ways to celebrate that status,” he said.
For many, that connection is felt each week inside the Embassy, where audiences continue to turn out for a shared cinema experience.
