A cinema in Gwynedd has been chosen as one of just five nominees for a prestigious award, and needs your help to secure the win.

The Magic Lantern Cinema in Tywyn has been selected as one of five nominees for the British Independent Film Awards (BIFA) inaugural Cinema of the Year award, supported by Kia.

Over 130 cinemas entered and over 100,000 votes were cast by cinemagoers up and down the country. Then the final five nominees were selected by a specially appointed jury, taking into account the public vote and the cinemas’ contribution to their community, to environmental sustainability and to making cinema accessible for all.

Cinemagoers have until 25 November can to vote for their winner. The overall winner will be revealed at the BIFA ceremony on Sunday, 30 November.

Sara Hulls is the manager of The Magic Lantern Cinema. Speaking on behalf of the venue, she said: “We are so thrilled at this nomination and very proud of our dedicated team of staff who work incredibly hard to make The Lantern a real hub of our community, and very grateful to our audiences who are so supportive of everything we do.”

Nothing is quite like the communal experience of watching a film on the big screen and this new audience-voted BIFA award celebrates exceptional cinemas around the country that are at the heart of their communities, bringing audiences together and spotlighting independent film.

BIFA directors Amy Gustin and Deena Wallace said: “The outpouring of affection and passion from cinemagoers for their local cinema has been wonderful to see.

“Almost all of the over 100,000 people who voted took the time to tell us why their favourite cinema meant so much to them.

“These are cherished places of community, discovery and connection, exemplified by the five nominees for this inaugural award.”

Kia has been championing independent cinema and their communities since 2022. As a proud supporter of independent cinema and the screening of independent films, like BIFA, Kia is championing diverse and compelling stories that reach the big screen. That's why this year, Kia is proud to elevate their commitment to independent cinemas by partnering with BIFA on the first Cinema of the Year Award. This exciting new award allows local communities to celebrate their favourite cinemas by getting behind them and voting for them to win this prestigious award celebrating the UK's best independent cinema.

Steve Hicks, Marketing Director at Kia UK Limited said: “We're excited to partner with the British Independent Film Awards to recognise the very best cinemas in the UK today. It’s incredible to see that more than 100,000 film fans have spoken to name their favourite venues – with congratulations to the Magic Lantern for being among the very best. Nothing compares to the ‘big screen’ experience, and the nominees for Cinema of the Year are those that put their local communities at the very heart of the action, creating a memorable and enjoyable experience time after time.”

Vote for The Magic Lantern at http://bifa.film/coty-vote/themagiclantern