Screening Information

Please treat Wellington Film Society volunteers and fellow members with patience and respect at all times

• In 2024, we had a small number of instances of rude behaviour from members. These screenings are only possible due to the volunteer labour of our committee and because of the fees paid by members in our community. Any rude or aggressive behaviour will not be tolerated.
• Be considerate of the experience of others during the film. Do not talk or use your phone: this is distracting for others and disrupts everyone’s viewing experience. If you notice someone else using their phone, you’re welcome to politely tell them to stop using it. 

If this your first time attending, you need to collect your card and then head upstairs to the cinema

• If you’ve signed up in advance of opening night, come along and collect your membership card from our information desk on the ground floor of the Embassy Foyer. 
• Opening night is usually very busy, so we have provided new members with a digital temporary e-pass they can show if the line to collect cards is too long.
• You can use your card or e-pass to gain access to screenings. A three film sampler will be clipped each time you see a film, and a full year membership card just needs to be shown to our volunteers at the cinema door.
• You then can enter the cinema and find yourself a seat.

Our membership desk opens 30 minutes before each screening time 

• Our volunteers run a membership desk in the Embassy foyer on the ground floor before each film. It opens at least 30 minutes before the film starts and closes 10 minutes before. This is to ensure the films run to time for the hundreds of members who attend each screening.
• To avoid a wait and to make the process faster, we encourage members to join or renew memberships online, at least several hours before the desk opens. This will give our volunteers time to prepare your membership card.
• If you need to collect your membership card, or join or renew in person, please arrive at least 15 minutes before the film’s start time.  
• If you arrive later than the time described above, our volunteers may not be able to help you. 

You must show a valid membership card at the door to attend screenings

• If you’re a current member, please check your card for its expiry month. Your card is valid until the end of that month.
• Please show our volunteers at the cinema doors your valid membership cards. They keep a count of the number of people attending for health and safety reasons and for our records. If your card has expired, you can renew at the desk downstairs.
• If you are using your one-time ‘bring a buddy’ pass, or a three film sampler, your card will be hole punched by one of our volunteers. 
• Please note that a three film sampler is only valid for one person and cannot be shared. Once you’ve used your three passes, you can upgrade to a full membership by paying the difference in price ($80 for an adult, $70 for a student, senior or beneficiary).
• If you’re using your ‘bring a buddy’ pass, please ensure your guest is with you when you come to the cinema entrance. This pass is only redeemable for one guest per full membership (one guest, once per year).

We will open the doors to the Embassy Grand 20 minutes before the screening time

• If you arrive early, there are lounge areas at the Embassy, including the Black Sparrow Bar downstairs, for you to wait in. 
• If a queue forms, please ensure that it snakes downstairs and not in front of the candy bar. 
• When we have a tight turnaround before the second screening there may be a delay in opening the cinema doors while our volunteers clean the cinema. Please be patient, and we will try to keep the second screening time as close to 8.30pm as possible.
• We recommend you arrive early enough to purchase drinks and snacks, and use the bathroom, before you enter the theatre. 

We do not allocate seating at our screenings

• As you enter the cinema you can choose where you wish to sit based on what is available. 
• We encourage members to not leave gaps between groups, especially in the centre block of seats which are most popular. 
• We reserve seats for our volunteers, members with mobility or health needs, and late arrivals. Seats reserved for late arrivals should be left empty until the film starts, where possible.

We are committed to making our screenings accessible to all members

• Accessible seating can be found in Row F, the front row of the main seating block as you come in. This is available to anyone with mobility or health needs, along with their partner or friend. There will be ‘reserved’ cards on these seats.
• We remove seats to make space for wheelchairs and can remove more if you need.
• For our designated accessible seating, self-recognition is the order of the day. If you have mobility or health needs, including issues or those caused by a temporary injury or illness, and find the steps too taxing, please sit in one of these seats and enjoy the film. Please be aware that not all needs are visible.
• There is also a lift to the left of the entrance foyer, so that your whole experience can be step-free!
• Bluetooth headsets are available at the Candy Bar for anyone who might have trouble hearing the film.

We start the film at the screening time

• We attempt to start the film as close to the advertised screening time as possible (6pm or 8.30pm). We do not play trailers or advertisements before the film, so please ensure you’re seated by the advertised start time. 
• We occasionally have announcements from committee members or guest speakers, these start at the advertised start time and are kept brief.

When the film ends, please exit the cinema promptly and dispose of your rubbish

• Once the credits end, please make your way out of the cinema in a timely manner and throw rubbish away into the bins provided. Glasses can be returned to the side of the candy bar counter. 
• Our volunteers clean and tidy the cinema after screenings. At times we have some tight turnarounds between the first and second screening, so we would appreciate your help to keep things moving smoothly.