UK Cinema Chief Calls for Shorter Movies: ‘There’s No Need for Films To Be That Long'

Clare Binns, creative director of Picturehouse Cinemas, claims that longer runtimes are hurting the movie industry.

Speaking after she was announced as the recipient of the BAFTAs' Outstanding Contribution to Cinema award on Monday, Binns cited Brady Corbet's The Brutalist as a recent example of audiences being deterred from cinemas due to longer films.

"There's always exceptions," Binns told The Guardian, "but I look at a lot of films and think: "You could take 20 minutes out of that."" She went on to add that longer movies don't just pose a problem to audiences' comfort, but also to theater scheduling. The longer a film runs, the fewer times it can be shown in a single day.

The Brutalist was an eye-opening case for this, as Picturehouse programmed the film with a brief intermission and saw first-hand how this impacted viewership. "I think it’s a wake-up call to directors. If they want their films in cinemas, people have to feel comfortable about what they’re committing to," Binns said.

The future of movie theaters across the globe has been in jeopardy for several years now, but Binns assures that her comments don't forebode the end of the cinematic experience. She describes Picturehouse as being "in a much better place" than it was two years ago, which proves that audiences are still keen to immerse themsleves in the community of cinema.

"We’re seeing young audiences coming in to watch Hitchcock and Agnès Varda on the big screen," Binns added, referring to Picturehouse's attempts to enhance the theatrical experience through retrospective programs and live events with cast and crew. These kinds of interactive events, in conjunction with bold, original stories, are crucial to maintaining the sanctity of cinemas, Binns argues.

While many creatives have championed the existence of longer movies, Binns observes that it simply isn't a sustainable model for theaters—and directors must remember they're "making the film for an audience, not [themselves]".

The Picturehouse director will receive her BAFTA during the televized ceremony on February 22, which will be hosted by The Traitors' Alan Cumming. The nominations for film and television categories will be announced by Aimee Lou Wood and David Jonsson on January 27.