Our favourite cinema: a fresh perspective

Earlier this month, Croydon’s only independent cinema began rolling out a new brand, alongside a new, more accessible website. The David Lean Cinema is a much-loved part of Croydon’s cultural scene, offering far more than film screenings. Alongside its diverse programme, there are post-film Q&As with directors and actors (I sat a metre away from Tilda Swinton once!), film clubs for different groups, and a huge volunteer network keeping everything running.

I’ve had the pleasure of working with the cinema team on the branding project in my day job as a graphic designer. My involvement began last Christmas, when I was invited along to one of the cinema’s committee meetings to discuss whether a new brand was worth exploring. Earlier in 2025, they had launched a new strategy – which we featured on the Croydonist – setting out ambitions to grow and diversify their audience. Almost a year after that first meeting, with the new look out in the world, I thought it would be interesting to catch up with some of the team to find out more about the cinema, why they decided it was time for a change, and what comes next.

Thank you to directors Sam Clark, Adrian Winchester and Andy Howe, as well as volunteers coordinator Harshida Amin, for chatting with me.

Croydonist: First of all, for any newer Croydon converts who might not know, who was Sir David Lean, and why is the cinema named after him?

Adrian: Sir David Lean was one of Britain’s greatest directors, responsible for classics that included Brief Encounter (1945); The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957); Lawrence of Arabia (1962); Doctor Zhivago (1965); and A Passage to India (1984). He received Best Director Academy Awards for Kwai and Lawrence. He was also one of the founders of BAFTA and its first chairman.

Sir David’s family lived at 38 Blenheim Crescent in South Croydon, when he was born in 1908, and he spent much of his youth in Croydon. When he died in 1991, the Croydon Clocktower project was in full swing and project architect Mike Patrick, who greatly admired Sir David’s films, proposed the cinema’s name in a meeting with Croydon Council officers. We’re pleased that the Council agreed, as we’re very proud of the connection. In fact Sir David’s widow Lady Sandra Lean was a special guest at a screening soon after the cinema opened in 1995.

Croydonist: The cinema was saved from closure by a passionate group of volunteers and reopened in 2014. More than 12 years later, it’s still volunteer-led. How many people are involved in keeping it running, and are you always looking for new recruits?

Harshida: We’re a community effort, with volunteers involved in everything from welcoming audiences and running our bar, to stewarding, projecting films and keeping the cinema going behind the scenes. There are around 100 volunteers involved at the moment, and we’re always delighted to hear from people who’d like to join us. You don’t need to be a film expert – just enthusiastic and willing to get involved. It’s a lovely way to meet people and help keep something special alive in Croydon.

Croydonist: What do you think makes the David Lean Cinema different from other cinemas?

Adrian: It has always been a friendly, welcoming venue, which helps explain why some afternoon screenings are as popular as evening ones. You can relax and watch films in a distraction-free environment and the cinema’s setting adds to its charm, because you enter via the Victorian doors of the Town Hall’s original lending library and discover a compact but comfortable 1990s auditorium.

The programming has always been a diverse mixture of art house releases and more mainstream films, but because our team includes enthusiasts who go the extra mile to offer rare opportunities, we sometimes present films and Q&As that you’re unlikely to find anywhere else. We’re also the only London venue south of The Cinema Museum that regularly presents 35mm screenings.

Left: Joanna Scanlan. Right: Joanna presenting the annual Christmas quiz with fellow actor Aimee Lou Wood.

Croydonist: How did Joanna Scanlan become your patron, and what does her involvement mean to the cinema?

Harshida: We’re delighted to have Joanna Scanlan as our patron. Having someone of her standing in the film and television world supporting an independent, community-led cinema means a great deal to us. It helps raise our profile and reinforces the importance of keeping spaces like ours alive, where people can discover films beyond the mainstream.

Joanna is local to the Croydon borough, and we approached her three years ago about being our patron and she responded enthusiastically from the get-go and has been a joy to work with ever since. She continues to offer us industry insights, introduces us to actor and director contacts and challenges us to think of new projects.

Croydonist: Turning to your new identity, what prompted the decision to explore a rebrand? What had changed since the cinema reopened in 2014?

Sam: When the cinema reopened in 2014, the priority was to bring it back to life and make sure it had a future. More than 12 years on, we’re still doing that, but the cinema has grown, Croydon has changed, and the way people discover films has changed too. We felt it was the right time to look at how we present ourselves and make sure our identity reflects the cinema we are today, while staying true to the community spirit that got us here.

Croydonist: Branding can sometimes be seen as a bit of a dirty word (thanks to some big corporates we won’t name!), but why do you think it was important to rethink how the cinema presents itself and communicates with audiences?

Sam: For us, this isn’t about branding for branding’s sake. It’s about making it easier for people to find us, understand what we offer and feel that the cinema is somewhere for them. We have a wonderfully loyal audience, but we’d love more people across Croydon to discover us too. A clearer, more consistent identity helps us tell our story, whether someone sees a poster, visits our website or comes across us on social media.

Croydonist: A new logo doesn’t just happen overnight (or at least it shouldn’t!). How did you approach the process, and who was involved in shaping the final brand?

Andy: We started with a clear view of what we wanted. That is, to retain the history of our cinema from the Croydon Council days through the Save the David Lean Cinema Campaign to now, maintaining our strong connection with David Lean and his legacy, whilst creating a fresh, timeless, striking image that we could apply to all our communication media. A tall order perhaps, but during the creative process we were presented with three different design options for our team to select and develop!

We surveyed our volunteers, supporters and community partners and asked them what they felt was special about the cinema and what they wanted people to feel when they visited. The answers came back to our programming, the shared experience of watching a film, and our connection to David Lean and Croydon. From there, we worked through how those ideas could translate into a new visual identity across our website, posters, programme and other communications. It was important that the result felt distinctive and contemporary, but still unmistakably us.

The chosen design takes inspiration from the proportions of the cinema screen, with two frames creating a simple, distinctive mark rooted in the experience of watching a film. Those screen proportions also carry through into our layouts, allowing film imagery to take centre stage and giving our communications a more immersive, cinematic feel. It gives us a flexible identity that works across everything from our printed programme to social media.

During this process we worked hard to communicate with our volunteers and patrons to involve them as the project developed and held a preview session with them in advance of the launch.

Croydonist: The new logo moves away from the familiar black-and-white portrait of Sir David Lean. How did you approach celebrating his legacy while creating a brand that would connect with today’s audiences?

Adrian: We find that recognition of Sir David’s films significantly exceeds awareness of his name. We therefore intend to say more about his achievements and approach to filmmaking, sometimes using quotes and photographs that show him at work. It takes time to identify suitable images and address copyright issues, but this approach should start to become visible soon.

Our new line, ‘See the world. One film at a time’, also connects his legacy with what we offer today, as a contemporary, independent cinema. Lean’s films transported audiences to different countries, periods and lives, and we want our programme to offer that same opportunity to discover different perspectives through cinema. His filmmaking and spirit of discovery remain central to our identity.

Croydonist: Alongside the new brand, you’ve launched a new website. What improvements will visitors notice, and how do you hope it will encourage more people to discover what’s on?

Andy: We wanted to make the website simpler and more welcoming, so people can find out what’s on, explore the programme and book a film without having to hunt around. It’s designed to be easier to use on phones as well as computers, with clearer information and a more accessible experience. Hopefully, it will help regular visitors keep up with what’s happening, while making it easier for someone who’s never been to us to find a film that catches their eye and come along.

Croydonist: The cinema already works with a wide range of local community groups and offers an eclectic programme of films and events. Looking ahead, what would you most love to see the David Lean Cinema achieve?

Sam: I’d love to see us reach even more people across Croydon, particularly those who might not yet think of an independent cinema as somewhere for them. We want to keep building relationships with local groups, welcome younger and more diverse audiences, and continue showing films that entertain, challenge and broaden our horizons. Above all, I’d love us to remain a place where people feel welcome, discover something unexpected and share a really memorable experience.

Croydonist: And finally, what should we be looking out for in the programme over the coming months – including any special screenings celebrating Sir David Lean?

Adrian: We’re looking forward to offering two David Lean opportunities. Wednesday 16 December is the 80th anniversary of the London premiere of Great Expectations (1946), so we’re marking this with two screenings. We also intend to schedule the new documentary Maverick: The Epic Adventures of David Lean, which received complimentary reviews following its Cannes premiere. A UK release is coming soon, so we hope to show it in January.

Thanks again to Sam, Adrian, Andy, and Harshida for chatting with me.

You can find out more about the David Lean Cinema on their website and follow them on Instagram and Facebook. Why not book a film and visit the cinema on Level 1 of Croydon Clocktower, Katherine Street, CR9 1ET.