Where are you located? 

From February 2019, the ANU Film Group will be located on the ground floor of the Cultural Centre within the new Kambri Precinct of the ANU in Canberra. It can be found as Building 153 on any ANU Campus maps.

You can also find directions to us on Google Maps:

Is there parking available? 

There is underground parking with 400 car spots below our building. This is a paid facility operated by CarePark, and pricing at time of writing is a $6 flat rate for entry after 5 pm on weekdays with the first three hours free on weekends and public holidays. You can visit the CarePark website for full details of CarePark’s parking rates.

There is also ample parking near the cinema, which is free at the time of our screenings. Please see the map below for the nearest recommended parking spots:

1. College of Business and Economics, entry via Union Lane (outdoor surface parking) – approx. 150 metres/2 minutes walk from cinema
2. Baldessin Parking Station (multi-storey parking and outdoor surface lot): approximately 450 metres/6 minutes walk from cinema
3. School of Music (two outdoor surface parking lots) – approximately 400 metres/5 minutes walk from cinema
4. Research School of Chemistry (outdoor surface parking lot) – approximately 300 metres/4 minutes walk from cinema

All of these parking spots are free after 5 PM on weekdays and all day on weekends, but we do encourage you to always check signage before parking as conditions may change.

There are also limited street parking spots along Childers Street, University Avenue, Hutton Street and North Road.

What do you use to screen films? 

We use professional digital cinema projectors and a 7.1 digital surround sound system – the same type of equipment used in commercial theatres. We screen all our films in our new 305-seat cinema on a 10-metre wide screen, one of the largest in Canberra.

Do you screen from DVD? 

We do not screen from DVDs, as the quality of the picture is not sufficient when shown on our 10-metre wide screen. All films are screened from professional digital cinema equipment, unless specifically noted.

How are you different from commercial cinemas? 

As we are not-for-profit, we offer a commercial movie-going experience at an incredibly cheap price: an Annual membership gives you entry into over 200 films for the average price of just six Adult tickets at your local cinema.

Plus, many of our members agree that seeing a film in a theatre full of movie lovers who aren’t afraid to laugh, cry or scream only adds to the experience. Simply put, the ANU Film Group is the best way to see movies in Canberra!

How do I become a member? 

To become a member of the ANU Film Group, you can join online or come along to any screening and join up in person. We recommend that you join in person if you’re going to attend a screening in the next few days after joining the group as online memberships may take a few days to process. We accept EFTPOS, Visa and Mastercard payment at screenings. More details, including available membership options, can be found here.

Do I need to be a student or staff member at the ANU? 

Absolutely not! While the ANU Film Group based at the Australian National University in Canberra, membership is open to anyone and everyone. You don't have to have any affiliation with the ANU – all you need is a desire to watch films in a full cinema setup for an excellent price.

Can I buy a ticket to just one screening? 

We aren’t able to sell tickets for individual films, but we do offer Weekly memberships that allow you to see as many films as you like within seven days of the date of purchase. These cost $15 each and are comparable in price to a single ticket at commercial cinemas.

Best of all, if you end up liking what you see, you can upgrade your Weekly to a full membership too. All you have to do is bring in your Weekly membership card up to two weeks after expiry and receive $10 off a full Annual or Season membership.

How long is my membership valid for? 

If you have purchased an Annual membership, it will be valid for exactly one year (365 days) from the date of purchase. Season memberships are valid for the duration of the specific season they were purchased during, which usually works out to be about three months.

If you are unsure of when your membership expires, you can ask the Duty Manager or door person at the next screening you attend, or alternatively send us an email.

What time do screenings start? 

All screenings start at 7:30 PM, with the exception of select Saturday sessions, which start at 5:00 PM. We do not screen adverts or trailers, so please ensure you arrive by the advertised start time to avoid missing the beginning of the film.

What time should I arrive? 

Doors will only open 30 minutes prior to the start of the screening, so there’s no reason to arrive any earlier.

If you’re joining up, be sure to come along at least 15 minutes before the start of the film (or earlier if you’re joining up towards the beginning of the season) to ensure sufficient time to fill out your membership form and find a good seat.

Can I just come along for the second film of a double feature? 

Yes. All double features include a ten minute intermission, however, so simply check the running time of the first film, and add 10 minutes to figure out the approximate start time for the second film.

Can I book seats in advance? 

Seating is not allocated and only available on a first come, first served basis. So if you’re picky about where you sit, be sure to come along early to save your seat.

What happens if there are no seats left? 

Our theatre seats 305 people but occasionally popular films can result in all of these seats being filled. If this is the case, we will double-check all of the seats to ensure they are taken before calling a full house.

Seating can only be guaranteed if you arrive no later than the advertised start time for the film. If a screening is full and a reasonable number of people are turned away before the scheduled start time, however, then a re-screening will be attempted for a later date and time to be advised.

For safety reasons, we are unable to allow people to sit in walkways or bring in additional seating.

How do I find out about unexpected screening changes? 

While we make every effort to stick to our scheduled programme, we will sometimes have to unexpectedly reschedule screenings due to circumstances beyond our control.

In the event of such changes, we will advise members as soon as possible through our electronic mailing list and via our website. Announcements will also be made at screenings and signs put up at the theatre, but our mailing list is by far the quickest way to receive such information, so be sure to sign up for it on the front page of this website.

What do I do if I’ve left something behind at a screening? 

Committee members usually do a quick check of the theatre after screenings to pick up any lost property. We have a small cupboard for lost property, so send us an email or check with the Duty Manager at your next screening and we’ll let you know if we’ve found it.

If the item is something of value (wallets or mobile phone, for example), it will be left with ANU Security's Lost and Found service for safekeeping. ANU Security is located in the Anthony Low Building (Building 124) near the John Curtin School of Medical Research.

Unfortunately, we are unable to store ‘lost’ husbands, wives, partners or children, so please ensure you take those home with you after each screening.

What is a ‘No Guests’ screening? 

Screenings that are marked as ‘No Guests’ screenings means that only members of the Group can attend the screening. This is usually reserved for more popular screenings, to ensure that there remain seats for our members.

Memberships will be available for purchase at all screenings, however, so a No Guests screening may be the perfect time to join up if you or your friends aren’t members yet.

Can I bring guests along to screenings? 

Members of the Group can bring guests along to screenings provided that the screening is not a ‘No Guests’ screening, you have sufficient guest passes left, and there are still seats left in the cinema.

Annual memberships include eight guest passes, while Season memberships include two guest passes. Your guest entitlements are electronically stored and the Duty Manager at each screening can tell you how many passes you have left.

Weekly memberships do not include guest passes.

Can I bring children along to screenings? 

Each member of the Group may bring up to two children (under 16 years of age) along for free to screenings that are marked ‘No Guests’. There is no restriction on the number of children admitted to other films, but this is subject to reason and at the discretion of the Duty Manager on the night.

All children must remain accompanied by the member during the screening, and entry is restricted by the film’s censorship rating.

What do I do if I’ve forgotten or lost my membership card? 

If you’ve forgotten your membership card on the night of a screening, we can look you up on your membership system provided you have some photo ID with you. Simply ask the Duty Manager to look up your details.

If you’ve lost your card and there is no chance of recovery, let the Duty Manager at any screening know and they will be able to cancel your existing card and issue you with a replacement on the spot at no charge.

Can other people use my membership card? 

Membership is non-transferable, meaning that only you may use your membership card to attend screenings. We occasionally conduct random ID checks, so if your membership card is found being used by someone else it will be confiscated, and your membership may be suspended with no refund given.

Is there anywhere to buy snacks and drinks prior to screenings? 

Our new home in the Kambri Precinct features an assortment of restaurants, takeaway outlets, cafes, bars, shops and much more. To find out more about what’s on offer, please visit the Kambri website.

Can I bring my own food in with me? 

You certainly can, just so long as you dispose of all rubbish in the bins provided after the screening. Committee members have to stay behind to clean up after each screening and it makes life so much easier if you throw your own rubbish away!

Alcohol is not permitted.

What opportunities are there for helping out? 

The ANU Film Group is run on a day-to-day basis by a committee of volunteers, who are selected each year at an Annual General Meeting, which is usually held towards the beginning of the screening year.

You can also volunteer to be a door person and help check in members and their guests at screenings. In addition, we also employ a small team of paid casuals as projectionists to operate the equipment and screen films.

For more information about the Annual General Meeting and getting involved, click here.

What do I get out of volunteering? 

In addition to making you feel all warm and fuzzy inside, volunteering at the ANU Film Group offers you the opportunity to take part in the running of a real cinema and Australia’s largest film society. Committee members are also routinely involved in everything from programming and film booking to marketing, graphic design, fundraising, event planning and much more. Running a film society takes a lot of work – but it's worth it!

Committee members and door people are usually also entitled to a complimentary membership. Plus, volunteering always looks good on your resumé!

How are films selected? 

Film selection is a lengthy process that can often take up to two months, taking into account what films are available from our distributor partners, when they are available, and how much they cost. This work is carried out by our volunteer committee members, so if it’s something you’re keen on getting involved with, find out more here.

In addition to this, we are always open to receiving suggestions from our members about what films they’d like to see on an upcoming programme. You can suggest new release films that are coming up, old favourites that you’d like to see back on the big screen, or even ideas for themed weeks, anniversary screenings or film festivals. Suggestions can be made any time by filling out a suggestion form.