The Watermark has entered the British Independent Film Award’s (BIFA) inaugural Cinema of the Year award, supported by Kia and are calling on their patrons and the local community to vote for them to ensure they secure a nomination for this award.

In July, cinemas nationwide were invited to enter and tell BIFA why their cinema is so special.

Voting amongst cinema goers has now opened and closes on September 22.

A specially selected jury will then select the nominees, taking into account audience votes and the cinemas’ submissions.

Five nominees will be announced on November 3 along with the rest of BIFA’s 2025 Awards nominees.

Cinemagoers can vote from November 3 to 24 to decide the winner, to be revealed at the BIFA ceremony on Sunday November 30.

There is nothing quite like the communal experience of watching a film on the big screen and we want to celebrate the special cinemas around the country that are at the heart of their communities, bringing audiences together and championing independent film.

This summer, BIFA launched the Cinema of the Year Award supported by Kia and over 130 cinemas are taking part.

A jury will select the nominees and winner, taking into account audience votes and the cinemas’ submissions.

Five nominees will be announced along with the rest of the nominees for BIFA 2025 and cinemagoers can to decide the winner.

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.