Open City Documentary Festival strives to be as accessible as possible so please contact us if you have any access needs on info@opencitylondon.com. 

Descriptive Subtitles

The following programmes will screen with descriptive subtitles, meaning that all audio heard in the film is captioned, including speech but also sound effects, music and other sound:

The Glass Booth + Return of the Bright Night + Morgenkreis 
Sat 18 April, 4:30pm, Close-Up.

National Pride: From Jericho to Gaza, Sun 19 April, 2pm, Close-Up.

The Ian White Lecture: Jordan Lord, Sun 19 April, 2pm, ICA.

Step-free access 

All festival venues are wheelchair accessible (see details for each venue below).  

Barbican – Cinema 1 is accessible via the Silk Street entrance to the Barbican Centre via lift. Two boxes at the rear of the auditorium each have space for one wheelchair user and a companion. Please book early and ask for these seats. Cinema 2 is located at Beech Street, a short walk from the Barbican Centre’s main Silk Street entrance. There are a couple of steep, dropped kerbs and an incline to negotiate between the two sites. The auditorium has three wheelchair spaces and a number of seats with step-free access. 

Bertha Dochouse – There is a lift and step-free access to the screen, with 1 wheelchair space in the cinema. 

BFI – Accessible by lift or step-free depending on which entrance you use.

Close-Up Cinema – There is wheelchair access and 1 wheelchair space in the cinema. There is a manual ramp available which staff can install over the step to enter the building from the street.

ICA – Cinema 1 and Cinema 2 are accessible via ramp. There is space for 2 wheelchairs in each cinema. Please let the ICA know about any accessibility requirements at the time of booking as they may need to adjust the seats in advance. Both cinemas are fitted with induction loops for those wearing hearing aids. 

Rich Mix – The main entrance can be accessed via a ramp on Bethnal Green Road. Once inside, lifts provide access to all gallery/performance spaces and all three cinema screens, each of which has wheelchair bays.  

Content Warnings 

Open City Documentary Festival is committed to creating a safe and welcoming environment. This includes being sensitive to topics which may cause emotional or physiological distress. Content warnings that alert the audience to potentially distressing material will be included at the beginning of each screening and will soon be listed here.