The cinema industry in 2024 is estimated to generate around $106.2 billion in revenue and this number is only set to increase in 2025 due to a change in the landscape of cinema. Namely, with the investment from major blockbusters, cinema is set to become more immersive than ever. Indeed, this is an exciting prospect for not just cinema lovers, but for individuals all-round the globe. However, with the advancements in film, comes a lot of inaccessibility for those in the deaf or hard of hearing communities.
Making cinema and film more accessible is crucial for fostering inclusivity and cultural equity. Film is not only about creating a place that is magical, but also about storytelling. People connect through film, it is an outlet for different perspectives, and a place where people can come together to appreciate the arts. However, this unity is impossible without captioned screenings. Through improving access and widening it, the film industry not only broadens its audience but acts as a space where people can all enjoy what lies on the big screen. Accessibility can inspire innovation in technology and storytelling, in turn, making cinema richer for everyone.
In order to enhance the viewers experience, the Film Distributors’ Association (FDA), UK Cinema Association (UKCA) and in collaboration with the British Deaf Association (BDA) all partnered up with Paramount Pictures UK to give priority screenings to the deaf and hard of hearing community.  1 in 3 individuals in the UK are deaf, have hearing loss or tinnitus (RNID). Indeed, with this fact in mind, this partnership is incredibly important in order to improve the relationship between cinema and the 18 million people with varying forms of hearing loss. The partnership will see the number of captioned screenings being increased, whilst also ensuring that the screenings are at various times of the day. Additionally, deaf awareness training and introductory BSL has been rolled out to make the individuals whole experience one that is comfortable and inclusive.
Indeed, this collaboration is wholly beneficial for the deaf and hard of hearing community. Through having captioned screenings at more sociable hours and more widely enables individuals to enjoy film and not be excluded from conversations centred on the latest films. Here at Signature, we hope to see captioned screenings only increase and hope that deaf awareness is rolled out more widely in these environments.
