In a city of £8 pints, £20 film tickets, private members clubs, and invite-only networking events, a genuine and affordable experience can be hard to find. But what if you could get cinema, popcorn, and community for a fiver?
Enter Frame by Frame, a new cinema club launched by best friends Jemma Carlton and Rachael Rooney. They’re screening films, hosting Q&As with cast and crew, and bringing film fanatics together—all for just £5.
“London prices keep culture and personal development of taste to this exclusive club of people that can afford it,” the pair told me after I attended their second ever event. “One of the first things we agreed on was that Frame by Frame was going to go against that.”
So, how did it all begin? Jemma and Rachael have been best friends since their first day of Drama School. They lived together for eight years, have matching tattoos, and run a joint production company. Despite moving in the circles of actors and writers, they entered 2026 craving even more creative communities.
“In January, on the way to Jemma’s hospital appointment, which I, of course, was going to because we can’t go anywhere without the other,” Rachael explains, “Jemma said she’d dreamt that we had a film club.” An hour later, they left the hospital with a name, a logo, and the determination to make it happen. The following week, they launched Frame by Frame.
I found Frame by Frame where all good things are found… on my TikTok For You page. Two months after moving to London and feeling like the smallest fish in the biggest pond, I set a notification for the next round of ticket sales, secured my place, and turned up alone and full of nerves. The second I stepped through the door, two bubbly and stylish girls came skipping towards me introducing themselves as Jemma and Rachael. They immediately reassured me and walked me over to a big group of girls at the bar who had also come alone.
Any nervousness I had felt was immediately replaced by a joy that stayed with me through the screening of James Floyd and Sally El Hosaini’s Unicorns, through the Q&A with lead actor Jason Patel, and through the drinks shared afterwards with fellow cinephiles.
Frame by Frame is both a celebration of the joys of cinema (the smell of good popcorn, the cosiness of an independent screen, the shared anticipation of the audience) and a warm and inclusive community within London’s often-daunting creative scene. The screenings introduce audiences to classics they might have missed, indie gems that have flown under the radar, or shorts made by small but mighty teams. The girls use their industry links to organise Q&As for each event. Jemma says, “it takes a village to make a film happen. There are so many people putting blood, sweat and tears into it, but they’re invisible in the massive machine of a set. We want cinematographers, editors, colour graders, costume designers etc. for our Q&As. That way our guests get to hear about careers and a side of the world of film they may not know anything about.”
The first Frame by Frame events were held in partnership with W London Hotel. Jemma and Rachael collaborate with businesses like Godfreys Popcorn to offer freebies to their attendees. “Every single person who helps make these events happen are genuinely doing it out of passion. I actually think that’s what gives us a unique edge,” says Jemma. The £5 tickets cover the cost of the venue and the projectionist, meaning Jemma and Rachael themselves don’t make any money from the events.
Keeping the costs low for attendees is the club’s core. “Most creative clubs and classes seem to be working off a model where it’s funded by the very people it’s meant to be helping. The idea of taking money off other creatives or film lovers through a film club makes us really uncomfortable,” Rachael explains.
It’s a model that works. Every one of Frame by Frame’s events has sold out in minutes. Last month, the pair moved from their trusty W Hotel screen to a venue with double the capacity, and tickets were in just as high demand. This time, they screened Molly Manning Walker’s How to Have Sex and followed it up with a Q&A with actress Enva Lewis. The night ended with a full DJ set—a chance to mingle, drink, and chat to fellow film nerds about the screening.
As the club expands and future events begin to take shape, Jemma and Rachael remain determined to uphold the foundations of affordable cinema, good films, and celebrating talent. “We didn’t expect the reaction we’ve received. All we want to do is keep showing great films to people who want to see them. Expanding and pushing where we could take this will only help our community grow, giving us more people to talk to about these incredible pieces of art. And if this keeps growing, we can keep guaranteeing low tickets.”
When I ask them their favourite part of running the club, Rachael says it’s spending time together. “Jem is genuinely my favourite person in the world and I can’t believe how lucky I am to get to experience doing this with her.” Jemma’s answer? “The leftover Godfreys popcorn, but don’t tell Rach I said that.” I can’t blame her… it’s delicious.
Words by Bethany Lee
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