Omniplex screenings to ‘make cinema accessible to everyone’

by
Micheal McKenna
August 11, 2015

Armagh Omniplex is to begin showing sensory screenings for children within autism.

And it follows the launch of movies specifically being shown for the deaf and hard-of-hearing.

There will be weekly evening subtitled movies from here on in on Monday nights and weekend kids combined subtitled/sensory screenings.

Armagh Omniplex, together with the other 21 sites in Ireland’s largest cinema chain, will screen subtitled movies every Monday evening, and for kids on both Saturday and Sunday mornings.

The initiative is designed as part of the company’s social responsibility programme aimed at providing access to the cinema for people with disabilities.

Mark Anderson, Operations Director Omniplex Cinemas, said: “We have received a number of requests from customers for subtitled films and been keen to cater for this demand for some time.

“We believe very strongly that cinema should be accessible for all and anyone with a disability should be able to see a newly released movie, with as much freedom as possible.

Armagh Omniplex

“We recently introduced free cinema tickets for carers and the addition of subtitled/sensory screenings is the next step towards making Omniplex Cinemas the most accessible cinema chain in Ireland.”

The evening programme, which began last night, kicked off with subtitled screenings of Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation.

The kids’ programme begin with early bird screenings of Disney Pixar’s Inside Out on Saturday and Sunday, August 15 and 16.

These will be joint subtitled and sensory screenings, so that they can be attend by children with hearing impairments and those with autism.

Show times will vary slightly between cinemas. The Monday evening screenings will take place from 6pm to 7pm, while the early bird screenings will take place between 11.30am and 12.30pm.

Omniplex was recently in consultation with the Irish Deaf Society and the organisation Deaf/Hear to ask when to screen films and what genres their members would like.

Mr Anderson added: “The response we got is the deaf or hard-of-hearing customers like action films, so what better film to start with than an explosive blockbuster such as Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation.”

All 22 Omniplex cinemas already operate hearing loops for users of hearing aids.

For full listings information or to book a film see Omniplex’s website. Future movies that will screened in subtitles will be announced in Omniplex’s Facebook page or on the website YourLocalCinema.com.

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