For the time being, subtitled films
can come in three formats:

1) Foreign language films, with English subtitles.

These can be screened in any cinema, and have English subtitles at all times, wherever they are screened. Subtitles are etched onto the actual film print, and depending on popularity, sometimes hundreds of prints are produced.

Examples: The Lives of Others, The Passion of the Christ, Hero, Amelie, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon etc.

2) 'Hard captioned' English language films.

Now extinct, but many older films are still available in this format. These can also be screened in any cinema. Subtitles are etched onto the actual film print, but only 5 to 10 prints are produced. Cinema chains share the prints, and 'tour' them around their cinema sites. A subtitled show usually only plays for one day, at one time, in each cinema, before being passed onto the next cinema down the line. This is the reason why a film can sometimes take months to appear 'at a cinema near you'.

Examples: Harry Potter and James Bond films (apart from the most recent ones).

3) 'Digitally subtitled' films.

Almost every major film is released in this format, including the films mentioned above, but only cinemas with digital subtitle equipment can screen them.

Currently, the subtitle 'files' are supplied to a cinema on CD Rom disc, and are projected separately onto the cinema screen. Most popular films are available with digital subtitle 'files' and most cinemas with this facility screen the latest releases with subtitles a few times a week.

Cinemas with this equipment can also provide an audio description service to visually impaired people - a narrator explains what's happening on screen, through personal headphones. It's similar to listening to a cricket match on the radio, but far more exciting!

There are currently over 270 cinemas in the UK with subtitle and audio description facilities (locations HERE). Over 670 films are available with subtitles and / or audio description.

NEWS! The cinema industry is 'going digital' - new projectors have been installed in over 200 cinemas around the UK which screen films digitally. These digital systems have built-in subtitle 'readers'. If a film is supplied with digital subtitle 'files', it can be screened subtitled in a digitally-equipped cinema.

More info:

Thanks to the UK Film Council, around a quarter of UK cinemas have now been equipped with new digital projection equipment. In return, cinemas are required to show a broader range of films on a regular basis.

These digital projection systems have built in subtitle readers, and adaptations can be made to include audio description features too. Subtitle and audio description 'files' are readily available for most popular cinema releases but need to be reformatted to a compatible format. A handful of films have been released for this format to date and many more are expected.

It is hoped that these 'access' features will be utilised, to enable hearing and visually impaired people to enjoy digital cinema. Please contact cinemas in your area and request that they utilise the built in subtitle features of their UKFC funded projectors.

List of completed installations HERE.

And map HERE.