Paula (Chair)

Paula has been our chair since 2020.

Paula loves all film since first crying her eyes out watching Bambi (1942) as a child to being wowed by Sinners (2024). She says her most memorable experience with HFS was watching A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood (2019) when members first returned after the Covid lockdown.

Julia (Vice-Chair & Treasurer)

Julia is usually found manning the front desk.

Julia’s first film memory was The Good, The Bad and The Ugly (1966). She has rewatched The Blues Brothers (1980) countless times for the soundtrack, would enjoy being stuck in a lift with Sean Connery and says Gladiator (2000) is her favourite film.

Nicola (Secretary)

Nicola is our Secretary; often found manning the front desk.

Nicola's first film memory is watching Mary Poppins (1964) at Christmas. She usually takes the stairs, but if stuck in a lift, she hopes it would be with the inspirational Dolly Parton - obviously between floors 9 to 5! Although she has watched Dirty Dancing (1987) many times, Bugsy Malone (1976) is still her favourite film.

Sally

Sally holds the record for the most committed committee member in the Society’s history having served for over 40 years. 

One of her earliest film memories is watching Moby Dick (1956). She has rewatched Alien (1979) countless times on TV and would like HFS to show 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) on the big screen but her all-time favourite film is The Piano (1993).

Jan

Jan has been meeting and greeting, amongst other things, for 8 years. 

She remembers being frightened as a small child by her first cinema experience watching The Inn of Sixth Happiness (1958), but recovered from that to develop a love of film, her all-time favourite being The Godfather (1972). Her most memorable film with HFS was The Handmaiden (2016).

Dave

Dave curates and delivers the Classics Season. 

His most memorable screening with HFS was The Day the Earth Stood Still (1951). He has enjoyed film since watching Goldfinger (1964) on a family outing to Leeds. He would love to see HFS put Do the Right Thing (1989) on the big screen and be trapped in a lift with Lauren Bacall.

Martin

Martin co-ordinates the curation of the Core Season and supports The Young Persons Cinema Season. 

His first cinematic memory was watching The Rescuers (1977).  His most memorable film with HFS was Incendies (2010) and would love to see HFS put Amadeus (1984) on the big screen. His ideal ‘stuck in a lift’ companion would be Katharine Hepburn and his all-time favourite film is Jaws (1975).

Ian

Ian is our IT and Social Media expert, and supports the Classic Season.

The Godfather (1972) is his favourite film and so he was delighted when HFS screened it. He would also like to see Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) on the big screen, whilst Home Alone (1990) is his perennial Christmas rewatch on TV. He would like to meet Tom Hanks to discuss film (of course), and all things NASA.

Neil

Neil can be found manning the DVD stand. 

His first film memory was seeing Star Wars: Return of the Jedi (1983) and his all-time favourite is Who Framed Roger Rabbit? (1988).  Neil’s most memorable viewing with HFS was Flee (2022) and he would love to see Women Talking (2022) on the big screen.

Ruth

​Ruth is involved in the social ‘film club’ events side of HFS and in welcoming new members. 

Her first film memory is the original Star Wars: A New Hope (1977). Her most memorable HFS screening was The Night of the Hunter (1955), she would like to strike up a conversation with Daniel Day Lewis and her all-time favourite film is the cinephile’s classic Cinema Paradiso (1988).

Kaya

​Kaya manages the society’s licenses and supports the Young Person's Cinema Season.

He can’t ever get enough Luca Guadagnino’s Challengers (2024) and first fell in love with film after watching Shaun of the Dead (2004) on a TV rerun. He’s fascinated by practical effects and gravitates towards giallos, international tales, and creature features.

Andrew

​Amongst Andrew’s favourite films are Die Brücke (1959), Les Parapluies de Cherbourg (1964), Un homme et une femme (1966), The Shawshank Redemption (1994) and Le Comte de Monte-Cristo (2024). Andrew’s first memories of the Harrogate Odeon include seeing both Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (1968) and Where Eagles Dare (1968) there.

Karen (Membership Secretary)

​Karen recently joined the committee as membership secretary.

Her first film memory is of sobbing while watching Whistle Down the Wind (1961) on a tiny black and white television with her grandfather. Hard to name a favourite film but Karen loved Diva (1981), Brazil (1985) and Poor Things (2023), and would like to chat with Peter Greenaway...she reckons there'd be lots to find out.