Saltash Studios cinema’s winter line-up has a Cornish Christmas twist

Somewhere in a made-up Cornish village called Trelew, a child has been left without a present. That’s the setup for one of the films heading to Saltash Studios before Christmas. The rest of the line-up travels a long way from there, out to a fishing boat off the North East coast and onto the stage of the Royal Opera House.

The Fore Street venue in Saltash, which calls itself Cornwall’s newest, smallest and friendliest cinema, has announced four screenings running from late November into December, with Friday film nights and a family matinee.

A fisherman’s fight on Friday 27 November

The run starts on Friday 27 November at 7.30pm with All Rivers Spill Their Stories to the Sea (12A), an award-winning documentary from the fishing industry.

It follows Stan Rennie, the last in a long line of fishermen who have worked the same stretch of North East coastline for centuries. When a mysterious tidemark of poisoned crabs and lobsters appears, his life is turned upside down overnight.

The film is billed as a David and Goliath story, told with gallows humour, as Stan tries to make sense of a world that has changed for good with no explanation.

Short films from Cornwall and the South West

Cornwall Film Festival returns to the Studios on Friday 4 December at 7.30pm with The Best of the West. It’s a showcase of award-winning short films made by professional filmmakers from across Cornwall and the South West, and part of the cinema’s mission to support the best of the local film industry.

The Nutcracker on Friday 11 December

The festive programme begins on Friday 11 December at 7pm with The Royal Ballet’s The Nutcracker (U).

The production is presented in a festive period setting, with Marianela Nuñez as the Sugar Plum Fairy and Vadim Muntagirov as her Prince. It was filmed at the Royal Opera House in high definition and recorded in surround sound.

Arthur Christmas and a village near Falmouth

The next afternoon, Saturday 12 December, there’s a 2pm matinee of Arthur Christmas (U).

When Santa forgets to deliver a gift to one child in Trelew, it falls to Arthur, Santa’s youngest son, to get a present there before Christmas morning. The fictional village is based on Mylor Bridge, near Falmouth.

The voice cast includes James McAvoy, Hugh Laurie, Laura Linney, Bill Nighy and Imelda Staunton. The cinema describes it as a witty, gently nostalgic film for families to enjoy together.

Tickets and prices

Tickets for the evening films are £8 for adults, £7 for people on benefits and £4 for under 16s. Arthur Christmas is cheaper, at £5 for adults and £4 for under 16s.

You can book on the Saltash Studios website or by phoning 07303 143751 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 2pm).

The bar opens 30 minutes before each film with locally produced drinks, refreshments and, of course, popcorn.

Over 2,000 through the doors

Saltash Studios opened in 2025 and has welcomed more than 2,000 people to its screenings since. It runs with the help of a dedicated team of volunteers, and the people behind it say there are big plans for 2027.