Welcome to the microplex! The hidden world of Britain’s 1,500 tiny cinemas

It’s a warm autumn evening and the graffiti along the side wall of Bristol’s Cube Microplex cinema shouts in the unseasonal sunshine as a gaggle of people gather quietly around the front gates. They are here for a screening of five short films, showcasing the work of some of the UK’s up-and-coming black film-makers. Several of the writers and directors are expected, and there is a tantalising buzz of voices from the cinema courtyard.

The punters surge in and are directed to a cash-only volunteer-run bar, before settling into faded velvet seats in a 100-seat auditorium. There is a ripple of excitement when someone in the audience recognises a famous face. She can’t quite put a name to him, but all becomes clear when the first film opens: it’s an exploration of fatherhood featuring the three Plummer brothers, Tremaine, Twaine and Tristan, who became celebrities through their appearances on TV’s Gogglebox.

The screenings are part of an occasional Regional Voices night by local impresario and activist Gary Thompson, who has set up a company, , dedicated to promoting talent from ethnic minorities in the UK. Tonight’s participants have travelled in from London and Birmingham as well as Bristol, and afterwards they sit around chatting with each other and the audience. “There’s a whole new generation of talented black and brown film-makers who are exploring the rich culture of various UK regions, but they don’t have a platform,” says Thompson. “The question is how to connect these diverse voices in a way that makes a difference.”