British romantic drama Brief Encounter will be screened at the Allen Gallery in Alton on Saturday at 7pm.

This 1945 movie will be accompanied by a short film, Railwaywomen, which was shot on the Watercress Line.

Since teaming up with the Memories of the Palace Cinema Alton project team to obtain start-up funds from Cinema For All – a national charity backing small and community-led film showings – the Hampshire Cultural Trust gallery has shown several films, including award-winning 2022 film Aftersun, classic Buster Keaton movie Sherlock Jr. and Icelandic-Ukrainian comedy-drama Woman At War.

Movies at the gallery followed the closure of the Palace Cinema last November.

Save Alton Cinema campaigner Tim Woolman said: “To see what film experiences we can support, we have been working with a number of people who have some knowledge of suitable rooms, licensing to cover the venue and the copyright for a public screening.

“Various venues in Alton have expressed interest in showing films, including Sugarloaf Coffeehouse and the Allen Gallery, and ambitions continue for a more cinema-like facility in the town.

“However, bringing together the funding, venue and team resources would need a lot of support. We share people’s interest in exploring what is possible in Alton and continue to welcome people’s suggestions and offers of help and support via email to [email protected]”

The Memories of the Palace Cinema Alton project team, backed by a grant from The Alton Society, is compiling an oral history of cinema-going in Alton to be stored at the Curtis Museum.

Project lead Abbe Fletcher said: “It’s wonderful to hear what an impact the cinema has had on people’s lives.”

Contributions can be made at [email protected] or in a questionnaire available from the Curtis Museum.

Tickets for Brief Encounter, priced £7.50 (£5 concessions), can be bought in the gallery or at hampshireculture.org.uk

The gallery’s next film Moonage Daydream – about David Bowie – will be shown on August 12.

The project team will be at the gallery from 6.30pm before both films.