Lancastrians can see one of this year’s most talked‑about British films for free next week, with prison thriller Wasteman screening at cinemas in Blackburn, Burnley, Chorley and Lytham as part of a nationwide BFI scheme.
The BAFTA‑nominated drama, starring Industry and Rye Lane actor David Jonsson alongside The Hunger Games’ Tom Blyth, is showing at the following cinemas on February 16:
- The Island Cinema (Lytham)
- REEL Cinemas in Chorley, Blackburn, and Burnley.
The film is being shown under the Escapes banner, which offers complimentary tickets to get people back into their local independents and giving Lancashire audiences the chance to catch it four days before its general release.
Wasteman follows Taylor, a young prisoner desperate to make parole and meet the son he has never seen, as he tries to keep his head down amid drugs, gangs and violence on the wing.
His plans are thrown into chaos by explosive new cellmate Dee, in a story that critics have called “one of this year’s most intense British thrillers” and “a prison film for the social media generation”.
First‑time director Cal McMau was inspired by illicit mobile phone footage smuggled out of real UK prisons, and has already picked up a British Independent Film Award for his debut.
Alongside the two leads, the cast includes British R&B star Ray BLK as a prison psychiatrist and Alex Hassell as inmate Paul, Dee’s rival behind bars.
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The film has already premiered at Toronto and the BFI London Film Festival, and its Escapes screenings will include descriptive subtitles and relaxed showings at selected sites to make the experience more accessible.
Escapes says the aim is to break down cost and access barriers by partnering with independent cinemas, including in Lancashire, to offer monthly free events.
Free tickets for Wasteman at participating venues can be claimed, subject to availability and a cap on the number per person, via escapetothecinema.co.uk/tickets.
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