Secret Cinema's experiences are described by Riggall as a response to society's growing reliance on technology and the increasingly dark, unimaginative reality created by global politics. He claims that 'Digital culture has, in some part, disconnected us from our ability to listen, feel and touch. I would like us to fight back, to build worlds in both the live and online spaces that are focuses on building a culture fueled by the desire for randomness, beauty and creativity'. Riggall's intention is to create Secret Worlds where films can be turned into real life, becoming large-scale cultural experiences in abandoned spaces. The location and details of each World are never revealed and the film title is often kept secret. Riggall has founded the belief that art can change society and tell truth in a way that cuts through the noise of media and politics as he says that 'the difference between art and entertainment is that art is about changing the world (...) It has a responsibility'.
Secret Cinema X • In 2011, the concept of a Secret Restaurant was launched by the joint collaboration of Secret cinema and
St John restaurant. Just like Secret Cinema did for film, the audience was immersed in a gastronomic evening within a specifically designed location, adapting its cinematographic concept to the culinary world. • The same year, Riggall exported his screenings to
Afghanistan's capital,
Kabul : 'the idea is that anyone, anywhere should have access to film. I am very passionate about the idea that culture should be made available to people.' Riggall collaborated with Travis Bear who had organized a music festival in Kabul earlier on. * In 2013, Riggall applied the concept of an immersive cinematographic experience to music. He presented
Laura Marling's '
Once I Was An Eagle' during secret performances. The event took place in an old school that had been transformed into a hotel. The guests and performers were invited to wander around the old Manoir, as each room became a song, creating an interactive retelling of Marling's work. [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/live-music-reviews/10124957/Laura-Marling-review.html * In 2014, Fabien Riggall announced during a speech at the
Toronto International Film Festival [https://www.screendaily.com/news/secret-cinema-founder-reveals-secret-space/5077743.article that he wishes to see every single venue become multi-purpose, so that cinema may be watched in different spaces. He aims to map out all the world's abandoned buildings and turn them 'into cultural spaces where local communities come together and meet each other in a real setting'. •
Star Wars The Empire Strikes Back was transformed into a secret world in 2015. One of the most ambitious events that
Secret Cinema had ever attempted focussed on the galactic world of Tatooine and invited people to join the Rebel Alliance and fight back against the evil Empire. The event was praised by many for its "spectacular sets", however was criticised for its ticket price (more below). • In 2018, a warehouse in Central London was transformed into Chinatown for a brand new production of
Blade Runner. The much anticipated show garnered high praise from critics and visitors alike, seemingly balancing the high production quality with a more affordable ticket price. In an article from
The Hollywood News they announced that the event took £4.8 Million in box office takings over the course of sixteen weeks. • In the summer of 2018,
Secret Cinema ventured into the world of Shakespeare with
Baz Luhrmann's
Romeo + Juliet. Within a park in Central London, Verona Beach was recreated, with attractions including a ferris wheel and the iconic abandoned stage at Sycamore Grove. The director himself,
Baz Luhrmann attended one of the shows and praised Riggall for creating "a whole new art form, and a new way of appreciating film and theatre". == Cultural Activism ==