Photo of Mark Cosgrove, Watershed Cinema Curator

Mark Cosgrove

Cinema Curator

Mark joined Watershed in 1994 and has worked in Independent Cultural Cinema Exhibition for over 20 years.  He has curated seasons and touring programmes ranging from New Portuguese Cinemas to a retrospective of French filmmaker Claire Denis. He has been on juries at film festivals including Cannes and Berlin. He is also the Creative Director of Encounters International Film Festival in Bristol. In November 2010 he collected the Europa Cinemas award for Entrepreneur Cinema of the Year.

Listen to Mark’s monthly podcast and follow him on Twitter @msc45.

Email: mark.c@watershed.co.uk

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“ Watershed Cinema Curator Mark Cosgrove, reflects on the changing nature of film exhibition ”

Exterior shot of Watershed Building and the harbour with a yellow ferry boat going past
Posted on Thu 30 Nov 2023 by Mark Cosgrove
Article

On the day that one of the commercial cinema spaces in the city is sadly closing, Mark Cosgrove, Watershed Cinema Curator reflects on the changing cinema exhibition landscape...

Read more <span class="card-quote">&ldquo;</span>&nbsp;Watershed Cinema Curator Mark Cosgrove, reflects on the changing nature of film exhibition&nbsp;<span class="card-quote">&rdquo;</span>  

“ When Europe Made Hollywood: From Sunrise to High Noon ”

Film still from A Song of Two Humans
Posted on Mon 18 July 2022 by Mark Cosgrove
Article

Cinema Rediscovered Founder and Watershed Cinema Curator Mark Cosgrove takes us through the films that make up the When Europe Made Hollywood: From Sunrise to High Noon strand - part of Cinema Rediscovered 2022.

Read more <span class="card-quote">&ldquo;</span>&nbsp;When Europe Made Hollywood: From Sunrise to High Noon&nbsp;<span class="card-quote">&rdquo;</span>  

“ Melvin Van Peebles 1932 - 2021 ”

The Story of a Three-Day Pass
Posted on Thu 23 Sept 2021 by Mark Cosgrove
Article

A tribute to Melvin Van Peebles from Mark Cosgrove, Watershed Cinema Curator

Read more <span class="card-quote">&ldquo;</span>&nbsp;Melvin Van Peebles 1932 - 2021&nbsp;<span class="card-quote">&rdquo;</span>  

“ 1971: The Year Hollywood Went Independent ”

Cinema poster for 1971 season of films
Posted on Thu 22 July 2021 by Mark Cosgrove
Article

Mark Cosgrove (Cinema Rediscovered Co-Founder) shares insights into how 1971: The Year Hollywood Went Independent came about and how that period relates to mainstream film culture today.

Read more <span class="card-quote">&ldquo;</span>&nbsp;1971: The Year Hollywood Went Independent&nbsp;<span class="card-quote">&rdquo;</span>  

“ Once Upon A Time in…Watershed ”

Reservoir Dogs (1992)
Posted on Wed 31 July 2019 by Mark Cosgrove
Article

Mark Cosgrove, Cinema Curator at Watershed, pre-empts the “why are you not showing...” question with Once Upon A Time in Hollywood and explains the rationale for not showing Quentin Tarantino’s new film.

Read more <span class="card-quote">&ldquo;</span>&nbsp;Once Upon A Time in…Watershed&nbsp;<span class="card-quote">&rdquo;</span>  

“ Archiving and restoring Africa's film heritage: Visions and Challenges ”

Dr Aboubakar Sanogo at Il Cinema Ritrovato
Posted on Mon 22 July 2019 by Mark Cosgrove
Article

Cinema Rediscovered founder and co-curator Mark Cosgrove sat down with Dr Aboubakar Sanogo, assistant professor of Film Studies at Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada and North American Secretary of FEPACI, to discuss the challenges and vision for African film heritage.

Read more <span class="card-quote">&ldquo;</span>&nbsp;Archiving and restoring Africa's film heritage: Visions and Challenges&nbsp;<span class="card-quote">&rdquo;</span>  

“ Musician Adrian Utley on working with Nic Roeg ”

Nicolas Roeg
Posted on Mon 22 July 2019 by Mark Cosgrove
Article

Festival Founder and Co-curator Mark Cosgrove caught up with Bristol based musician, producer and composer Adrian Utley (Portishead) to talk about his experience of collaborating with director Nic Roeg on the BBC project Sound on Film (2000).

Read more <span class="card-quote">&ldquo;</span>&nbsp;Musician Adrian Utley on working with Nic Roeg&nbsp;<span class="card-quote">&rdquo;</span>  

“ Encountering Nic Roeg's cinematic spell ”

Eureka
Posted on Wed 19 June 2019 by Mark Cosgrove
Article

Taking a chance on a double bill in a dodgy cinema on Jamaica Street in Glasgow as a teen, Cinema Rediscovered's founder and co-curator Mark Cosgrove reflects on his discovery of the unique and mesmeric cinematic world of Nicolas Roeg.

Read more <span class="card-quote">&ldquo;</span>&nbsp;Encountering Nic Roeg's cinematic spell&nbsp;<span class="card-quote">&rdquo;</span>  

“ Diversity & Drama: Cannes 2019 ”

Mati Diop Cannes 2019
Posted on Sun 2 June 2019 by Mark Cosgrove
Article

Fresh from the Cannes Film Festival, Cinema Curator Mark Cosgrove reflects on the best and most anticipated titles he saw. From almost thirty films, Mark says this was the year when Cannes successfully put film back in the cinema, and vice versa.

Read more <span class="card-quote">&ldquo;</span>&nbsp;Diversity & Drama: Cannes 2019&nbsp;<span class="card-quote">&rdquo;</span>  

“ "Are you going to show Roma?" ”

Alfonso Cuarón's Netflix film Roma
Posted on Tue 11 Dec 2018 by Mark Cosgrove
Article

Watershed's Cinema Curator Mark Cosgrove explains why - although we would very much like to! - Watershed is currently not able to screen Alfonso Cuarón's Netflix film Roma.

Read more <span class="card-quote">&ldquo;</span>&nbsp;"Are you going to show Roma?"&nbsp;<span class="card-quote">&rdquo;</span>  

“ Film Culture in the era of Netflix ”

My Beautiful Laundrette
Posted on Wed 26 Sept 2018 by Mark Cosgrove
Article

Mark Cosgrove, Watershed’s Cinema Curator, reflects on the changing nature of film exhibition and the value of cinema.

Read more <span class="card-quote">&ldquo;</span>&nbsp;Film Culture in the era of Netflix&nbsp;<span class="card-quote">&rdquo;</span>  

“ Bazin 100: Celebrating a cinephile activist ”

Le Crime de Monsieur Lange
Posted on Wed 18 July 2018 by Mark Cosgrove
Article

Ahead of our Bazin 100 celebration screenings and discussions at Cinema Rediscovered, Cinema Curator Mark Cosgrove reflects on the passion and curiosity of prototype cinephile activist, André Bazin.

Read more <span class="card-quote">&ldquo;</span>&nbsp;Bazin 100: Celebrating a cinephile activist&nbsp;<span class="card-quote">&rdquo;</span>  

“ Curate, collaborate and connect ”

Still from The Florida Project by Sean Baker
Posted on Mon 20 Nov 2017 by Mark Cosgrove
Article

Watershed's approach to cinema – when everything about it is changing

Read more <span class="card-quote">&ldquo;</span>&nbsp;Curate, collaborate and connect&nbsp;<span class="card-quote">&rdquo;</span>  

“ On Sofia Coppola's The Beguiled and its whitewashing controversy ”

Colin Farrell and Kirsten Dunst in The Beguiled
Posted on Wed 19 July 2017 by Mark Cosgrove
Article

A reflection on Sofia Coppola's film The Beguiled in the wake of its whitewashing controversy. Mark asks – after the arguments raised – is it appropriate to rethink my initial reaction to the film?

Read more <span class="card-quote">&ldquo;</span>&nbsp;On Sofia Coppola's The Beguiled and its whitewashing controversy&nbsp;<span class="card-quote">&rdquo;</span>  

“ The Future of Cinema is its Past ”

Still from Man All Seasons
Posted on Mon 20 June 2016 by Mark Cosgrove
Article

What is the future for the cinema? And what future for films, being shown in the cinema to appreciative audiences? Introducing Cinema Rediscovered...

Read more <span class="card-quote">&ldquo;</span>&nbsp;The Future of Cinema is its Past&nbsp;<span class="card-quote">&rdquo;</span>  

“ A Manifesto for Independent Cultural Cinema ”

Watershed cinema audience
Posted on Mon 16 Jan 2012 by Mark Cosgrove
Article

A "manifesto" outlining the work and ambition of the independent Cultural Cinema Exhibition sector.

Read more <span class="card-quote">&ldquo;</span>&nbsp;A Manifesto for Independent Cultural Cinema&nbsp;<span class="card-quote">&rdquo;</span>  

“ Mark's Filmic Mixtape ”

Photo of Mark Cosgrove
Posted on Thu 12 Jan 2012 by Mark Cosgrove
Article

Filmic co-creator Mark Cosgrove shares his 'Filmic Mixtape': his selection of inspirational film and music collaborations.

Read more <span class="card-quote">&ldquo;</span>&nbsp;Mark's Filmic Mixtape&nbsp;<span class="card-quote">&rdquo;</span>  

“ The Renewed Passion of Joan of Arc ”

Still from 'The Passion of Joan of Arc' by Carl Dreyer
Posted on Tue 19 April 2011 by Mark Cosgrove
Article

Following the continued success of 'The Passion of Joan of Arc', the new score to Carl Dreyer's classic silent film of the same name, Watershed's Mark Cosgrove details the beginnings of the project, Watershed's involvement, and how the score has developed a life of its own.

Read more <span class="card-quote">&ldquo;</span>&nbsp;The Renewed Passion of Joan of Arc&nbsp;<span class="card-quote">&rdquo;</span>  

“ Cultural Cinema Exhibition in the 21st Century ”

Close up of 35mm film projector
Posted on Tue 25 Jan 2011 by Mark Cosgrove
Article

An examination of the cultural significance of cinema and its status as an artform.

Read more <span class="card-quote">&ldquo;</span>&nbsp;Cultural Cinema Exhibition in the 21st Century&nbsp;<span class="card-quote">&rdquo;</span>  

“ Cannes 2010 or... of Godard and Cinephiles ”

Cannes 2010 Festival Poster
Posted on Thu 3 June 2010 by Mark Cosgrove
Article

A round up of thoughts on the films he saw and the state of cinema from Cannes 2010.

Read more <span class="card-quote">&ldquo;</span>&nbsp;Cannes 2010 or... of Godard and Cinephiles&nbsp;<span class="card-quote">&rdquo;</span>