Clare Binney

Biography

Clare Binns is a British cinema executive and film exhibition leader with over four decades of experience in the UK film industry. She started her career in the early 1980s as a cinema usher and worked her way up through roles including projectionist and manager before joining Picturehouse Cinemas in 2003. At Picturehouse, she played a key role in shaping its programming and community engagement, championing a mix of independent, arthouse and mainstream films and introducing initiatives like relaxed, parent‑and‑baby, over‑sixties and dog‑friendly screenings to broaden audiences. Binns has also overseen outreach collaborations with charities and local groups, and supported the UK film festival circuit. Her leadership earned her recognition across the industry, and in 2026 she was awarded the BAFTA Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema Award for her impact on cinema culture and distribution in Britain.