Exclusive: Tetris movie filmed in Aberdeen to be screened at Peterhead’s Arc Cinema

The venue in director Jon S Baird's hometown has come to the rescue after Aberdeen council chiefs snubbed his plans.

By Ben Hendry and Ewan Cameron

March 22 2023, 6:00 am

Film director Jon S Baird at the opening of the The Arc Cinema, Peterhead. Image: Darrell Benns/DC Thomson

Aberdeen film fans will be able to see the city on the big screen in Tetris after all – in Peterhead.

Earlier this month, director Jon S Baird appealed for Aberdeen City Council to reopen the Belmont Filmhouse for special showings of his new movie.

Despite excitement among movie fans, local authority chiefs quickly ruled it out.

The blow left the director “disappointed” and scores of film buffs uhappy.

But there’s now been a plot twist worthy of Hitchcock…

The Arc Cinema – in the filmmaker’s hometown of Peterhead – has come to “save the day” three years after he cut the ribbon on the building.

The Arc Cinema opened in late 2020 in a former bingo hall.

After hearing about the setback, management reached out to Mr Baird.

And even though he was at the film’s world premiere in Texas that night, he wasted no time in replying.

Pretty soon, the deal was done.

Filming for #Hollywood movie #Tetris underway in Aberdeen. pic.twitter.com/l3UV6CNRM0

— Tormod MacLeod (@scalpach) February 21, 2021

Peterhead director ‘proud’ as Arc Cinema confirms Tetris plans

A delighted Mr Baird told us: “I couldn’t be more proud that my hometown cinema has stepped in to screen Tetris for north-east audiences.

“I’m still disappointed that Aberdeen City Council couldn’t secure the necessary permissions to reopen the Belmont.

“But Arc Cinema in Peterhead really pulled out the stops to make sure the film will be seen on the big screen.”

Jon S Baird welcomed the first visitors to the complex, to see his Stan and Ollie film.

Tetris screening now falling into place after being blocked

Marketing manager for the Nottingham-based cinema chain, Mark Gallagher, explained how the idea all came about thanks to the boss of the Peterhead venue.

It was seeing our coverage that gave Laura Daramola the idea to bring Tetris to the Blue Toon.

Lenny Wood, left, and Arc Cinema manager Laura Daramola manned the tea and coffee when the Peterhead site screened the Queen’s funeral.

Speaking to us just hours after sealing the agreement with Apple bigwigs, Mr Gallagher said: “Jon S Baird opened the cinema for us in 2020, so we still had his contact details.

“We sent him an email saying it would be great for us to ‘save the day’.

“He quickly replied and put us in touch with the distributor, and it all worked out.”