A MAKESHIFT cinema housed in a shipping container is offering film fans a chance to watch an internationally-acclaimed arthouse movie.

The film, Dial H-I-S-T-O-R-Y, by film-maker Johan Grimonprez, is showing to students and members of the public at the Colchester Institute in a steel container, converted into a small cinema.

The film – an arty documentary about terrorist hijackings in the Sixties and Seventies – is part of a multi-million pound contemporary art collection donated to the public by art dealer, Antony d’Offay Arts organisation, Firstsite, secured the right to show the 68-minute film at the institute until November 28. Then, cultural leaders realised they had a problem – nowhere to screen the film.

Essex County Council came to the rescue, with the offer of the shipping container, which it had been using for an art project in Harlow.

The container was brought to the Colchester college and converted into a cinema with room for 14 viewers at the time.

Lindsay Evans, spokesman for Firstsite, said: “The container was painted and we are using a projector.

“It has fold-up chairs inside and beanbags for the students.

“It’s perfect really, particularly as it encapsulates the whole feeling of something being ‘on tour’. I think it’s the start of something new for Firstsite.

“We can re-paint the container afterwards and use it as an artists’ space.”

The container is sitting outside J Block at the institute, in Sheepen Road and will be showing the film at 11am every Saturday during November.

Anyone interested in seeing it, should contact Firstsite, on 01206 577067.