Read the access label for the particular session
A film can have different access arrangements at different showings. BFI’s 2026 London Film Festival distinguished descriptive-subtitle screenings from sessions using closed captions through WatchWord glasses. Its Prima Facie listing demonstrated that difference across three dates. The film title alone therefore did not establish whether text would be on the shared screen or delivered through equipment.
Understand what the glasses provide
BFI describes WatchWord captions as including dialogue and non-dialogue audio. The text appears through the glasses, with choices of colour, size and position. That arrangement serves a different viewing preference from an open descriptive-subtitle presentation. Decide which you want before selecting a time, rather than expecting the cinema to convert every session to the other format on arrival.
Reserve the equipment using the stated ticket type
For its documented festival scheme, BFI instructed viewers to choose the WatchWord glasses price type and collect the glasses from the box office. Equipment was limited, advance booking was required and bookings closed forty-eight hours before the screening. Those are event-specific terms, so use the current event’s instructions rather than carrying an old festival deadline into a different booking.
Ask about access allocation when a listing appears sold out
The festival guidance said ringfenced closed-caption tickets might remain even when a session appeared sold out. Its box office route allowed viewers to specify the access requirement. This is a reason to identify the particular session and equipment clearly in an enquiry. It is not a guarantee of spare glasses or seats, and a historical festival listing should not be treated as a current reservation.
Questions, answered
Do closed captions always mean subtitles visible to everyone in the auditorium?
No. BFI’s WatchWord scheme displays descriptive captions through booked smart glasses. Check the presentation and equipment details for the actual screening.