A Wells cinema has had to turn away bookings after a distributor delayed their screenings of one of the year’s must-see films.

The Wells Film Centre had received a provisional booking to show the black-and-white silent film The Artist from this week.

The film, based on the transition period between silents and talkies, has received 10 nominations for the Oscars and 12 for the Baftas and Wells Film Centre proudly began to publicise forthcoming showings of what should be a hit film.

But now the distributors have told owner Derek Cooper – along with many other cinemas – that he cannot show it for weeks.

Mr Cooper isn’t staying silent his frustrations at the distributor’s reluctance to let the film be seen.

See next week’s Mid Somerset Series and This is Somerset for the full story.