Your subscription is not a licence
Netflix, Disney+ and friends licence you to watch at home, with your household. Showing a film to an audience beyond that: even free, even in your building's amenity room, can count as a public exhibition needing the rights holder's permission.
The licences that make it legal
- Filmbankmedia Single Title Screening Licence: covers most major studios for one-off screenings, typically £100–£200 or a share of ticket income.
- MPLC umbrella licence: annual cover for regular screenings across many studios.
- Charging admission? Paid film exhibition is regulated entertainment under the Licensing Act. You'll want a Temporary Event Notice (£21, 10 working days ahead) on top.
The clean paths
- Free, genuinely private screenings with invited guests sit outside most of this.
- Local filmmakers: screen an independent film with the filmmaker's permission (or let them host their own premiere) and there's no studio licensing problem at all. Q&A with the director beats a rewatch of anything.
- Amenity cinemas: check your building's booking terms before charging strangers; most leases distinguish personal use from commercial use of shared spaces.
This is general guidance for UK hosts, not legal, tax or insurance advice. Rules change and edge cases are real. Check GOV.UK or a professional for your situation. Wello connects hosts and guests; hosts run their own events and are responsible for following the laws that apply to them.