The British Film Institute (BFI) has partnered with UK exhibitor UCI Cinemas to programme classic films, world cinema and previews of new films.

Dubbed "BFI@UCI" the partnership will cover 35 of UCI's UK multiplexes, giving the BFI wide access to multiplex cinemagoers. The institute currently has a smaller programming arrangement with UK exhibitor Odeon, which runs in eight UK towns.

The collaboration's first slate gets underway this month and runs until the end of July, featuring the classics Some Like It Hot, Breakfast At Tiffany's and Singing In The Rain. There is also a mini-season of 1970s American cinema, including The Godfather, Mean Streets, Taxi Driver, Close Encounters Of The Third Kind and The Long Goodbye.

Contemporary films screening as part of the programme include Best In Show, You Can Count On Me, Bread And Roses, Malena, Chocolat and Shadow Of The Vampire. There will also be previews of Mel Smith's High Heels And Low Lives, produced by the UK's Fragile Films.

Further seasons are set to include Film Noir and 1960s British classics strands.

"We are constantly looking for new ways to bring a wider choice of films to our audience," said Steve Knibbs, UCI's senior vice-president, northern Europe. "We hope that this initiative with the BFI will enable us to offer people the chance to see timeless classics on the big screen for the first time."

The BFI is also helping to fund the work of an education officer at UCI.