BC MOMA has proven to be a god-send for film fans looking for something other than endless local historical epics and the latest blockbuster from Hollywood.inc.

In the few months BC MOMA has been open, they have had at least one great retrospective (of Xie Jin's work) and a series of new films by local Chinese filmmakers. The directors are often on hand for Q&As after the screenings, although for non-Mandarin speakers the translations during the talks can be a little haphazard.

Nearly all the films here are subtitled in English. The only problem is the subtitling is often done via an in-house machine, and the operators can be a little lax in keeping up with the dialogue. Irritating when you're watching a crucial scene!

The staff are really friendly and helpful and ticket prices are generally lower than what you pay at the multiplexes. There's a small bookstall too, though the range of English books is very small. They also sell a great selection of film posters.

Small problems aside, as Beijing's first real art house, BC MOMA has made a huge difference to the city's film culture.