The mediatheque is an ever-expanding digital jukebox. The public can access the digital archive to watch films and TV programmes free of charge.

Currently, 1,500 titles including 50 themed collections, rare home movies filmed by expats and sex education films, are available in the archive. The BFI has said that more than 85 per cent of the titles have never been released online or on DVD.

The BFI already has mediatheques in London, Derby and Cambridge. It eventually plans to open one in every region.