NOW BOOKING: NOVEMBER SCREENS 2017
RADIANT CIRCUS hunts out London’s best independent movie nights, film events & gallery screenings. Find out what’s booking now in our NOVEMBER roundup*.
Pour yourself a cuppa, settle down and see what’s coming soon to London’s screens. Be warned, it’s a monster…
We’ve focused our attention on one-off events and exhibitions whilst trying to offer a flavour of longer festivals and seasons. We’ll add more meat to those bones with GUIDES to individual festivals and seasons as the nights get longer.
Many venues refresh their programmes weekly, so let us keep you up to date with what’s screening across London. Please subscribe to get weekly GUIDES in your in box (link below) and follow for our daily recommendations on Twitter and Instagram.
> Let us know what you’re seeing – and what we’re missing – in the comments.
Before we go any further…
HELP SAVE THE CINEMA MUSEUM: The Cinema Museum is under threat as their landlords have put the building and surrounding site up for sale. Show your support by signing the petition HERE or by making a donation HERE.
COMING SOON: BIG TOP ATTRACTIONS (A to Z by venue)
QUICK LINKS TO VENUES IN THIS MONTH’S GUIDE: ARTHOUSE CROUCH END //BARBICAN // BERNIE GRANT ARTS CENTRE // BFI SOUTHBANK // THE CASTLE CINEMA // CINÉ LUMIÈRE // THE CINEMA MUSEUM // CLOSE-UP CENTRE // DEPTFORD CINEMA // DOCHOUSE // EVERYMAN // FRONTLINE CLUB // THE HORSE HOSPITAL // ICA // THE INSTITUTE OF LIGHT // JW3 // THE LEXI CINEMA // MOTH CLUB // PICTUREHOUSE // PRINCE CHARLES CINEMA// REGENT STREET CINEMA // RICH MIX // SERPENTINE GALLERY // SHORTS ON TAP // STOW FILM LOUNGE // TATE // WHIRLED CINEMA // WHITECHAPEL GALLERY // FILM FESTIVALS (BY DATE).
ARTHOUSE CROUCH END
Join one of the most pressing debates of our time with DISPOSSESSION: THE GREAT SOCIAL HOUSING SWINDLE + Q&A with director Paul Sng & guests (10 NOV 20:00). There’s another screening south of the river at Stanley’s Film Club towards the end of the month (29 NOV 19:45).
BARBICAN
JOHN AKMOFRAH PRESENTS… is a film season to accompany the artist’s multi-screen video installation, PURPLE (until 07 JAN 2018 – FREE in the Curve, check for opening times). November’s film is SALVATORE GIULIANO (15 NOV 20:45), a detailed recreation of the death and life of Italy’s most wanted criminal.
Barbican continues the excellent SCREEN TALKS with a clutch of UK premieres.
WALL is Israeli independent director Moran Ifergan’s debut documentary feature (13 NOV 18:30) and screens as part of Conversations with Women in Film.
MY WONDERFUL WEST BERLIN (15 NOV 18:15) is the second part of Jochen Hick’s gay Berlin trilogy and screens as part of Fringe!
HOSTAGES (28 NOV 18:15) is about “a hippyish group of youngsters [who] attempt to hijack a local flight to escape from a regime they have come to despise” as part of Russian Film Week.
The always popular Architecture on Film strand continues with THE PRISON IN TWELVE LANDSCAPES + ARENA, documentaries about the physical and mental architecture of prisons (20 NOV 18:30).
Silent (or at least, without dialogue…) films with a live score get good showing.
TOGETHER (12 NOV 16:00 – part of the EFG London Jazz Festival) is a ‘Free Cinema’ classic complete with a newly-commissioned live jazz score.
THE SINS OF LOVE (19 NOV 16:00) is the UK premiere of the 1929 Czech classic.
THE MOONSHINERS + ROMU-MATTILA AND A BEAUTIFUL LADY – accompanied by Ykspihlajan Kino-orkesteri and “internationally renowned foley wizard” Heikki Kossi (29 NOV 18:30) – celebrates a centenary of Finnish independence.
For lovers of screen music, there’s more:
REVOLUTION OF SOUND: TANGERINE DREAM (08 NOV 20:30) gets its UK premiere as part of Doc’n Roll Film Festival.
TAN DUN: THE MARTIAL ARTS TRILOGY sees the composer of CROUCHING TIGER, HIDDEN DRAGON, HERO and THE BANQUET conducting the London Symphony Orchestra (30 NOV 19:30).
BERNIE GRANT ARTS CENTRE
Of their single-o exhibits, we like the look of:
DAKAN (11 NOV 19:30) about two high school boys, Manga and Sory, who are gay and in love in Guinea;
A CARIBBEAN DREAM + Q&A (12 NOV 19:00), a reimagining of the Bard in Barbados;
OUVRIR LA VOIX EST aka Open The Voice (various dates/times) a documentary about black women from European colonial history in Africa and the Caribbean.
BFI SOUTHBANK
Spilling over from the London Film Festival, there are plenty of PREVIEWS this month including: THE FLORIDA PROJECT (07 NOV 18:20), INGRID GOES WEST (09 NOV 18:15); FILM STARS DON’T DIE IN LIVERPOOL (14 NOV 18:10); and BLADE OF THE IMMORTAL (20 NOV 20:30).
Headline programme WHO CAN YOU TRUST? is all about the thrillers. We (really) like the look of down-list title ILLUSTRIOUS CORPSES (04 & 10 NOV), a 1976 thriller set amongst (bloody) political turmoil in Italy. Headline events this month are:
DR. MABUSE, THE GAMBLER (18 & 26 NOV) Fritz Lang’s visionary – and, at 270 min, lengthy! – conspiracy thriller.
ALAN PAKULA’S PARANOIA TRILOGY of ALL THE PRESIDENT’S MEN (13 NOV 20:20), KLUTE (14 & 19 NOV), and THE PARALLAX VIEW (22 NOV) – grab a ticket for all three for £24/18 concs.
There be double bills: HIGH & LOW // MEMORIES OF MURDER (05 NOV 16:50 & 19:50); REAR WINDOW // BODY DOUBLE (18 NOV 18:20 & 20:45); and VAYA // WÙLU (25 NOV 18:10 & 20:40 – part of African Odysseys).
INDIA ON FILM now shifts focus to DEATH & DECEPTION. Titles include: NH10 (04 & 08 NOV), an “edge-of-your-seat feminist thriller” and SAIRAT (19 & 26 NOV) which deals with some of the sub-continent’s enduring taboos.
TEARS & LAUGHTER: WOMEN IN JAPANESE MELODRAMA continues across the month. We (really) like the look of the last film in the season THE SHAPE OF NIGHT (23 & 29 NOV) – about a woman pushed into prostitution by her violent Yakuza boyfriend – but anything here seems pretty essential.
Lovers of silent film are well served with Buster Keaton’s THE CAMERAMAN (07 & 12 NOV), PANDORA’S BOX + INTRO by writer Pamela Hutchinson (19 NOV 15:00) and MAN WITH A MOVIE CAMERA (26 NOV 20:00). All screenings include live piano accompaniment.
Looking deeper down the programme, BFI’s CULT strand (‘mind-altering and unclassifiable’) includes WHO CAN KILL A CHILD? (16 & 28 NOV) whilst CLASSICS includes a double bill of CAT PEOPLE + THE CURSE OF THE CAT PEOPLE + INTRO (21 NOV).
EXPERIMENTA (‘artist film and alternative moving image culture’) has two main outings this month:
THE FILMS OF EXPO67 + DISCUSSION (04 NOV 20:15) screens footage from Montreal’s World Exhibition as well as two new films inspired by the expo.
IT SHOWED BANNED & INDEPENDENT FILMS: THE NEW CINEMA CLUB (15 NOV 20:45) celebrates the work of one of just a handful of organisations that screened artist and experimental film in the late 1960s.
Festivals include Russian Film Week and the Underwire Film Festival. We like the look of TENTACLES ARE INCLUDED: THE SHORT FILMS OF KATE HERRON + Q&A with Kate Herron (23 NOV 20:40 – part of Underwire), mainly because we’re mugs for the T-word.
THE CASTLE CINEMA
The crowd-funded venue proudly supports Fringe! with titles including:
UPON THE SHADOW (15 NOV 21:00) a doc that provides “unparalleled insight into life following the Arab spring, social persecution, and political struggle, from a queer perspective”.
TOMCAT + Q&A with director with Händl Klaus (17 NOV 21:00) about a well-off gay couple who lead an idyllic life in the Viennese suburbs with their tomcat Moses until…
Girls On Film screen WINNIE + Q&A with director Pascale Lamche (16 NOV 21:00), a new doc about Winnie Madikizela Mandela “one of the most misunderstood and intriguingly powerful contemporary female political figures.”
CINÉ LUMIÈRE
The 25th French Film Festival is an epic, nationwide affair. From the programme at Ciné Lumière, we like the look of:
PROBLEMOS (03 NOV 16:00) about a family that joins a commune set against modern society. One day, they wake up to find that the Earth has been decimated by a pandemic and that they are possibly the only survivors…
There’s also a (really) strong focus on French creativity:
You can probably guess what you’re getting with: RODIN (03 NOV 20:45), GAUGIN (05 NOV 16:20), MARIE CURIE: THE COURAGE OF KNOWLEDGE + Q&A with director Marie Noëlle (07 NOV 18:30) and new doc THE PARIS OPERA (08 NOV 18:30).
THE WORKSHOP (04 NOV 16:00) is about a writing workshop for young people in a social inclusion programme.
REDOUBTABLE (08 NOV 20:40) dramatises Jean-Luc Godards’ crisis following the critical reception of his film LA CHINOISE.
BARBARA (09 NOV 18:00) is a film about the making of a film about the titular icon of French song (got that?).
The venue’s TRIBUTE TO JEANNE MOREAU continues.
THE CINEMA MUSEUM
Repertory screenings include:
THE EX-MRS BRADFORD (05 NOV 14:30), a 1936 comedy-mystery from RKO.
Clarence Brown & Maurice Tourneur’s silent THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS which includes live accompaniment and extra shorts (08 NOV 19:30).
CASTE in 35mm (09 NOV 19:30), a rare screening of Michael Powell’s long-forgotten first feature.
BAD DAY AT BLACK ROCK (15 NOV 19:30), a 1955 Eastman Color in CinemaScope thriller starring Spencer Tracey and Robert Ryan.
Special events include:
SILENT LAUGHTER SATURDAY (11 NOV 09:00) which screens classic comedies from the USA, Great Britain and continental Europe.
HOME MOVIE DAY (18 NOV 11:00), a worldwide celebration of amateur films and filmmaking dedicated to preserving our film heritage.
The museum is also home to the Women of the Lens Festival (24 to 26 NOV) which focuses on black women and women of colour in the UK creative industries.
CLOSE-UP CENTRE
The Shoreditch venue opens the month with two programmes as part of the London Korean Film Festival.
First up is an engagement with director Bae Chang-ho who will be around for a Q&A after each of his classic films WHALE HUNTING (02 NOV 19:30) and THE DREAM (03 NOV 20:00).
The focus shifts to INDIE FIREPOWER and Jung Yoon-suk, a contemporary documentary maker acclaimed for NON FICTION DIARY (04 NOV 19:30) – which screens with several shorts – and BAMSEOM PIRATES SEOUL INFERNO (05 NOV 19:30).
Of the other attractions, we like the look of:
FOR EXAMPLE, THE PHILIPPINES (04 to 05 NOV), a weekend dedicated to American documentary director John Gianvito who will talk about his work. VAPOR TRAIL (CLARK) (04 NOV 13:00) and WAKE (SUBIC) (05 NOV 13:00) will be followed by a FREE master-class on political cinema and “in conversation” event (06 NOV – both at the Centre for Film & Ethics, Queen Mary University of London).
ERASE AND FORGET + Q&A with director Andrea Luka Zimmerman (26 NOV 19:30) is a new doc about ‘Bo’ Gritz, the inspiration for Sylvester Stallone’s John Rambo.
Finally, two new retrospectives:
CLOSE-UP ON ANDREI TARKOVSKY (07 to 21 NOV). Hopefully, you’ll know what to see…
SOHRAB SHAHID SALESS: EXILES (18 NOV to 09 DEC) features the slow-paced, almost wordless films of the Iranian filmmaker. Screenings in the month include UTOPIA (18 NOV 16:00) and ORDER (22 NOV 19:30).
DEPTFORD CINEMA
The community cinema continues its commitment to distinctive screen voices.
A tribute to Agnès Varda starts with LA POINTE COURTE (07 NOV 20:00) and includes CLÉO DE 5 À 7 (14 NOV 20:00) and LE BON HEUR (21 NOV 20:00).
Notorious cult filmmaker Andrzej Zulawski gets the same treatment starting with POSSESSION (24 NOV 20:00) as well as lesser known titles SZAMANKA (25 NOV 20:00) and THAT MOST IMPORTANT THING, LOVE (26 NOV 20:00).
A focus on Greek filmmaker Theo Angelopoulos’ epic works continues with THE SUSPENDED STEP OF THE STORK (12 NOV 14:00).
For fans of artists’ and experimental film, there’s a FREE evening of FERRARA RESIDENCY SCREENINGS (04 NOV 18:00) including works made by the participating artists and the UK premiere of shot-on-VHS sci-fi oddity ELLIOT + Q&A with director Craig Jacobson (10 NOV 20:00).
Collaborations with home cinema distributors include Arrow Video for LE PLAISIR (12 NOV 18:00) and Third Window Films for KEN & KAZU (13 NOV 19:45).
DOCHOUSE at Curzon Bloomsbury
Head to Bloomsbury’s home of documentary film for outstanding special features.
GUARDIAN DOCUMENTARIES PRESENTS… + Q&A with Charlie Phillips (Head of Documentaries at The Guardian) & Filmmakers (07 NOV 18:20) is an evening of short docs commissioned by The Guardian.
THE LAST ANIMALS + Q&A with director Kate Brooks plus guests (08 NOV 18:30) looks at the killing of African elephants and rhinos: “a sweeping and sobering exposé of an underreported crisis”.
BILL VIOLA: THE ROAD TO ST PAULS + Q&A with director Gerald Fox (12 NOV 15:30) follows world-renowned American video artist Bill Viola on a twelve year journey to make a pair of permanent installations for St Paul’s Cathedral.
THANK YOU FOR THE RAIN + INTRO (17 NOV 18:30) is Kenyan farmer Kisilu’s five year record of his family, his village and the effects of climate change on them both.
EVERYMAN SCREEN ON THE GREEN
Indulge in a late night scare or two with A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET (11 NOV 23:30) and THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS (18 NOV 23:30).
FRONTLINE CLUB
Events always seem to sell out here, so click quickly.
GAUCHO: THE LOST COWBOYS OF PATAGONIA + Q&A with Josh Bullock and Tom Martienssen (15 NOV 19:00) examines a dying way of life through the portrait of an eighty-year-old cattle rancher.
CONFLICT + Q&A with director Nick Fitzhugh (22 NOV 19:00) reveals how some of the world’s best conflict photographers captured their most powerful images.
THE HORSE HOSPITAL
Head underground for the latest editions of two significant sagas.
THE MISKATONIC INSTITUTE: OF HORROR STUDIES – INTO THE DARK: THE MONSTERS AND NIGHTMARES OF HORROR ANIMATION (09 NOV 19:00) is presented by Nag Vladermersky (London International Animation Festival) and looks at the oft-ignored subject of horror animation.
Billy Chainsaw lifts the curtain on NOVA NIGHTS EPISODE #6 wherein JULIA OSTERTAG PRESENTS THE UK PREMIERE OF DARK CIRCUS (15 NOV 19:00). This occult fetish fantasy film is “a trip to the inner self, from deepest desires to darkest nightmares” and will be followed by conversation about the artist’s work.
If you saw and survived THUNDERCRACK! (31 OCT at ICA – we did!), then you’ll love MUSHROOMS IN HEAT: George Kuchar Triple Bill (25 NOV 18:30). Curated by artist and filmmaker Katrine Holmgren, the evening takes you on a journey from early masterpiece HOLD ME WHILE I’M NAKED right up to recent THE MUSE OF SAN FRANCISCO.
INSTITUTE OF CONTEMPORARY ARTS
Head to the home of radical art for some alternative projections.
COMUNISMO FUTURO + INTRO + Q&A with director Andrea Gropplero and journalist Ash Sarkar (07 NOV 18:30) marks the centennial anniversary of the Soviet Revolution with the international premiere of a new documentary.
GLITCH SHORTS (17 NOV 18:30) includes short films followed by a discussion on Glitch Feminism (no, we can’t explain it…). Stay a while for Glitch @ Night (20:00), an evening of performances and visuals.
THE CHURCH OF EXPANDED TELEPATHY (19 NOV 16:00) presents recent collaborative film works addressing telepathy and queer theory. The screening is followed by a discussion with the artists.
Of the ICA’s cinema programme, we like the look of:
YORGOS LANTHIMOS FOCUS (04 to 12 NOV) including all four of his earlier works: KINETTA (04 NOV 15:30); DOGTOOTH (05 NOV 15:30); ALPS (11 NOV 15:30); and THE LOBSTER (12 NOV 15:30).
Oleksandr Dovzhenko’s SILENT TRILOGY: LIFE AND DEATH IN THE TIMES OF REVOLUTION (16 to 25 NOV), sees the silent masterpieces fully restored with new soundtracks by contemporary composers from both Ukraine and the UK. The three films are: ZVENYHORA (16 NOV 18:20), ARSENAL (19 NOV 14:15), and EARTH (25 NOV 14:15).
WEST OF THE JORDAN RIVER + Q&A with director Amos Gitai (23 NOV 18:30) describes the efforts of citizens, Israelis and Palestinians, who are trying to overcome the consequences of the ongoing occupation.
Manthia Diawara’s AN OPERA OF THE WORLD + RESPONSES + DISCUSSIONS (26 NOV 18:00) is an evening about contemporary migration.
THE INSTITUTE OF LIGHT
The North London railway arch is a welcome home for indie promotors.
Otherfield offer a FREE screening of Raoul Ruiz’s 1979 documentary OF GREAT EVENTS & ORDINARY PEOPLE (06 NOV 19:00), a film that they say is “like a cool shower that blows away the cobwebs and refreshes the eyes and ears”.
SUPAKINO launches inaugural season, TURBANS SEEN ON SCREEN, with OCTOPUSSY + TALK from Del Singh who tied Kabir Bedi’s turban for many of the scenes shot in the UK (13 NOV 19:00).
DMovies and partners present documentary PITANGA + Q&A with actor Antônio Pitanga and co-director Camila Pitanga (14 NOV 20:00) about the life and career of the legendary actor and activist.
JW3
JW3 becomes a key screen for the UK International Jewish Film Festival (09 to 26 NOV). With over 70 titles, there’s a lot going on. We’ll cover it in a new GUIDE soon.
In the regular JW3 programme, we like the look of:
THE MAESTRO, IN SEARCH OF THE LAST MUSIC (05 to 09 NOV) a doc about Francesco Lotoro, a professional pianist who has scoured Europe to discover and record the music from more than 4000 scores composed clandestinely in World War II camps.
THE LEXI CINEMA
Sundance award winner MARJORIE PRIME gets a regular run (17 to 22 NOV). The Guardian has the words: “It’s a haunting little film that ends with a somewhat overwhelming poignancy.”
MOTH CLUB
Deeper Into Movies offers up a handful of classics: AKIRA + GHOST IN THE SHELL (04 NOV); AMELIE (18 NOV): and the crowning glory of all cult movies, Alejandro Jodorowsky’s EL TOPO & THE HOLY MOUNTAIN (18 NOV).
PICTUREHOUSE CENTRAL
THE ENHANCTED SCREEN makes a welcome return, inviting you to ‘enter the magical world of folklore and fairy tales’. November’s tales include: THE RED SHOES (12 NOV 13:00), LA BELLE ET LA BÊTE (19 NOV 13:00), GINGERELLA (ROCKAFELA) + Q&A with director Alex Reuben (20 NOV 18:30) – a new essay film exploring the meaning of dance (with a sprinkling of Cinderella) – THE TALE OF THE PRINCESS KAGUYA (26 NOV 13:00) and PAN’s LABYRINTH (28 NOV 18:30). Other screens, dates & times available.
Elsewhere, the chain’s excellent documentary strand includes:
NO STONE UNTURNED (10 & 11 NOV), the latest from investigative documentary filmmaker Alex Gibney looks into a cold murder case that continues to resonate in the Irish peace process.
BREXITANIA + Q&A (15 NOV 18:30) is a documentary and discussion about, well, you know what…
PRINCE CHARLES CINEMA
Films by indie promoters we love include:
Science Fiction Theatre kicks off an anniversary screening of QUATERMASS & THE PIT (07 NOV 20:45) with a talk from Andy Murray, FIVE MILLION YEARS TO BOREHAMWOOD, about the “genesis of Professor Bernard Quatermass and the many TV serials and spin-off cinematic incarnations that bear his name”.
The Celluloid Sorceress weaves her magic with THE SECRET OF MY SUCCESS in 35mm (21 NOV 20:50), one of Michael J Fox’s most popular live-action roles outside of his purple-hued Calvins.
Other notable nights include:
THE VENGENCE TRILOGY (19 NOV 16:30) featuring SYMPATHY FOR MR. VENGEANCE, OLDBOY and LADY VENGEANCE.
FIREWORKS (15 NOV 17:50), a new anime adapted from the small screen to the big (with extra sci-fi).
LAZER TEAM 2 (19 & 20 NOV) a YouTube Red original.
Original format/anniversary screenings include SINGING IN THE RAIN (05 NOV 14:50), CABARET (11 NOV 15:45), DEAD MAN’S SHOES (14 NOV 18: 35), CHILDREN OF MEN (16 NOV 18:20); and WINGS OF DESIRE (26 NOV 13:00).
UNICORN Nights (think all things LGBTQ+) show queerer-than-most sequel A NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET 2: FREDDY’s REVENGE (04 NOV 20:45) and THE FAMILY STONE (26 NOV 20:45).
Finally, for short film fans, there’s a trio of genre-busting programmes as part of Underwire Film Festival: SCIENCE FICTION DOUBLE FEATURE (23 NOV 21:00); WALKING HOME ALONE AT NIGHT (24 NOV 20:45); REBEL GIRLS (25 NOV 15:00).
REGENT STREET CINEMA
Hang your winter coat on a pop-out hook in the back of the seat in front of you for some of London’s best film festivals (all dates refer to Regent Street runs):
Made In Prague (10 to 12 and 17 to 18 NOV);
Korean Film Festival (right up to and including the Closing Night Gala screening of THE FIRST LAP 08 NOV 18:30);
UK International Jewish Film Festival (16 to 26 NOV);
Russian Film Week (20 to 24 NOV).
There’s too much to list, so we’ll leave you with the bonkers trailer for GUARDIANS (21 NOV 20:30) and update you with a GUIDE to each festival over the coming days.
In their regular collabs with indie promotors, we like the look of:
MASTERS OF THE CANVAS + Q&A with Kendo Nagasaki, Sir Peter Blake and Mary Dickinson (09 NOV 20:00). Heavenly Films’ evening looking at pop artist Peter Blake’s fantasy about being the mysterious masked wrestler Kendo Nagasaki.
FABER IN SARDEGNA + L’ULTIMO CONCERTO (14 NOV 19:30) is a screening by CinemaItaliaUK of a documentary by Gianfranco Cabiddu and a performance by jazz singer Filomena Campus and Cleveland Watkiss.
EYES OF LAURA MARS (15 NOV 19:30) from The Celluloid Sorceress + Indicator Films is director Irvin Kershner’s “kaleidoscope of fashion and murder in late ’70s New York City”.
RICH MIX
Start your Shoreditch month with Film Africa and end it with GFEST.
I WILL NOT BEAR TOMORROW + Q&A (02 NOV 18:00) gets its European premiere at the festival and is about an Ethiopian football coach struggling to train his team as government oppression increases.
BORDERS (03 NOV 18:30) sees the paths of four very different women converge as they try to make the long trip from Bamako in Mali to Nigeria’s bustling capital Lagos.
I SING OF A WELL (04 NOV 18:00) tells of a young African prince struggling to come to terms with the shame of having his kingdom sold to slave traders.
I’M NOT SICK! I’M GAY + SHORTS + Q&A (20 NOV 20:15) is the London premiere of a moving story of Dennis, one of the few out gay activists in Kazakhstan, who manages to organise the first pride event in the former Soviet state.
IF YOU DARE DESIRE + SHORTS (21 NOV 20:15) takes a real life starting point of the 2011 suicide of two young women in love in West Bengal and asks, what if they had run away and survived?
SERPENTINE GALLERY at Peckhamplex Cinema
ADELITA HUSNI-BEY, FOUR FILMS (14 NOV 20:30) presents four of her recent films including: THE READING, 2265, AFTER THE FINISH LINE and POSTCARDS FROM THE DESERT ISLAND.
SHORTS ON TAP
We love a good birthday… The regular short film night celebrates its fourth birthday with FAB FOUR – THE VERY BEST FROM YEAR FOUR OF SHORTS ON TAP (22 NOV 19:00).
STOW FILM LOUNGE
The Walthamstow film club gives good pop-up. This month there’s a trio of excellent docs.
HIT SO HARD (04 NOV 20:00) screens to help local musician Amie McBye encourage more women to try drumming. The doc focuses on Hole drummer Patty Schemel, and features footage of Kurt Cobain and Courtney Love.
SUPERMENSCH: THE LEGEND OF SHEP GORDON (16 NOV 19:45) is another showbiz doc, this one looking at the life and career of the legendary Hollywood insider and marketing genius, Shep Gordon.
TSAR TO LENIN (29 NOV 19:30) marks the 100th anniversary of the Russian Revolution with one of the twentieth century’s greatest docs.
Finally, as fans of superstar SABU, we couldn’t miss mention of BLACK NARCISSUS (26 NOV 14:15), even if he only makes a cameo… The sexually conflicted nuns on the run drama is a masterpiece of British film-making.
TATE MODERN
Head to Tate for great artist film and film about art.
TROPICÁLIA AND BEYOND: DIALOGUES IN BRAZILIAN FILM HISTORY (09 to 12 NOV) is one of Tate’s COUNTER HISTORIES. This one explores “Brazil’s cinematic past in fresh conversation with the present” and is inspired by the short-lived Brazilian cultural movement known as Tropicália. There are seven programmes: a series ticket is available (£35).
MANIFESTO: LIVE FROM TATE MODERN (15 NOV 17:00) is a special live event filmed at Tate Modern and broadcast via satellite to cinemas nationwide. It includes an introduction from Cate Blanchett featuring artworks in Tate Modern’s collection, a screening of Julian Rosenfeldt’s film about the tradition of artistic manifestos and concludes with a conversation.
PAT O’NEILL: WHERE THE CHOCOLATE MOUNTAINS (23 NOV 18:30) sees experimental film maverick Pat O’Neill present the UK premiere of his latest feature. O’Neill is one of the pioneering figures of Los Angeles’s experimental film and art scenes, known for his technical and artistic innovations in visual effects and optical printing.
WHIRLED CINEMA
No Bollocks Film Club takes over at Loughborough Junction for their inaugural screening of DAISIES (09 NOV 19:00), a 1966 slice of countercultural avant-garde cinema. You’re invited to hang around afterwards for a drink and discussion about what could be in their new programme.
WHITECHAPEL GALLERY
A number of intriguing film events over the course of the month.
PALESTINE NOW: DOCUMENTS OF A DISAPPEARANCE 1917-2017 (04 NOV 11:30) marks 100 years since the Balfour Declaration by tracing the legacy of colonialism through films, readings, and special guest presentations.
MOLLOY AND LAWLOR: FURTHER BEYOND (16 NOV 19:00) offers a special screening of the 2016 essay film by artist film-makers Christine Molloy and Joe Lawlor, “a moving study of identity and belonging, but also a masterclass in film-making and its potency”.
STORY TELLING FOR EARTHLY SURVIVAL + Q&A with director Fabrizio Terranova (30 NOV 19:00) is “a striking and unconventional portrait of Donna Haraway”, whose critical approach to science and technology has had a profound and lasting impact since the 1980s.
FILM LONDON JARMAN AWARD 2017 WEEKEND (18 & 19 NOV – 13:00 each day) brings together the six artists shortlisted for the 2017 Jarman Award. Topics to be addressed range from sound and memory, Botox, gender, future censoring of language, the cloud, snow and ‘queer wilderness’. Each day a different programme.
COMING SOON: FILM FESTIVALS (by date opening/closing)
A quick summary of film festivals opening across the city this month.
- Film Africa (until 05 NOV)
- Korean Film Festival (until 08 NOV)
- Crystal Palace International Film Festival (until 18 NOV)
- Doc’n Roll Festival (until 19 NOV)
- French Film Festival (until 17 DEC)
- Made in Prague (08 NOV to 06 DEC)
- UK Jewish Film Festival (09 to 26 NOV)
- GFEST (13 to 25 NOV)
- Fringe! Queer Film & Arts Fest (14 to 19 NOV)
- Russian Film Week (19 to 26 NOV)
- Underwire Film Festival (22 to 26 NOV)
- Irish Film Festival (29 NOV to 03 DEC)
WHAT HAVE WE MISSED?
No list would be complete without the ones we’ve missed… Let us know what should be included in the comments below.
If you’re a cinema and want to invite us over to see your screens and sample your artisanal popcorn/hotdogs/beverages (just saying…), contact us here.
Join the hunt for adventurous moving pictures and shelter from the storm
*As accurate as we could make it. Apologies for any mistakes. We aim to only cover film events you can get tickets for at the time of posting. Click quickly.
Featured image: DARK CIRCUS (2016).