NOW BOOKING: JANUARY SCREENS 2018
RADIANT CIRCUS hunts out the best independent movie nights, film events & gallery screenings in London. Find out what’s booking this month with our JANUARY roundup*.
EXHIBITIONS // SEASONS & FESTIVALS
Welcome to our first monthly roundup of 2018. Sorry it’s a few day’s late… we’ve being doing our homework, building and launching a new WHAT’S ON event listings for London’s adventurous film fans. Check it out – we (really) hope you like it.
We’ve reformatted this month’s guide to make it a little easier to navigate. From hereon in, we’ll be focusing at the start of each screen month on what we call MUSEUM SHOWS – London’s moving image exhibitions, seasons and festivals – where you will find several attractions under one roof. In addition to our more comprehensive WHAT’S ON, we will continue to recommend SINGLE-O EXHIBITS (one-off attractions) and GRIND SHOWS (regular runs) in our weekly SCREEN GUIDES.
Our FEATURED ATTRACTION is also the only (we think… sometimes it’s hard to know…) film festival opening across the capital this month: the 15th LONDON SHORT FILM FESTIVAL.
> Tell us what you’re seeing in the comments below.
NOW BOOKING: MUSEUM SHOWS
EXHIBITIONS (by show)
BL CK B X: Alia Syed – WALLPAPER shows at LUX Moving Image (from 10 JAN to 10 FEB 2018 – FREE, check for times)
Alia Syed’s WALLPAPER, a double screen film that was originally commissioned by the Glynn Vivian Art Gallery in 2011, screens alongside other works to launch a new series of monthly exhibitions of artists’ moving image, BL CK B X.
LUIS LAZARO MATOS + ZHENG MAHLER + NGUYEN PHUONG LINH screens at The Whitechapel Gallery (until 28 JAN – FREE, check for times)
A new selection of moving image works from the gallery’s Artists’ Film International partnership.
SEASONS & FESTIVALS (by event)
ANDREI TARKOVSKY screens at ICA (until 14 JAN):
Another month, another ANDREI TARKOVSKY retrospective. Not that we’re complaining. See all seven of the master’s films on The Mall. For us, the standout is always STALKER (10 JAN 18:15).
BEFORE THE NIGHT screens at Ciné Lumière (until 24 JAN):
NIGHT OF IDEAS (25 JAN) is a free event – booking required! – designed to “power up the imagination”. To get you in the mood, Ciné Lumière is screening a number of thought-provoking features. Highlights include: a double-bill of space docs THOMAS PESQUET, HOW TO BECOME AN ASTRONAUT (23 JAN 15:00) and THOMAS PESQUET, SPACE CORRESPONDENT (23 JAN 16:45) – there’s a discount for doing the double; SUFFRAGETTE (23 JAN 20:30); WOMEN AND MEN + Q&A with dir. Frédérique Bedos (24 JAN 14:00); THE BUREAU + Q&A with Q&A with prod. Alex Berger (24 JAN 20:30); and, MAKALA + Q&A with dir. Emmanuel Gras (30 JAN 18:30).
BEST OF 2017 screens at Ciné Lumière (until 18 JAN):
The South Ken. venue does some great recent retrospectives – we particularly enjoyed last year’s LA FÊTE DU CINÉMA – and this new season is no different. Most of the 11 titles get more than one outing and, given that we don’t get animated enough, we’ve chosen MY LIFE AS A COURGETTE (10 & 14 JAN) as our pick of the crop.
DCQ screens at Deptford Cinema (ongoing):
The community cinema’s regular queer strand includes the following screenings this month: HIDDEN SHORTS (15 JAN 20:00); and, TOM OF FINLAND (30 JAN 20:00).
DETOX DOCS screens at Bertha Dochouse / Curzon Bloomsbury (until 14 JAN):
A mini season to help you settle into a more mindful New Year including regular runs of WALK WITH ME (05 to 11 JAN) and BECOMING WHO I WAS (12 to 14 JAN).
FOCUS MARCEL PAGNOL screens at Ciné Lumière (until 28 JAN):
This season concludes with three remaining films: FANNY (14 JAN 14:00); CÉSAR (21 JAN 14:00); and, LA FEMME DU BOULANGER (28 JAN 14:00). That’s Sunday afternoons taken care of.
INGMAR BERGMAN screens at BFI Southbank (until end MAR):
Celebrating 100 years since the master filmmaker’s birth, this ‘definitive’ season continues through FEB / MAR and covers both big and small screen outings. This month, there’s an extended run of PERSONA – which gets an INTRO from Richard Ayoade (16 JAN 18:20) – and an ‘introductory trilogy’ for the Bergman novices out there (we’ll be honest, that includes us!): THROUGH A GLASS DARKLY (23 & 29 JAN); WINTER LIGHT (22, 29 & 30 JAN); THE SILENCE (30 & 31 JAN) – make sure you pick up the ticket discount for doing the triple! Then, there are two talks to bring you up to speed: SCENES FROM A CAREER (08 JAN 18:30) and BERGMAN FAMILY VALUES (18 JAN 18:10).
Elsewhere, JAN’s screenings are divided into strands reflecting Bergman’s preoccupations: LOVE, PAIN AND THE WHOLE DAMN THING (“the complications of sexual and romantic passion”); and, ALL IN THE FAMILY (“emotional turmoil begins at home…”). If original formats are our thing, there are 35mm screenings of: LAST COUPLE OUT (16 & 24 JAN); FAITHLESS (22 & 24 JAN); and, THE BEST INTENTIONS (26 & 28 JAN). Finally, for an epic immersion into the Swedish master’s voice, why not try 293min of made for TV SCENES FROM A MARRIAGE (21 JAN 13:30 + intervals), or 311min of the TV version of FANNY & ALEXANDER (27 JAN + interval)?
JOHN HURT screens at BFI Southbank (until 31 JAN):
A season dedicated to the late, great actor, there are many film and TV titles here you will know and love. We’d recommend: 10 RILLINGTON PLACE (11 JAN 20:30); THE NAKED CIVIL SERVANT + AN ENGLISHMAN IN NEW YORK (14 JAN 17:00); THE ELEPHANT MAN + Q&A with producer Jonathan Sanger (18 JAN 18:00); LOVE & DEATH ON LONG ISLAND + Q&A with director Richard Kwietniowski (29 JAN 18:10); and, because for some peculiar reason we love a modern western, THE PROPOSITION (26 & 31 JAN). HELLBOY (28 & 29 JAN) screens as part of BFI’s always huggable CULT strand. Other great performances available.
LÉOS CARAX screens at Close-Up (until 13 JAN):
Close-Up repeats their popular short season showing all of the French director’s features and adding Claire Denis’ BEAU TRAVAIL in a Herman Melville double-bill with POLA X (13 JAN 17:30 + 20:00).
FEATURED ATTRACTION
LONDON SHORT FILM FESTIVAL screens across London (12 to 21 JAN):
The 15th edition of the festival divides its programme into several strands. To orientate yourself to the action on opening night, head to WE DARE TO FAIL, a special programme celebrating 15 years of the fest. (12 JAN 19:00, ICA).
In addition to a veritable feast of shorts and features – in and out of competition – there are a number of events presented by indie programmers we regularly shout about, including: The Bechdel Test (MATI DIOP: THE LIFE FARAWAY, 16 JAN 18:30, ICA); The Final Girls (THE WITCHING HOUR, 15 JAN 18:30, Regent Street Cinema); and, Cigarette Burns Cinema (WELCOME II THE TERRORDOME 35mm, 19 JAN 21:00, Regent Street Cinema).
We also (really) like the look of the following:
WITH TEETH PREMIERE: Kim Noce, Zoe Aiano and Tash Tung (13 JAN 12:00 ICA) – “A triple bill premiere of With Teeth’s three commissioned moving image pieces, accompanied on screen by their influences and inspirations.”
RADICAL SOFTNESS THROUGH A HAPTIC LENS: Barbara Hammer and Chick Strand (13 JAN 16:00, ICA) – “The works of pioneer feminist filmmakers, Barbara Hammer and Chick Strand, accompanied by Skype Q&A with Hammer”.
DAWN SHADFORTH: Spinning Around (14 JAN 16:00, Regent Street Cinema) – “Kylie Minogue, Björk, The Streets, Sugababes: a retrospective of one of music video’s most quietly prolific auteurs, Dawn Shadforth”.
NEW SHORTS: Lo‑Budget Mayhem (15 JAN 20:30, Regent Street Cinema) – “What can DIY filmmakers achieve with minimal cash and a genius idea?”
LIVES IN SIGN LANGUAGES: A Screening for Deaf and HoH audiences (16 JAN 18:30, BFI Southbank) – “LSFF present their first screening exclusively for D/deaf audiences, curated by LSFF’s young Deaf programmer Zoe McWhinney”.
MUSLIM PUNK AND THE NEW SUBCULTURE (16 JAN 19:00, Moth Club) – “What happened to Taqwacore, and how is class, race, and gender tied in with Muslim resistance to Trump and Brexit?”
JG BALLARD: This Is The Way, Step Inside (19 JAN 18:30, ICA) – “Exploring Ballard’s preoccupation with the Machine, the body, the human condition and disembodiment through short screen adaptations and panel.”
NEW SHORTS: Midnight Movies (19 JAN 23:00, Rio Cinema) – “Indulge your inner masochist and come spend the early hours with gratuitous tales of horror.”
TEAROOM (21 Jan 13:00, ICA) – “Video artist William E. Jones re-contextualises police surveillance footage, examining the democratic space carved by cruising gay men in the early ’60s.”
SINGLE-O EXHIBIT: Only got time for just one? We’d pick LUCILE HADZIHALILOVIC: Short Films (20 JAN 12:30 Curzon Soho) – “A rare chance to see the short films of our International Juror and French auteur, Lucile Hadzihalilovic with filmmaker Q&A” – which is followed by LUCILE HADZIHALILOVIC: Innocence (20 JAN 14:30, Curzon Soho) – “Lucile Hadzihalilovic’s deliciously dark debut feature follows a year in the life of the girls at a secluded boarding school, starring Marion Cotillard.” Why? We’re huge fans of her most recent feature, EVOLUTION.
ORSON WELLES screens at Close-Up (15 to 30 JAN):
Close-Up begins a new retrospective including eleven of Welles’ films and, towards the end of the month, two juicy double-bills: CONFIDENTIAL REPORT screening with Carol Reed’s THE THIRD MAN (21 JAN), and MACBETH preceding Akira Kurosawa’s THRONE OF BLOOD (28 JAN).
PAUL THOMAS ANDERSON 35mm TOUR screens at Prince Charles Cinema (until 01 FEB):
One of several London venues playing host to this retrospective where everything screens in 35mm. The films are: MAGNOLIA (14 JAN 16:45); PUNCH-DRUNK LOVE (21 JAN 18:30); THERE WILL BE BLOOD (28 JAN 20:15); and, INHERENT VICE + DAYDREAMING (01 FEB 20:30).
#WOMENINFILM2018 screens at Genesis Cinema (until 31 DEC):
Carrying on from where they left off last year, Genesis begins a new season dedicated to films that have a female director/co-director, a female writer/co-writer, or a strong/iconic female lead. Things get started this month with: THE OTHER SIDE OF UNDERNEATH (11 JAN 18:00) and PIN CUSHION (11 JAN 20:50); THEIR FINEST + INTRO (16 JAN 18:15); and, ERIC CLAPTON: A LIFE IN 12 BARS (25 JAN 18:15).
HUNGRY FOR MORE?
Check our weekly SCREEN GUIDES – where we recommend adventurous moving pictures that might excite you – and our new WHAT’S ON WHERE listings for London’s finest SINGLE-O EXHIBITS.
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*THE SMALL PRINT: As accurate as we could make it. Apologies for any mistakes. Updates & corrections will be made to the online version. We don’t filter by age/certification: all readers & subscribers should be 18+.
Featured image: INNOCENCE (2004).