NOW SHOWING: LONDON SCREEN GUIDE w/c 09.02.18
RADIANT CIRCUS hunts out the best independent movie nights, film events & gallery screenings in London for the week ahead*. Here’s our SCREEN GUIDE for 09 to 15 FEB 2018.
FRI 09 // SAT 10 // SUN 11 // MON 12 // TUE 13 // WED 14 // THU 15
Welcome to our weekly screen guide where we recommend moving pictures that might excite you. There’s a lot going on this week, so we’ve packed our intro with some extra links in addition to our usual listings.
Kicking off, it’s time to work out if the arrival of a new black superhero is (anything like) enough progress with a screening of BLACK PANTHER + PANEL by The New Black Film Collective at Stratford Picturehouse (13 FEB 20:30). Similar events at BFI are sold out but there’ll be more opportunities along the same lines at Genesis later this month (check them out).
Elsewhere, we try to avoid snarky film reviews and ‘so bad it’s good’ cults, but you might enjoy folk ‘riffing’ over a film you’ve not had a chance to see properly… If so, Rifftrax Live / Mystery Science Theatre 3000 are in town – for the first time ever – with screenings of PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE (15 FEB 18:30) and SAMURAI COP (15 FEB 19:00) at the Prince Charles.
For the romantically inclined, you know what’s coming…. We’ve handpicked highlights in our listings below but you might also get a kick from the extensive Prince Charles programme, including: THELMA & LOUISE 35mm (13 FEB 20:45) and IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE (14 FEB 18:15). BFI gives good lovin’ with: ROMY & MICHELLE + PROM PARTY (13 FEB 18:15); SHOW ME LOVE (14 FEB 18:30); and, THE WAY HE LOOKS (14 FEB 20:50). ArtHouse Crouch End has got CALL ME BY YOUR NAME (14 Feb 21:00) whilst Rio is showing THE SHAPE OF WATER for that romantic night with the Gill-man in your life (14 FEB 20:45). Finally, Kush Films ramps up the #BlackLove with a screening of LOOKING FOR LOVE + SHORT (15 FEB 20:00) at Regent Street.
If we had beaus (no tears please…), we would probably abandon the big day entirely and plump for a DIY double in the velvety goodness of Regent Street: JASON & THE ARGONAUTS (11 FEB 15:00) followed by LAWRENCE OF ARABIA (11 FEB 19:00). Heck, we might do it anyway…
Our featured attraction of the week is, naturally enough, Cigarette Burns Cinema’s My Twisted Valentine screening of LA PRISONNIÈRE + INTRO at Barbican (13 FEB 20:45). It has already sold out once – and been bumped to a bigger screen – so grab front row seats whilst you can… If it sells out again, try all 197mins of EX LIBRIS at DocHouse the same night (13 FEB 18:30). We would.
> Tell us what you’re seeing in the comments below.
#SCREENGUIDE: We highlight up to three SINGLE-O EXHIBITS (one-off events) each day and link to others in our LONDON EVENTS listing. There’s a summary of MUSEUM SHOWS (divided into exhibitions and seasons & festivals) and GRIND SHOWS (regular runs) below the line. Follow date & section links to find what you want. Use your ‘back’ button to return here.
We check ticket availability for everything listed before we post: please click quickly!
NOW SHOWING: SINGLE-O EXHIBITS
ONE-OFF MOVIE NIGHTS, FILM EVENTS & GALLERY SCREENINGS (by date/event)
FRI 09
THE FISH CHILD screens at Deptford Cinema (20:00):
Celebrated Argentine director Lucía Puenzo (XXY – Cannes’ Crtics’ Week Grand Prize 2007) returns with THE FISH CHILD, a gripping tale of forbidden lesbian romance. Two young girls of extremely different social backgrounds who, unable to find a place for their love in the world they live in, are pushed to commit a crime. Part of #QueerLatino.
THE LEGACY OF HALAS & BATCHELOR + Vivien Halas in conversation screens at BFI Southbank (18:10):
America had Disney – the UK had Halas & Batchelor. Discover their legacy in this special event. This screening of highlights and new discoveries from the Halas & Batchelor Collection – now housed at the BFI National Archive – will be accompanied by the insights of their daughter Vivien Halas, who has done much to safeguard their legacy. Part of ANIMATION 2018.
> Looking for an alternative? Find more great screens in our LONDON EVENTS listing.
SAT 10
COLD FISH screens at Deptford Cinema (19:30):
The life of Shamoto, a mild-mannered, middle-aged tropical fish shop owner, is taken over by Murata, a fellow fish seller who initially appears to be jovial, charming and respectable, but soon turns out to be a cold-blooded killer. Part of Third Window Film Club.
TAPE CRACKERS: AN ORAL HISTORY OF JUNGLE PIRATE RADIO screens at Rio Cinema (23:30):
Join NTS for their next late-night and immerse yourself in the history of London pirate radio of the mid to late ’90s. Made in 2009 by Rollo Jackson, TAPE CRACKERS focuses on bedroom obsessive Michael Finch and his vast collection of pirate radio tape recordings. Includes a Q&A by Moxie, plus a DJ set from Ray Keith.
WE CAME TO SWEAT screens at Bernie Grant Arts Centre (19:00):
A love letter to Starlite, Brooklyn’s oldest black owned gay bar and a queer landmark from before the Stonewall era, which finds itself threatened with eviction.
> Looking for an alternative? Find more great screens in our LONDON EVENTS listing.
SUN 11
DOVE CADONO LE OMBRE + Q&A with director Valentina Pedicini screens at Genesis Cinema (15:30):
CinemaItaliaUk presents the story of Anna, a young nurse in charge of a nursing home in the forests of Switzerland. The arrival of the old Gertrud starts the recovery of dreadful memories. Inspired by the Jenisch ethnic cleansing and successfully presented at 2017 Venice Film Festival, DOVE CADONO LE OMBRE is a powerful drama about a forgotten tragedy.
KUSO screens at Moth Club (15:00):
Deeper Into Movies presents “The grossest movie ever made.” –The Verge. Get ready for Steve Ellison aka Flying Lotus’ film debut, and the latest entry in the annals of midnight movie history – a challenging, perverse, free-jazz, body horror psycho-scape of epic and disgusting proportions. “Those who walked out were completely right to do so…” –The Film Stage.
LORD OF ILLUSIONS (DIRECTOR’S CUT) screens at BFI Southbank (20:15):
The third, and regrettably final, feature directed by Clive Barker remains his most underrated. Adapted from his own story The Last Illusion, the plot follows an LA detective drawn into an occult underworld after being hired to protect a popular stage magician. Part of BFI’s CULT strand – “the mind-altering and unclassifiable”.
> Looking for an alternative? Find more great screens in our LONDON EVENTS listing.
MON 12
KNIFE IN THE WATER screens at BFI Southbank (20:50):
Roman Polanski’s debut derives a wealth of drama and insights from the simplest situation: a couple are joined by a young hitchhiker on their yacht for a sailing weekend. Absurd male rivalries arise, and events threaten to turn nasty. Krzysztof Komeda’s Coltrane-like jazz evokes both the moments of exhilaratingly speedy freedom and the moody doldrums.
TAWAI: A VOICE FROM THE FOREST + Q&A with Bruce Parry screens at Regent Street Cinema (19:30):
The Advaya Initiative presents an evening in the forests of Borneo with explorer Bruce Parry. Tawai is the word used by nomadic hunter-gatherers of Borneo to describe their inner feeling of connection to nature. From the jungles of Malaysia to the tributaries of the Amazon, TAWAI is a quest for reconnection.
> Looking for an alternative? Find more great screens in our LONDON EVENTS listing.
TUE 13
EX LIBRIS – THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY screens at Bertha DocHouse (18:30):
Turning his inquisitive eye to one of the world’s greatest institutions of learning, legendary filmmaker Frederick Wiseman offers a captivating and engrossing portrait of this incredible resource of knowledge and community support for all of New York’s inhabitants, no matter their social status or ethnicity. Part of: Sunday Sessions – “inspiring films from auteurs, artists and adventurers”.
LA PRISONNIÈRE + INTRO by Virginie Sélavy screens at Barbican (20:45):
Cigarette Burns Cinema presents an alternative Valentine’s offering. The final film by director Henri-Georges Clouzot (LES DIABOLIQUES) takes us into a kinky love triangle set in the Paris art world of the Swinging Sixties. Critic Virginie Sélavy will unpick the film’s tangled tale of love, voyeurism and domination/submission.
STRONG ISLAND + Q&A director Yance Ford & producer Joslyn Barnes screens at ICA (18:15):
An Oscar nominee for Best Documentary Feature 2018, STRONG ISLAND chronicles the arc of a family across history and geography, from the racial segregation of the Jim Crow South to the promise of New York City; from the presumed safety of middle class suburbs to the maelstrom of an unexpected and violent death. Presented by DocSociety.
> Looking for an alternative? Find more great screens in our LONDON EVENTS listing.
WED 14
2 DAYS IN PARIS 35mm screens at Ciné Lumière (20:50):
Spending 2 days in Paris comes as a cultural shock for American interior designer Jack (Adam Goldberg) who got way more than he bargained for when he planned a romantic trip to the city of Love with his girlfriend Marion (Julie Delpy). In this romantic comedy Julie Delpy does triple duty as writer, director and actor.
BEFORE SUNRISE screens at Screen25 (19:45):
Join Screen25 (formerly Stanley’s Film Club) for a tantalising tale of travel, nostalgia and human connection. Named no.3 best romantic film of all time by The Guardian, Richard Linklater’s 1995 classic BEFORE SUNRISE “pulls into Norwood Junction to provide a perfect date night experience. Treat a loved one, or come on your own to indulge in a love of travel and classic cinema.” Sweet.
SWEET COUNTRY screens at Frontline Club (19:00):
A sweeping, historical epic set against the brutal backdrop of a stunning Australian landscape, SWEET COUNTRY follows the story of Sam, a middle-aged Aboriginal man, working for a preacher in the outback of Australia’s Northern Territory. When Harry, a bitter war veteran, moves into a neighbouring outpost, Sam and his family are sent to help Harry renovate his cattle yards. Directed by Warwick Thornton (SAMSON & DELILAH).
> Looking for an alternative? Find more great screens in our LONDON EVENTS listing.
THU 15
IT’S MY OWN INVENTION: RESONANCE FM FUNDRAISER screens at Close-Up (19:30):
Filmmaker and Resonance FM broadcaster William English presents the world premiere of his new film followed by a Q&A. All proceeds go directly towards Resonance FM’s spring fundraiser. IT’S MY OWN INVENTION is a film portrait of Hugh de la Cruz, who for the last two decades has been compulsively obsessed with the perfection of a perpetual motion machine.
KISS OF DEATH screens at The Cinema Museum (19:30):
Kennington Noir presents a 1947 film directed by Henry Hathaway starring Victor Mature, Brian Donlevy, Coleen Gray and Richard Widmark. Mature plays a low-rent crook who takes the rap for a Christmas Eve store robbery whist the rest of the robbers get away, until, in exchange for parole, he makes a deal with the DA (Brian Donlevy) to squeal on his former gangmates. Plus supporting programme.
SUE TOMPKINS AND TONY CONRAD screens at Tate Britain (19:00):
A screening of Tony Conrad’s THE FLICKER (1966) followed by a live performance by Sue Tompkins. A seminal structuralist film, THE FLICKER emphasises the manner in which film conveys meaning through the use of codes and conventions, something that finds a parallel in Tompkins’ use of language and narrative in performance.
> Looking for an alternative? Find more great screens in our LONDON EVENTS listing.
NOW SHOWING: MUSEUM SHOWS
EXHIBITIONS (by event/venue)
BL CK B X: Alia Syed – WALLPAPER shows at LUX Moving Image (until 10 FEB – 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.
BL CK B X: SEAMUS HARAHAN – SHINEY WET STONES screens at LUX Moving Image (14 FEB to 10 MAR 2018 – FREE, check for times):
A body of video works by 2015 Jarman Award-winning artist, Seamus Harahan. The exhibition will officially launch on 17 FEB with a special opening event.
IAN GILES: AFTER BUTT screens at Chelsea Space (until 02 MAR):
Chelsea Space presents a new film by Ian Giles exploring the cultural and social legacy of BUTT magazine (2001-2011); a publication made by and for gay men, noted for its iconic pink pages and candid interviews.
PATRICK HOUGH, JOHN SKOOG, and ØRJAN AMUNDSEN screens at The Whitechapel Gallery (until 01 APR – FREE, check for times):
A new selection of artists from The Whitechapel’s ARTISTS’ FILM INTERNATIONALpartnership of moving image galleries. The 2018 edition focuses on the theme of truth. Each of the selected artists explore the relationship between fact and fiction.
patten: 3049 shows at Tenderpixel (until 03 MAR – FREE, check for times):
London duo patten reconfigures fragmentary background elements of film, literature, sound and set design collected from the world of modern sci-fi into a hallucinogenic and immersive audiovisual environment. The resulting space sets the stage for a positive future, asking; ‘how do we make it to 3049?’.
NOW SHOWING: MUSEUM SHOWS
SEASONS & FESTIVALS (by event/venue)
ANDREY ZVYAGINTSEV screens at BFI Southbank (until 12 FEB):
BFI wraps up a new short season about the Russian director with a return (ahem…) of THE RETURN (12 FEB 20:45) and his most recent work, LOVELESS, in a grind show run (until 22 FEB).
CLAIRE DENIS screens at Deptford Cinema (11 FEB to 18 MAR):
A new season dedicated to the French filmmaker starts with 35 SHOTS OF RUM (11 FEB 15:30).
CULTURES OF RESISTANCE screens at Deptford Cinema (until 21 FEB):
Deptford continues to explore how art, creativity and cinema can be ammunition in the battle for peace and justice. Next up is K2 AND THE INVISIBLE FOOTMEN (14 FEB 20:00), Iara Lee’s chronicle of the lives of both Pakistani porters and Nepalese sherpas.
GIRLFRIENDS screens at BFI Southbank (FEB & MAR):
BFI invites you to “revisit cherished classics and discover trailblazing women filmmakers in our season celebrating female friendships.” Every title screens with a suitable short and there’s a good smattering of 35mm. This week, you can try MURIEL’S WEDDING (10 FEB 18:10) and COME BACK TO THE 5 & DIME, JIMMY DEAN, JIMMY DEAN (10 FEB 20:30). There’s also a special Galantines screening of ROMY & MICHELE’S HIGH SCHOOL REUNION + Skype Q&A with screenwriter Robin Schiff + PROM PARTY (13 FEB 18:15).
INGMAR BERGMAN screens at BFI Southbank (until end MAR):
Celebrating 100 years since the master filmmaker’s birth, this ‘definitive’ season covers both big and small screen outings. Screenings are divided into strands reflecting Bergman’s preoccupations. Followers of THE HUMAN CONDITION – “how humans cope with suffering, injustice, mortality and uncertainty” – should pick from: IT RAINS ON OUR LOVE (10 FEB 20:40); PRISON (11 FEB 20:20); and, SHAME (13 FEB 20:45). If you’d rather WOMEN IN LOVE – “the experiences and emotional lives of women” – try: THIRST (10 FEB 18:45); and, WAITING WOMEN (14 FEB 20:40). If original formats are more your thing, there are 35mm screenings of DIVORCED (11 FEB 18:00) and EVE (12 FEB 18:20). Finally, to help get your head around the maestro’s life and work, there’s a paid talk BERGMAN AND THE CINEMA OF EXISTENCE (10 FEB 12:00).
THE JAPAN FOUNDATION TOURING FILM PROGRAMME 2018: (Un)true Colours – Secrets & Lies in Japanese Cinema screens at ICA (until 11 FEB).
We’ve posted a separate guide HERE.
MICHAEL HANEKE screens at Close-Up (until 28 FEB):
Close-Up continues a season dedicated to the Austrian auteur – “one of cinema’s most original, daring and controversial filmmakers” – which includes a lot of 35mm. Choose from: THE PIANO TEACHER (09 FEB 19:30); THE WHITE RIBBON (10 & 13 FEB); TIME OF THE WOLF (10 FEB 20:00) – one of our faves; BENNY’S VIDEO (11 FEB 17:00) – and another!; HIDDEN (11 Feb 20:00); and, AMOUR (14 FEB 19:30).
THE SOUND OF MUSIC screens at Ciné Lumière (until 25 FEB):
Never shy of a good season, the South Ken home of francophile film continues a new series of screenings featuring film scores by French composers, including a bunch of rare 35mm prints. This week’s screening is L’ATALANTE + SALON (11 FEB 14:00) with Nick Walker from Rochester Kino.
There’s a similar emphasis on film music over at BFI where their always-on SCREEN CLASSICS strand focuses on films notable for their original soundtracks.
NOW SHOWING: GRIND SHOWS
REGULAR RUNS & MAINSTREAM MARVELS (by title)
SCAFFOLDING screens at JW3 (11 to 21 FEB):
17 year-old Asher has always been the impulsive troublemaker at school. Whilst his powerful and strict father sees him as a natural successor to the family’s scaffolding business, Asher finds unexpected solace in his inspiring literature teacher. Jerusalem Film Festival 2017 – Best Israeli Feature Film & Best Actor. Presented by UKJF.
WINNIE screens at Bertha DocHouse (09 to 15 FEB):
Winnie Mandela is one of the most misunderstood and intriguingly powerful contemporary female political figures. As her husband Nelson Mandela served out his sentence in prison, Winnie took centre stage before the world as the face of the African National Congress. She became an icon for an adoring but fickle public that first cast her as the Mother of the Nation, and then cast her down as a sinner.
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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+. We only include events you can book for at the time of posting. Please click quickly!
Featured image: LA PRISONNIÈRE (1968).