RADIANT CIRCUS is your handcrafted guide to London’s DIY, indie & alternative movie nights, film events & gallery screenings. Our DAILY UPDATE helps you find great films in London today*.

Find films in London today by: SINGLE-O EXHIBITS (one-off attractions) // MUSEUM SHOWS (several exhibits under one roof – seasons & festivals) // GRIND SHOWS (a selection of regular runs).

FEATURED ATTRACTION

INDIA SPACE DREAMS d. Sue Sudbury, 2019 + Q&A with the director at DocHouse (02 DEC 18:30):

“Scientists at Mumbai’s Tata Institute of Fundamental Research have been working since 2001 to build and launch the Astrosat. If successful, it will allow astronomers to study black holes as never before and get closer to discovering how our universe is formed. The stakes are big for everyone – but so are the obstacles in a country constantly struggling against the odds.”

NEW AT RADIANT CIRCUS

We’ve posted our epic monthly roundup of London’s rep seasons & film festivals for DECEMBER to help you plan ahead.

Fringe! Queer Film & Arts Fest might be over for another year, but we’re posting a special series of Fringe! Diaries to report from the action. Next: FISH OUT OF WATER short film programme (17 NOV).

Fringe!’s next Fling – part of their year-round programme of screenings – is JONATHAN AGASSI SAVED MY LIFE + Q&A with director Tomer Heymann at Genesis Cinema (05 DEC).

FILMS IN LONDON TODAY

SINGLE-O EXHIBITS

THE DIRTY WAR ON THE NHS d. John Pilger, 2019 + Intro by the director at BFI Southbank (02 DEC 18:20):

World Premiere: “Renowned BAFTA and Emmy-winning filmmaker and journalist John Pilger joins us to present his new documentary: ‘a tribute to a unique institution,’ he says at the start of the film. It’s also about the threat to democracy and, above all, a warning. Pilger investigates the dismantling ‘by stealth’ of the National Health Service; ‘a last bastion of true public service’.”

More films in London today (A – Z):

THE AMAZING JOHNATHAN DOCUMENTARY d. Ben Berman, 2019 at DocHouse (02 DEC 13:45).
TRADING PLACES d. John Landis, 1983 at TT Liquor (02 DEC 18:30).

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MUSEUM SHOWS 1 // SEASONS

Films in London today: TOMMY, part of MUSICALS! at BFI IMAX & BFI Southbank (02 DEC).

A HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN MOVIE MUSICAL at Deptford Cinema (21 OCT to 09 DEC):

CHICAGO d. Rob Marshall, 2002 + Short (02 DEC 19:00).

BAFTA SCREENWRITERS LECTURE SERIES at Curzon Cinemas (30 NOV to 12 DEC):

Céline Sciamma (02 DEC 18:15).

BIG SCREEN CLASSICS: GETTING TOGETHER at BFI Southbank (DEC):

THE PHILADELPHIA STORY 4K d. George Cukor, 1940 (02 DEC 20:45).

CHRISTMAS AT THE PCC at The Prince Charles (NOV to DEC):

EYES WIDE SHUT d. Stanley Kubrick, 1999 (29 NOV to 05 DEC – various times/check venue).
IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE 35mm d. Frank Capra, 1946 (01 to 24 DEC – some digital/check venue).
THE MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL d. Brian Henson, 1992 (01 to 24 DEC – various formats/check venue).
A CHRISTMAS STORY d. Bob Clark, 1983 (02 DEC 18:30).
LOVE ACTUALLY d. Richard Curtis, 2003 (02 DEC 20:30 + sparkling wine!).
HOOK d. Steven Spielberg, 1991 (02 DEC 20:45).

CLOSE-UP ON RAINER WERNER FASSBINDER at Close-Up (until 06 DEC):

FEAR EATS THE SOUL d. Rainer Werner Fassbinder, 1974 (02 DEC 20:30).

MUSICALS! THE GREATEST SHOW ON SCREEN at BFI Southbank (OCT to DEC):

THE BELLE OF NEW YORK 35mm d. Charles Waters, 1952 (02 DEC 20:30).
Doris Day: IT’S MAGIC 35mm aka Romance on the High Seas d. Michael Curtiz & Busby Berkeley (02 DEC 18:10).
Re-releases: TOMMY d. Ken Russell, 1975 (02 DEC 17:50 – BFI IMAX & 20:50).

MUSEUM SHOWS 2 // FESTIVALS

Films in London today: MY GENERATION, part of London International Animation Festival at Barbican (02 DEC).

Film festivals in London today include:

French Film Festival (07 NOV to 14 DEC).
London Film Week (02 to 08 DEC).
London International Animation Festival (29 NOV to 08 DEC).
London Migration Film Festival (28 NOV to 04 DEC).
Utopia Portuguese Film Festival (30 NOV to 09 DEC).

GRIND SHOWS

Films in London today: THE DIRTY WAR ON THE NHS at ArtHouse Crouch End (29 NOV to 05 DEC).

THE DIRTY WAR ON THE NHS d. John Pilger, 2019 at ArtHouse Crouch End (02 DEC 15:30):

“The new documentary from renowned BAFTA and Emmy-winning film-maker and journalist John Pilger. “This film is a tribute to a unique institution,” says Pilger at the start of DIRTY WAR, which is about threatened democracy. Above all, it is a warning. Pilger investigates the dismantling “by stealth” of the National Health Service, “a last bastion of true public service”.”

EYES WIDE SHUT d. Stanley Kubrick, 1999 + Short: NEVER JUST A DREAM: STANLEY KUBRICK & EYES WIDE SHUT d. Matt Wells, 2019 at BFI Southbank (02 DEC 14:00 & 20:20 – BFI IMAX, & 17:40):

“The date of this re-release of EYES WIDE SHUT isn’t accidental; it’s time to reappraise it as a Kubrickian Christmas movie. Kubrick’s final film, released posthumously, is an incredible display of precision and suspense, featuring a fragile relationship played out by (then) real-life couple Kidman and Cruise.”

THE NIGHTINGALE d. Jennifer Kent, 2019 at ICA (02 DEC – Not screening today/Check back tomorrow!):

“Set in 1825, Clare, a young Irish convict woman, chases a British officer through the rugged Tasmanian wilderness, bent on revenge for a terrible act of violence he committed against her family. On the way she enlists the services of an Aboriginal tracker named Billy, who is also marked by trauma from his own violence-filled past.”

More films in London this week (A – Z):

THE AMAZING JOHNATHAN DOCUMENTARY d. Ben Berman, 2019 at The Castle Cinema (29 NOV to 05 DEC). BIRDS OF PASSAGE d. Cristina Gallego & Ciro Guerra, 2018 at Whirled Cinema (02 to 08 DEC). HARRIET d. Kasi Lemmons, 2019 at Catford Mews (29 NOV to 05 DEC). HEIMAT IS A SPACE IN TIME d. Thomas Heise, 2019 at ICA (until 04 DEC). JAY & SILENT BOB REBOOT d. Kevin Smith, 2019 at The Prince Charles (29 NOV to 05 DEC). KNIVES OUT d. Rian Johnson, 2019 at Rich Mix (29 NOV to 05 DEC). LA BELLE ÉPOQUE d. Nicolas Bedos, 2019 at Ciné Lumière (22 NOV to 16 DEC). MARRIAGE STORY d. Noah Baumbach, 2019 at Rio Cinema (until 05 DEC). RETABLO d. Alvaro Delgado Aparicio, 2019 at The Castle Cinema (until 05 DEC). RONNIE WOOD – SOMEBODY UP THERE LIKES MEd. Mike Figgis, 2019 at DocHouse (until 04 DEC). SHOOTING THE MAFIA d. Kim Longinotto, 2019 at ArtHouse Crouch End (30 NOV to 05 DEC). THE STREET d. Zed Nelson, 2019 at DocHouse (29 NOV to 05 DEC). THE TWO POPES d. Fernando Meirelles, 2019 at JW3 (29 NOV to 05 DEC).

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*THE SMALL PRINT: As accurate as we could make it. Apologies for any errors. Apologies if we have missed your event. Updates & corrections will be made to the online version. Event dates/times are subject to change by the venue/organiser. We try to only list events you can book for at the time of posting: however, some events may still be sold out. Please click quickly! We don’t filter by age/certification: all readers & subscribers should be 18+.