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

HIGH LIFE d. Claire Denis, 2018 + Q&A with the director at Ciné Lumière (08 MAY 20:20):

“Much lauded French auteur, Claire Denis (WHITE MATERIAL, BEAU TRAVAIL) explores the human psyche in the outer space. Sent out on a mission to explore a black hole, Monte and his infant daughter Willow live together aboard a spacecraft in complete isolation.”
Enjoys a grind show run at the same venue.

NEW AT RADIANT CIRCUS

MIDNIGHT EXCESS - VANITY Double Feature - THE LAST DRAGON — MIDNIGHT EXCESS – VANITY Double Feature – THE LAST DRAGON (11 MAY 23:00+).

Where did all the nunchucks go…? In advance of the next MIDNIGHT EXCESS (11 MAY 2019), Rebecca Nicole Williams aka The Celluloid Sorceress explains how both parts of the Vanity double feature – BERRY GORDY’S THE LAST DRAGON (1985) & NEVER TOO YOUNG TO DIE (1986) – were reclassified for their late night screenings.
Even if you’re new to world cinema histories you’ll probably know that every country seems to have had its New Wave… We caught up with Close-Up Film Centre programmer Oliver Dickens to talk about their continuing season of Czechoslovak cinema.
We’re partnering with Screen25 to celebrate their new Spring/Summer programme. All RADIANT CIRCUS subscribers, friends & followers get a juicy discount when booking for this exciting lineup.

FILMS IN LONDON TODAY

SINGLE-O EXHIBITS

HUNGARIAN RHAPSODY 35mm d. Hanns Schwarz, 1928 + INTRO by Michelle Facey & LIVE ACCOMPANIMENT by John Sweeney at The Cinema Museum (08 MAY 19:30):

Kennington “Bioscope presents: a 1928 German silent drama film directed by Hanns Schwarz and starring Lil Dagover, Willy Fritsch and Dita Parlo. Depicting the life of an impoverished Hungarian aristocrat, it is a charming comedy of romantic intrigue among members of the upper and lower classes which is set in 19th century Hungary.”

TRUE STORIES 35mm d. David Byrne, 1986 + INTRO/GIVEAWAYS at The Prince Charles (08 MAY 20:45):

Movie Jam presents: “At the height of his band’s mid-80s popularity, Talking Heads frontman David Byrne applied his considerable talents to filmmaking and delivered his only directorial credit. While the much revered Stop Making Sense showcases the Heads’ spectacular live show, TRUE STORIES is a narrative film—a surreal ensemble comedy musical that stars Byrne as a bemused visitor to a Texan town.”

LAST CHANCE! In order for food & drink to be prepared for Edible Cinema’s presentation of LABYRINTH (09 MAY 18:30), tickets will be taken off sale today: 08 MAY 17:00.

More films in London today (A – Z):

BEN-GURION, EPILOGUE d. Yariv Mozer, 2016 + SHORT: THE RED HOUSE by Tamar Tal Anati presented by UKJF at JW3 (08 MAY 18:00).
BORDER d. Ali Abbasi, 2018 at ICA (08 MAY 18:45).
FREE SOLO d. Jimmy Chin & Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi, 2018 presented by Pitshanger Pictures at St. Barnabas Millennium Halls (08 MAY 20:15).
FUNNY GIRL d. William Wyler, 1968 + INTRO by Adrian Wootton at Barbican (08 MAY 20:10).
HAPPY AS LAZZARO d. Alice Rohrwacher, 2018 at ICA (08 MAY 13:45).
LAXDALE HALL d. Ronald Squire, 1952 at Regent Street Cinema (08 MAY 12:00 & 15:30).
MID90S d. Jonah Hill, 2018 at The Prince Charles (08 MAY 12:50).
RAFIKI d. Wanuri Kahiu, 2018 at ICA (08 MAY 17:00).
Reality Check short doc programme + Q&A with filmmakers presented by Shorts On Tap at 93 Feet East (08 MAY 19:00).
SAY ANYTHING… d. Cameron Crowe, 1989 at The Prince Charles (08 MAY 18:20 – £1 PCC Members Screening).
WHERE HANDS TOUCH d. Amma Asante, 2018 + Q&A with the director at Curzon Mayfair (08 MAY 18:15).
YARDIE d. Idris Elba, 2018 + SHORT: BACKSEAT DRIVER d. Rich Peppiatt presented by Screen25 at Harris Academy South Norwood (08 MAY 19:45).

MUSEUM SHOWS 1 // SEASONS

Films in London today: UNDER THE SKIN at Genesis Cinema & BFI (08 MAY).

BIG SCREEN CLASSICS: THE MEANINGS OF LIFE at BFI Southbank (MAY):

MY NIGHT WITH MAUD d. Eric Rohmer, 1969 + INTRO by Geoff Andrew (08 MAY 18:15).

CLOSE-UP ON ANDREI TARKOVSKY at Close-Up (ongoing):

STALKER d. Andrei Tarkovsky, 1979 (08 MAY 15:00).

THE FILMS OF JEAN-MARIE STRAUB AND DANIÈLE HUILLET Goethe-Institut & partners’ epic season continues at Birkbeck Cinema, Ciné Lumière, Close-Up, Goethe-Institut, ICA & Whitechapel Gallery (MAR to JUN):

CÉZANNE. DIALOGUE WITH JOACHIM GASQUET + UNE VISITE AU LOUVRE (08 MAY 18:15, Ciné Lumière).

GENESIS 20TH BIRTHDAY at Genesis Cinema (03 to 12 MAY – Tickets £2.50 + FREE PINT!!):

UNDER THE SKIN d. Jonathan Glazer, 2013 (08 MAY 18:30).
28 DAYS LATER d. Danny Boyle, 2002 (08 MAY 21:00).

KUBRICK at BFI Southbank (APR to MAY):

A CLOCKWORK ORANGE d. Stanley Kubrick, 1971 (08 MAY 14:30 & 20:35 – Currently looking SOLD OUT!).
“Inspired by Kubrick”: UNDER THE SKIN d. Jonathan Glazer, 2013 (08 MAY 20:30).

OF FLESH AND BLOOD: THE CINEMA OF HIROKAZU KORE-EDA at BFI Southbank (APR to MAY):

MABOROSI d. Hirokazu Kore-eda, 1995 enjoys a grind show run (26 APR to 09 MAY).

OF FLESH AND BLOOD: THE CINEMA OF HIROKAZU KORE-EDA at The Prince Charles (27 APR to 12 MAY):

STILL WALKING d. Hirokazu Kore-eda, 2008 (08 MAY 21:05).

> Plan ahead with our monthly roundup of London’s rep seasons & film festivals.

MUSEUM SHOWS 2 // FESTIVALS

Films in London today: THE TRUTH ABOUT KILLER ROBOTS, part of Right Now Film Festival at Rio Cinema (08 MAY 18:30).

Film festivals in London today include:

Chinese Visual Festival (02 to 09 MAY).
Herne Hill Free Film Festival (29 APR to 01 JUN).
Right Now Film Festival (06 to 12 MAY).
SERET International: The UK Israeli Film & Television Festival (29 APR to 12 MAY).

> Read our guide to this year’s Chinese Visual Festival (02 to 09 MAY).

GRIND SHOWS

Films in London today: MERATA: HOW MUM DECOLONISED THE SCREEN at DocHouse (03 to 09 MAY).

EXTREMELY WICKED, SHOCKINGLY EVIL AND VILE d. Joe Berlinger, 2019 at The Prince Charles (08 MAY 13:00, 18:30 & 21:00):

“Ted (Zac Efron): handsome, smart, charismatic, affectionate. Liz (Lily Collins): a single mother, cautious, but smitten. A picture of domestic bliss, the two seem to have it all figured out. That is until Ted is arrested and charged with a series of increasingly grisly murders.”

HIGH LIFE d. Claire Denis, 2018 at Ciné Lumière (08 MAY 20:20):

“Much lauded French auteur, Claire Denis (WHITE MATERIAL, BEAU TRAVAIL) explores the human psyche in the outer space. Sent out on a mission to explore a black hole, Monte and his infant daughter Willow live together aboard a spacecraft in complete isolation.”

MERATA: HOW MUM DECOLONISED THE SCREEN d. Heperi Mita, 2018 at DocHouse (08 MAY 20:30):

“Pioneering Maori filmmaker Merata Mita is the subject of this rich and personal portrait by her son. Juggling motherhood, activism and filmmaking, she was the first Maori woman to make a feature film.”

VOX LUX at ArtHouse Crouch End (08 MAY 15:10 & 20:40):

“The second feature from writer-director Brady Corbet (THE CHILDHOOD OF A LEADER), VOX LUX is a stylish and absorbing modern portrait of a troubled pop star’s rise from the ashes of a major national tragedy to pop superstardom, featuring a remarkable performance from Oscar-winning actress Natalie Portman.”

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

ART & MIND d. Amélie Ravalec, 2019 at ICA (until 09 MAY). ASH IS PUREST WHITE d. Jia Zhangke, 2018 at ICA (until 09 MAY). BENJAMIN d. Simon Amstell, 2018 at Whirled Cinema (06 to 12 MAY). DRAGGED ACROSS CONCRETE d. S. Craig Zahler, 2018 at The Prince Charles (03 to 08 MAY). EIGHTH GRADE d. Bo Burnham, 2018 at Moving Pictures (03 to 09 MAY). ELLA FITZGERALD: JUST ONE OF THOSE THINGS d. Leslie Woodhead, 2019 at DocHouse (06 to 09 MAY). GIRL d. Lukas Dhont, 2018 at JW3 (06 to 08 MAY). HIGH LIFE d. Claire Denis, 2018 at Ciné Lumière (08 to 23 MAY). IRENE’S GHOST d. Iain Cunningham, 2018 at DocHouse (03 to 09 MAY). KNOCK DOWN THE HOUSE d. Rachel Lears, 2019 at ICA (until 08 MAY). HEARTBOUND d. Janus Metz & Sine Plambech, 2018 at DocHouse (until 08 MAY). LORO d. Paolo Sorrentino, 2018 at Watermans (03 to 09 MAY). MABOROSI d. Hirokazu Kore-eda, 1995 at Rio Cinema (until 09 MAY). MID90S d. Jonah Hill, 2018 at Moving Pictures (until 09 MAY). RED JOAN d. Trevor Nunn, 2018 at ArtHouse Crouch End (03 to 09 MAY). THE SISTERS BROTHERS d. Jacques Audiard, 2018 at The Prince Charles (03 to 09 MAY). THE WHITE CROW d. Ralph Fiennes, 2018 at JW3 (03 to 09 MAY). WILD ROSE d. Tom Harper, 2018 at The Lexi Cinema (03 to 09 MAY). WOMEN AT WAR d. Benedikt Erlingsson, 2018 at Phoenix Cinema (03 to 09 MAY).

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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+.