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

MADELINE’S MADELINE d. Josephine Decker, 2018 + Q&A with the director at ICA (09 MAY 18:30):

“Madeline has become an active member of an experimental theatre troupe. When its ambitious director pushes Madeline to weave her rich interior world and her troubled relationship with her mother into their collective art, the lines between performance and reality begin to blur.”

NEW AT RADIANT CIRCUS

MIDNIGHT EXCESS - VANITY Double Feature - THE LAST DRAGON / NEVER TOO YOUNG TO DIE (11 MAY 23:00+). — MIDNIGHT EXCESS – VANITY Double Feature – THE LAST DRAGON / NEVER TOO YOUNG TO DIE (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. Oh, and there some are eyeball-spinning trailers too!
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

ANIMAL CRACKERS d. Victor Heerman, 1930 + PANEL DISCUSSION of Giraffes on Horseback Salad at Barbican (09 MAY 18:20):

“Giraffes on Horseback Salad is a new graphic novel adaptation of a lost Marx Brothers-Dalí screenplay. The team behind the project will be in discussion, following a screening of ANIMAL CRACKERS.”

Claire Denis in Conversation at BFI Southbank (09 MAY 18:10):

“With her newest film HIGH LIFE hitting UK screens this month, and with one of the most impressive filmographies of any contemporary filmmaker, we welcome French director Claire Denis to the BFI to discuss her work so far, her move into English-language filmmaking, and the state of French and European cinema today.”

LABYRINTH d. Jim Henson, 1986 + FOOD at Curzon Mayfair (09 MAY 18:30):

Edible Cinema presents: “You remind me of the babe. Curzon and Edible Cinema team up once again to bring culinary delights to Jim Henson’s 80s classic and unforgettable David Bowie film role LABYRINTH. Along with your ticket to the film, Edible Cinema offers an 8 item, bite sized menu of food & drink.”
In order for food & drink to be prepared for the event, tickets were taken off sale 08 MAY 17:00.

More films in London today (A – Z):

3 FACES d. Jafar Panahi, 2018 at ICA (09 MAY 16:30).
ALIENS d. James Cameron, 1986 presented by Empire Magazine at Picturehouse Central (09 MAY 21:00 – Other Picturehouses available!).
AT ETERNITY’S GATE d. Julian Schnabel, 2018 at The David Lean (09 MAY 14:30 & 19:30).
AT ETERNITY’S GATE d. Julian Schnabel, 2018 at The Prince Charles (09 MAY 15:25).
BEING FRANK: THE CHRIS SIEVEY STORY d. Steve Sullivan, 2018 at Regent Street Cinema (09 MAY 20:45).
BELLE d. Amma Asante, 2013 presented by Talkies Community Cinema at The Dugdale Centre (09 MAY 19:45).
BENJAMIN d. Simon Amstell, 2018 at Curzon Aldgate (09 MAY 18:30 – Other Curzons available!).
Changing Perspectives short film programme presented by The People’s Film Club & Shado at Moving Pictures (09 MAY 19:00).
THE CHEWING GUM MAN: A PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST BEN WILSON d. Marc Hardman, 2018 at Arthouse Crouch End (09 MAY 20:10).
CLEO FROM 5 to 7 d. Agnès Varda at ArtHouse Crouch End (09 MAY 19:00).
FATEFUL FINDINGS d. Neil Breen, 2013 at The Prince Charles (09 MAY 20:50).
Hellbound Hearts: The Art of Clive Barker with instructor Sorcha Ni Fhlainn presented by The Miskatonic Institute of Horror Studies at The Horse Hospital (09 MAY 19:00).
LOVELESS d. Andrey Zvyagintsev, 2018 at Deptford Cinema (09 MAY 20:00).
MANDALAY d. Michael Curtiz, 1934 presented by Kennington Talkies at The Cinema Museum (09 MAY 19:30).
Open Screenings emerging & established artists’ film at The Whitechapel Gallery (09 MAY 17:00 – FREE!/Booking required).
OUTDOORS d. Asaf Saban, 2017 presented by UKJF at JW3 (09 MAY 15:30).
SORRY TO BOTHER YOU d. Boots Riley, 2018 presented by Das Kino at The Old Baths (09 MAY 20:00).
TV Preview: VICTORIAN SESNATIONS + Q&A with exec producer Sebastian Barfield, series producer Helen Nixon, presenter Philippa Perry & BFI curator Bryony Dixon at BFI (09 MAY 18:15).
VICE d. Adam McKay, 2018 presented by Filmbox Community Cinema (09 MAY 19:45).
WHERE HANDS TOUCH d. Amma Asante, 2019 presented by Your Cinema at Vue Westfield Stratford (09 MAY 20:00)

MUSEUM SHOWS 1 // SEASONS

Films in London today: AN AFFAIR at Korean Cultural Centre (09 MAY - FREE!). — Films in London today: AN AFFAIR at Korean Cultural Centre (09 MAY – FREE!).

BEYOND YOUR WILDEST DREAMS: WEIMAR CINEMA 1919-1933 at BFI Southbank (MAY to JUN):

SONG 35mm d. Richard Eichberg, 1928 + LIVE PIANO ACCOMPANIMENT (09 MAY 20:40).

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

EL SUR d. Víctor Erice, 1983 (09 MAY 20:45).

CELEBRATING PHILIP SEYMOUR HOFFMAN at The Prince Charles (06 JAN to 15 JUL):

BEFORE THE DEVIL KNOWS YOU’RE DEAD 35mm d. Sidney Lumet, 2007 (09 MAY 18:10).

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):

LOTHRINGEN! 35mm + UN HÉRITIER + LA MORT DE VENISE + À PROPOS DE VENISE (09 MAY 18:30, Ciné Lumière).

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

BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD d. Benh Zeitlin, 2012 (09 MAY 18:30).
BROKEBACK MOUNTAIN d. Ang Lee, 2006 (09 MAY 20:45).

KOREAN FILM NIGHTS: HOME TRUTHS at Korean Cultural Centre (02 MAY to 20 JUN – FREE!):

AN AFFAIR d. E J-Yong, 1998 (09 MAY 19:00).

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

SHOPLIFTERS d. Hirokazu Kore-eda, 2018 (09 MAY 14:30).
MABOROSI d. Hirokazu Kore-eda, 1995 enjoys a grind show run (26 APR to 09 MAY).

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

MUSEUM SHOWS 2 // FESTIVALS

Films in London today: TRACEY Cast & Crew In Conversation, part of Chinese Visual Festival at King's College (09 MAY 15:00 - FREE! - LAST CHANCE!). — Films in London today: TRACEY Cast & Crew In Conversation, part of Chinese Visual Festival at King’s College London (09 MAY 15:00 – FREE! – LAST CHANCE!).

Film festivals in London today include:

Chinese Visual Festival (02 to 09 MAY).
Everyman Music Film Festival (09 to 26 MAY).
Herne Hill Free Film Festival (29 APR to 01 JUN).
Kendal Mountain Festival UK Tour (09 MAY).
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: VOX LUX at ArtHouse Crouch End (03 to 09 MAY).

EXTREMELY WICKED, SHOCKINGLY EVIL AND VILE d. Joe Berlinger, 2019 at The Prince Charles (09 MAY 13:00, 15:35 & 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.”

MERATA: HOW MUM DECOLONISED THE SCREEN d. Heperi Mita, 2018 at DocHouse (09 MAY 14:30 & 18:30 – LAST CHANCE!):

“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 (09 MAY 14:40 & 21:00 – LAST CHANCE!):

“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 JOANd. 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).

Discover more #LDNindieFILM

Follow us: Twitter @radiantcircus | Instagram @radiantcircus

Sign up for free Friday emails, 7 days of sensational screens.

Subscribe & support

RADIANT CIRCUS is supported by readers’ monthly subscriptions, which start at just £2.99/month. Subscribers get our listings emailed directly as well as other great rewards. With enough subscribers backing us, we will be able to: 1) establish RADIANT CIRCUS as a permanent resource; 2) fund a full site rebuild to make our listings more social and searchable; and, 3) stage free events for subscribers as our way of saying a huge thank you! Our target? One thousand passionate film fans sharing what they love so that many more can discover it. Subscribe at patreon.com/radiantcircus

“A lot of love, time & effort being put into these really useful & comprehensive listings.” (A fan, via Twitter).

*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+.