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

CHOCOLATE BABIES d. Stephen Winter, 1997 + Intro by Rabz Lansiquot at Close-Up (12 SEP 20:15):

“Occupying the space between fantasy, tragedy, and comedy, the award-winning CHOCOLATE BABIES is a roller-coaster ride that has been provoking laughter and dialogue since its 1997 premiere. An underground band of HIV-positive, queer, urban, genderqueer, activists of colour is making headlines in New York City. In an effort to expose political corruption surrounding the AIDS epidemic, these urban guerrillas stage a series of surprise attacks against conservative politicians whom they believe are collecting secret lists of HIV-positive individuals.”
Part of the LUX BL CK B X exhibition Rabz Lansiquot where did we land.

NEW AT RADIANT CIRCUS

LUNCHTIME FILM SOCIETY is a brand new popup cinema screening daily programmes of bitesize films for busy City workers at the Bridewell Theatre in the City Of London (22 OCT to 01 NOV 2019).

[THU 31 OCT] HALLOWEEN SPECIAL: Join us this Halloween for a lunchtime lineup of short films with extra bite. These twisted tales will send shivers down your spine…

> Now booking: sbf.org.uk/whats-on

Online: Aperture: Asia & Pacific Film Festival returns with Part 2 at various venues (11 to 15 SEP) // Richmond Film Society announces their 57th season // We interview student curator Viknesh Kobinathan about ON THE EDGE OF THE FOLD // Raindance Means Raindance.

FILMS IN LONDON TODAY

SINGLE-O EXHIBITS

ADHAM FARAMAWY: SKIN FLICKS inc. premiere of SKIN FLICK d. Adham Faramawy, 2019 + Intro/Q&A with the artist at Tate Modern (12 SEP 19:00):

“Adham Faramawy presents a programme of his new recent work in video including the premiere of SKIN FLICKS. Faramawy uses technology to explore issues of materiality, touch, embodiment and identity construction. His work crosses aesthetic categories and co-opts special effects drawn from advertising to evoke desire for people, things and experiences.”

THE HARD WAY 35mm d. John Badham + Intro by Rebecca Nicole Williams at The Prince Charles (12 SEP 21:00):

The Celluloid Sorceress presents: “From John Badham, the director of SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER, WARGAMES, SHORT CIRCUIT and BLUE THUNDER comes one of the greatest buddy-cop action comedies of all time! Michael J. Fox is Nick Lang, nit-wit Hollywood superstar looking to break out of his teen-heartthrob image and get into something tough and gritty. James Woods is John Moss, grizzled cop that no-one loves, spreading toxicity across New York City in his pursuit of rampaging serial killer The Party Crasher (Stephen Lang in a classic role).”

More films in London today (A – Z):

THE ADVENTURES OF BARON MUNCHAUSEN 35mm d. Terry Gilliam, 1988 at The Prince Charles (12 SEP 18:15 – £1 PCC Members Screening).
A MAN FOR ALL SEASONS d. Fred Zinnemann, 1966 + Intro at The Priory Church of the Order of St John, EC1V (12 SEP 18:00).
APOLLO 11 d. Todd Douglas Miller, 2018 at The David Lean (12 SEP 14:30 & 19:30).
AUDITION d. Takashi Miike, 1999 at Genesis Cinema (12 SEP 18:30).
The Bad Trip: Psychedelic Horror Cinema, 1967 – 1972 with instructor James Riley presented by The Miskatonic Institute Of Horror Studies at The Horse Hospital (12 SEP 19:00).
CAPERNAUM d. Nadine Labaki, 2018 presented by Das Kino at The Old Baths (12 SEP 21:00).
COFFY d. Jack Hill, 1977 presented by Soul Jazz Records Cinema Club at Regent Street Cinema (12 SEP 19:30).
THE DEAD DON’T DIE d. Jim Jarmusch, 2019 at The Prince Charles (12 SEP 12:35).
FIGHTING WITH MY FAMILY d. Stephen Merchant, 2018 at presented by Filmbox Community Cinema at Langley Park Centre for the Performing Arts (12 SEP 19:45).
Marcia Farquhar: THE DOG’S’ BOLEX + Intro by the artist at The Whitechapel Gallery (12 SEP 19:00).
MARIANNE & LEONARD: WORDS OF LOVE d. Nick Broomfield, 2019 at ICA (12 SEP 14:40).
Reaching For The Sky: A Special Evening Remembering Actor Kenneth More CBE inc. REACH FOR THE SKY 35mm d. Lewis Gilbert, 1956 at The Cinema Museum (12 SEP 19:00).
THE ROOM d. Tommy Wiseau, 2003 + Intro/Q&A with Tommy Wiseau at The Prince Charles (12 SEP 21:30).
RUDEBOY: THE STORY OF TROJAN RECORDS d. Nicolas Jack Davies, 2018 presented by Doc’n Roll at House Of Vans (12 SEP 19:00 – Currently looking SOLD OUT!).
SHOPLIFTERS d. Hirokazu Koreeda, 2018 presented by Back Room Cinema at The Montpelier (12 SEP 19:30).
SPRINTER d. Storm Saulter, 2018 at Bernie Grant Arts Centre (12 SEP 19:00).
THEY SHOOT HORSES, DON’T THEY? d. Sydney Pollack, 1969 at Genesis Cinema (12 SEP 21:10).
THE THIRD MAN 4K: 70th Anniversary Release d. Carol Reed, 1949 + Intro by Adrian Wootton at BFI Southbank (12 SEP 18:10).
WILD ROSE d. Tom Harper, 2018 presented by Filmbox Community Cinema at Langley Park Centre for the Performing Arts (12 SEP 19:30).

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MUSEUM SHOWS 1 // SEASONS

Films in London today: VICTORY DAY, part of IN FOCUS: SERGEI LOZNITSA at ICA (12 SEP).

ANGELA BASSETT: QUEEN OF THE SCREEN at BFI Southbank (SEP):

WHAT’S LOVE GOT TO DO WITH IT d. Brian Gibson, 1993 (12 SEP 20:40).

ANIME’S HUMAN MACHINES at Barbican Centre (12 to 30 SEP):

TETSUO, THE IRON MAN d. Shin’ya Tsukamoto, 1989 + Panel Discussion (12 SEP 18:30).

BIG SCREEN CLASSICS: TURMOIL! at BFI Southbank (SEP):

SUMMER WITH MONIKA d. Ingmar Bergman, 1953 (12 SEP 18:40).

CARY GRANT: BRITAIN’S GREATEST EXPORT at BFI Southbank (AUG to SEP):

MONKEY BUSINESS d. Howard Hawks, 1952 (12 SEP 20:50).

IN FOCUS: SERGEI LOZNITSA at ICA (10 to 12 SEP):

VICTORY DAY d. Sergei Loznitsa, 2018 (12 SEP 18:45).

IN THE EYES OF THE LAW at Ciné Lumière (25 AUG to 02 OCT):

SISTERS IN LAW d. Florence Ayisi & Kim Longionotto, 2005 (12 SEP 19:00).

ROOFTOP FILM CLUB various roofs (ongoing):

MIDSOMMAR (12 SEP 19:30 – Peckham).
US (12 SEP 19:30 – Stratford).

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MUSEUM SHOWS 2 // FESTIVALS

Films in London today: EYE ON THE BALL World Premiere, part of Aperture - Part 2 at DocHouse (12 SEP). — Films in London today: EYE ON THE BALL World Premiere + Q&A, part of Aperture – Part 2 at DocHouse (12 SEP).

Film festivals in London today include:

Aperture: Asia & Pacific Film Festival – Part 2 (11 to 15 SEP).
Charlton & Woolwich Free Film Festival (06 to 14 SEP).
Peckham & Nunhead Free Film Festival (05 to 15 SEP).
Scalarama (01 to 31 SEP).

GRIND SHOWS

Films in London today: SPRINTER at ICA Cinema (06 to 12 SEP).

SPRINTER d. Storm Saulter, 2019 at ICA (12 SEP 16:40 – LAST CHANCE!):

“Akeem Sharp, nicknamed the Rasta Rocket for his once-in-a-generation speed, is set to be Jamaica’s next big track and field sensation. Akeem hopes his success in athletics will take him to the US to reunite with his mother, who has been supporting the family from afar on a long-expired work visa. But Akeem’s rising star is weighed down by turmoil at home.”

WHAT SHE SAID: THE ART OF PAULINE KAEL d. Rob Garver, 2018 at DocHouse (12 SEP 20:50):

“It’s near impossible to build a career as a female film journalist, but Pauline Kael defied the odds. WHAT SHE SAID tells the story of Pauline Kael, longtime New Yorker film critic and best-selling author, and her battle to make a name for herself. Never a dull read, Kael was also a force to be reckoned with. With her letters, interviews and published work narrated by Sarah Jessica Parker and late-20th-century movies reframed through Kael’s lens, the controversial yet pioneering critic is brought into focus.”

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

A SEASON IN FRANCE d. Mahamat-Saleh Haroun, 2017 at Whirled Cinema (09 to 15 SEP). APOCALYPSE NOW: FINAL CUT d. Francis Ford Coppola, 1979 at ICA (07 to 12 SEP). BAIT d. Mark Jenkin, 2019 at BFI Southbank (until 19 SEP – Check website for 35mm screenings). GAZA d. Garry Keane & Andrew McConnell, 2018 at DocHouse (until 12 SEP). INNA DE YARD d. Peter Webber, 2019 at The Castle Cinema (06 to 12 SEP). MARIANNE & LEONARD: WORDS OF LOVE d. Nick Broomfield, 2019 at Watermans (06 to 12 SEP). MEMORY: THE ORIGINS OF ALIEN d. Alexandre O. Philippe, 2019 at DocHouse (until 12 SEP). MRS. LOWRY AND SON d. Adrian Noble, 2019 at JW3 (until 11 SEP). ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD 35mm d. Quentin Tarantino, 2019 at The Prince Charles (06 to 12 SEP). PAIN & GLORY d. Pedro Almodovar, 2019 at The Lexi (until 11 SEP). PURPLE RAIN d. Albert Magnoli, 1984 at The Prince Charles (06 to 12 SEP). ROJO d. Benjamín Naishtat, 2018 at Ciné Lumière (06 to 18 SEP). SEFARAD d. Luis Ismael, 2019 presented by UKJF at JW3 (08 to 12 SEP). THE SOUVENIR d. Joanna Hogg, 2019 at ArtHouse Crouch End (until 12 SEP).

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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+.