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

DEAD GOOD d. Rehana Rose, 2019 + Q&A with the director at Peckhamplex (14 MAY 18:30):

“A sensitive and life-affirming documentary following three groups of people as they participate in the ritual of care after death. They are supported by a group of women who empower people to take back control.”

NEW AT RADIANT CIRCUS

Screen25 Spring/Summer Season 2019: MINDING THE GAP (03 JUL 19:45).

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.
Thanks to our friends at Birkbeck University, we’ll be discussing “making movies matter at a time of crisis” before screening Joe Dante’s MATINEE (21 MAY 18:00, Birkbeck Cinema – FREE!).

FILMS IN LONDON TODAY

SINGLE-O EXHIBITS

Moving Millions: British Transport Films Blu-ray Launch + PANEL at BFI (14 MAY 18:00):

“Join us for an evening of rail, road, tube and tram as we celebrate the 70th anniversary of the illustrious documentary film unit British Transport Films, as well as the 100th anniversary of the Department for Transport. This one-off event examines the wider legacy and application of moving image in the transport sector, and includes the screening of a new 4K digital restoration of Geoffrey Jones’ BTF homage to progress: RAIL (1967).”

More films in London today (A – Z):

120 BPM d. Robin Campillo, 2017 presented by Richmond Film Society at The Exchange (14 MAY 20:00).
AFTER LIFE d. Hirokazu Kore-eda, 1998 at Picturehouse Central (14 MAY 18:30 – Other Picturehouses available!).
A GOOD YEAR d. Ridley Scott, 20006 at TT Liquor (14 MAY 19:00).
BOYZ ‘N’ THE HOOD d. John Singleton, 1991 presented by Tufnell Park Film Club at The Lord Palmerston (14 MAY 20:00).
Critics’ Salon: HIGH LIFE at BFI Southbank (14 MAY 20:15 – free to ticket holders for HIGH LIFE 14 MAY 18:10).
DRAGGED ACROSS CONCRETE d. S. Craig Zahler, 2019 at Genesis Cinema (14 MAY 20:40).
FINAL ASCENT: THE LEGEND OF HAMISH MACINNES d. Robbie Fraser, 2019 at ICA (14 MAY 14:20).
HAPPY AS LAZZARO d. Alice Rohrwacher, 2018 at ICA (14 MAY 13:40).
HAPPY AS LAZZARO d. Alice Rohrwacher, 2018 at The David Lean (14 MAY 19:30).
GUMMO 35mm d. Harmony Korine, 1997 at The Prince Charles (14 MAY 20:35).
SPRING BREAKERS d. Harmony Korine, 2013 at The Prince Charles (14 MAY 18:20 – £1 PCC Members Screening).

MUSEUM SHOWS 1 // SEASONS

Films in London today: KUNG FU MASTER at Ciné Lumière (14 MAY).

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

THE LAST LAUGH d. FW Murnau, 1924 + LIVE PIANO ACCOMPANIMENT (14 MAY 18:30).
METROPOLIS d. Fritz Lang, 1927 (14 MAY 20:10).

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

SECONDS d. John Frankenheimer, 1966 (14 MAY 20:30).

KUBRICK at BFI Southbank (APR to MAY):

EX MACHINA d. Alex Garland, 2014 (14 MAY 14:00 – Relaxed Screening).

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

LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON d. Hirokazu Kore-eda, 2013 (14 MAY 20:45).
MABOROSI d. Hirokazu Kore-eda, 1995 enjoys a grind show run (until 15 MAY).

TRIBUTE TO AGNÈS VARDA at Ciné Lumière (MAY):

KUNG FU MASTER d. Agnès Varda, 1987 (14 MAY 18:30).

MUSEUM SHOWS 2 // FESTIVALS

Films in London today: CHASING CORAL, part of Herne Hill Free Film Festival (14 MAY).

Film festivals in London today include:

Everyman Music Film Festival (09 to 26 MAY).
Herne Hill Free Film Festival (29 APR to 01 JUN).

GRIND SHOWS

Films in London today: AMAZING GRACE at DocHouse (10 to 16 MAY).

AMAZING GRACE d. Alan Elliott & Sydney Pollack, 2018 at DocHouse (14 MAY 16:30 & 18:30):

“Aretha Franklin recorded her bestselling album Amazing Grace during two days of gospel performances at the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Watts, Los Angeles. Sydney Pollack and his crew captured the incredible footage, but the project was shelved. 47 years later, the recordings have been brought out and the film completed – as Pollack’s wishes before his death in 2008.”

HIGH LIFE d. Claire Denis, 2018 at Ciné Lumière (14 MAY 20:40):

“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.”

MADELINE’S MADELINE d. Josephine Decker, 2018 at ArtHouse Crouch End (14 MAY 13:00 & 17:00):

“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.”

THE WARRIORS 35mm d. Walter Hill, 1979 at The Prince Charles (14 MAY 16:05):

“A turf battle between New York City street gangs that rages from Coney Island to the Bronx. The Warriors are mistakenly fingered for the killing of a gang leader. Soon they have every gang in the city out to get revenge and they must make their way across the city to their own turf.”
A word from The PCC: “This extended run is being serviced by a 40 year old, well worn, 35mm print… so expect dirt, scratches & a little fade.”

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

ASH IS PUREST WHITE d. Jia Zhangke, 2018 at ICA (until 16 MAY). DIAMANTINO d. Gabriel Abrantes & Daniel Schmidt, 2018 at ICA (10 to 16 MAY). EIGHTH GRADE d. Bo Burnham, 2018 at Moving Pictures (until 16 MAY). ELLA FITZGERALD: JUST ONE OF THOSE THINGS d. Leslie Woodhead, 2019 at DocHouse (until 16 MAY). EXTREMELY WICKED, SHOCKINGLY EVIL AND VILE d. Joe Berlinger, 2019 at The Prince Charles (until 16 MAY). THE FAVOURITE d. Yorgos Lanthimos, 2018 at Whirled Cinema (13 to 19 MAY). GRETA d. Neil Jordan, 2018 at Watermans (10 to 16 MAY). MID90S d. Jonah Hill, 2018 at The Castle Cinema (until 16 MAY). THE SAMUEL PROJECT d. Marc Fusco, 2017 presented by UKJF at JW3 (12 to 16 MAY). SEARCHING FOR INGMAR BERGMAN d. Margarethe Von Trotta, 2018 at DocHouse (10 to 14 MAY). THE SISTERS BROTHERS d. Jacques Audiard, 2018 at The Prince Charles (until 16 MAY). STYX d. Wolfgang Fischer, 2018 at Watermans (10 to 16 MAY). VOX LUX d. Brady Corbet, 2018 at Moving Pictures (until 16 MAY). WOMEN AT WAR d. Benedikt Erlingsson, 2018 at Phoenix Cinema (until 16 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+.