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

WHAT IS DEMOCRACY? d. Astra Taylor, 2018 + Intro by the director at The Whitechapel Gallery (17 OCT 19:00):

“Writer, activist and filmmaker Astra Taylor presents her latest acclaimed documentary essay, an exploration of the radical meanings of democracy, filmed internationally on location and featuring Silvia Federici and Cornel West among other key thinkers of our time.”

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).

> Book here: sbf.org.uk/whats-on

Online at radiantcircus.com: The 13th Native Spirit Film Festival (12 to 20 OCT) continues this week. // Ranjit S. Ruprai aka SUPAKINO launched a new season of MIDNIGHT EXCESS at Rio Cinema last weekend. // Help Screen25 in South Norwood and The Horse Hospital stay open if you can.

FILMS IN LONDON TODAY

SINGLE-O EXHIBITS

Hammer’s VAMPIRELLA – A Live Script Reading at Regent Street Cinema (17 OCT 19:30):

De Montfort University’s Cinema & Television History Institute and Hammer Films present: “In 1975, Hammer Films mounted an expensive and ambitious adaptation of the hit comic book Vampirella. The film failed to make it into production, but for one night only, an incredible cast including Georgina Dugdale, Jonathan Rigby and Hammer legend Caroline Munro perform a live reading of the original Christopher Wicking script.”

VESSEL d. Diana Whitten, 2014 + Guest Speaker at Peckhamplex (17 OCT 20:30):

Dispatch FMI presents: “A documentary that follows Dutch doctor and activist Rebecca Gomperts as she organises Women on the Waves, a team who sail around the world providing free and safe abortions in international waters for women with no legal alternative. The team face immense scrutiny and backlash but ultimately thrive due to their solidarity and creative resourcefulness.”

More films in London today (A – Z):

THE BEACH BUM d. Harmony Korine, 2019 preview presented by VICE at Rio Cinema (17 OCT 18:30).
CORPUS CHRISTI aka Boże Ciało d. Jan Komasa, 2019 UK Premiere presented by POSK Cinema at Polish Social and Cultural Association (17 OCT 19:30).
EXTRA INNINGS d. Albert Dabah & Brian Dillinger, 2018 presented by UK Jewish Film at JW3 (17 OCT 11:30 & 16:20).
GAME FACE d. Michiel Thomas, 2015 at Bernie Grant Arts Centre (17 OCT 19:00).
HOME d. Sarah Outen, 2019 + Q&A with the director at Picturehouse Hackney (17 OCT 18:30).
Kino’s Short Film Open-Mic at Candid Arts (17 OCT 19:00).
PAIN AND GLORY d. Pedro Almodóvar, 2019 at The David Lean (17 OCT 14:30 & 19:30).
RAFIKI d. Wanuri Kahiu, 2018 presented by Das Kino at The Old Baths (17 OCT 21:00).
THE SOUVENIR d. Joanna Hogg, 2019 at at Ciné Lumière (17 OCT 19:00).
UNDER THE KNIFE d. Susan Steinberg, 2019 at Whirled Cinema (17 OCT 18:00 & 20:00).

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MUSEUM SHOWS 1 // SEASONS

Films in London today: THE HELLSTROM CHRONICLE part of LIVE CULTURES at Close-Up (15 to 25 OCT). — Films in London today: THE HELLSTROM CHRONICLE part of LIVE CULTURES at Close-Up (17 OCT).

BIG SCREEN CLASSICS: REAL TO REEL at BFI Southbank (OCT to NOV):

AGUIRRE, WRATH OF GOD aka Aguirre, der Zorn Gottes d. Werner Herzog, 1972 (17 OCT 18:15).
LOVE STREAMS d. John Cassavetes, 1984 (17 OCT 20:20).
POOR COW d. Ken Loach, 1967 (17 OCT 20:45).

BLACK HISTORY (EVERY) MONTH at Genesis Cinema (OCT):

HERO d. Frances-Anne Solomon, 2018 + Panel presented by Black History Studies (17 OCT 20:40).

CARLOS ACOSTA’S CINE CLUB at Wimbledon Library (15 to 17 OCT – FREE!/No booking required):

CARMEN JONES d. Otto Preminger, 1954 (17 OCT 18:45).

THE FILMS OF DAVID FINCHER at The Prince Charles (15 AUG to 21 NOV):

ZODIAC 35mm d. David Fincher, 2007 (17 OCT 20:15).

HITCHCOCKTOBER at The Birds E11 (03 OCT to 01 NOV – FREE!/Paid reservations & packages available!):

THE 39 STEPS d. Alfred Hitchcock, 1935 (17 OCT 20:00).

KAZUHIRO SODA at Deptford Cinema (06 OCT to 10 NOV):

CAMPAIGN d. Kazuhiro Soda, 2007 (17 OCT 19:15).

LIVE CULTURES at Close-Up (15 to 25 OCT):

THE HELLSTROM CHRONICLE d. Walon Green, 1971 + Intro by Dr Amy Cutler (17 OCT 20:15).

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

LA LA LAND d. Damien Chazelle, 2016 (17 OCT 14:30).
JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR d. Norman Jewison, 1973 (17 OCT 18:20).
GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES d. Howard Hawks, 1953 (17 OCT 20:40).
Talks & Events: Philosophical Screens: The Spectacle of Religion (17 OCT 20:20).

ONCE UPON A TIME WITH TARANTINO at The Prince Charles (ongoing):

ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD 35mm d. Quentin Tarantino, 2019 (17 OCT 14:40).

THRILLERS & KILLERS & MONSTERS, OH MY! at The Prince Charles (27 SEP to 01 NOV):

HENRY: PORTRAIT OF A SERIAL KILLER d. John McNaughton, 1986 (17 OCT 18:10).
ZODIAC 35mm d. David Fincher, 2007 (17 OCT 20:15).

TNB BHM2019 various venues (07 to 31 OCT):

AMAZING GRACE d. Alan Elliott & Sydney Pollack, 2018 + Panel + Performance (17 OCT 20:30 – Stratford East Picturehouse).

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MUSEUM SHOWS 2 // FESTIVALS

Films in London today: SURFER DAN part of Ocean Film Festival World Tour (14 to 19 OCT).

Film festivals in London today include:

Bloomsbury Festival (11 to 20 OCT).
Native Spirit Festival (12 to 20 OCT – Read our RADIANT CIRCUS guide to the festival HERE).
Ocean Film Festival World Tour (14 to 19 OCT).

GRIND SHOWS

Films in London today: BEANPOLE at ICA (until 24 OCT).

BEANPOLE d. Kantemir Balagov, 2019 at ICA (17 OCT 21:00):

“Russian filmmaker Kantemir Balagov’s hypnotic and rigorous third feature confirms his impressive capacity to deliver strong, accurate and delicate portraits of individuals in past and contemporary Russia.”

FARMING d. Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, 2019 at Catford Mews (17 OCT 14:00 & 18:15):

“Based on the writer/director’s childhood, FARMING tells story of a young Nigerian boy, ‘farmed out’ by his parents to a white British family in the hope of a better future. Instead, he becomes the feared leader of a white skinhead gang.”

YOUR TURN d. Eliza Capai, 2019 at DocHouse (17 OCT 16:30 – LAST CHANCE!):

“Following the student movement from the protests of 2013 until the election of the new president, Jair Bolsonaro, in 2018, YOUR TURN captures an urgent time in Brazilian politics. In the wake of the economic and social crisis, students protest and occupy hundreds of schools.”

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

BAIT d. Mark Jenkin, 2019 at The Castle Cinema (until 23 OCT). THE DAY SHALL COME d. Christopher Morris, 2019 at ArtHouse Crouch End (11 to 17 OCT). DOLEMITE IS MY NAME d. Craig Brewer, 2019 at The Prince Charles (11 to 22 OCT). THE FAREWELL d. Lulu Wang, 2019 at Watermans (11 to 24 OCT). FOR SAMA d. Waad Al-Khateab & Edward Watts, 2019 at The Castle Cinema (until 17 OCT). GOOD POSTURE d. Dolly Wells, 2019 at ArtHouse Crouch End (until 17 OCT). HUSTLERS d. Lorene Scafaria, 2019 at Genesis Cinema (until 17 OCT). JOKER d. Todd Phillips, 2019 at The Lexi (until 17 OCT). JUDY d. Rupert Goold, 2019 at Phoenix Cinema (until 17 OCT). MILES DAVIS: BIRTH OF THE COOL d. Stanley Nelson, 2019 at DocHouse (13 to 17 OCT). ONLY YOU d. Harry Wootliff, 2018 at Whirled Cinema (14 to 20 OCT). PAIN & GLORY d. Pedro Almodóvar, 2019 at ICA (until 17 OCT). THE SOUVENIR d. Joanna Hogg, 2019 at ICA (until 17 OCT). TEHRAN: CITY OF LOVE d. Ali Jaberansari, 2018 at Ciné Lumière (11 to 17 OCT).

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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+.