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

BOOKSMART d. Olivia Wilde, 2019 + INTRO at Genesis Cinema (18 MAY 21:00):

Forever Young Film Club presents: “On the eve of their high school graduation, two academic superstars (Beanie Feldstein & Kaitlyn Dever) realise they should have worked less and played more. Determined never to fall short of their peers, the girls set out on a mission to cram four years of fun into one night.”

NEW AT RADIANT CIRCUS

Films in London this week: RADIANT CIRCUS presents MATINEE at Birkbeck Cinema (21 MAY 18:00 - FREE!). — RADIANT CIRCUS presents MATINEE at Birkbeck Cinema (21 MAY 18:00 – FREE!).

Thanks to our friends at Birkbeck University, we’ll be discussing how indie exhibitors are “making movies matter at a time of crisis” and screening Joe Dante’s MATINEE (21 MAY Birkbeck Cinema – FREE!).
Announcing the next edition of MIDNIGHT EXCESS (15 JUN Rio Cinema): SUPAKINO and AMOS LEVIN celebrate American comedy trio THE LONELY ISLAND with a double-bill of unpredictable, jaw-dropping, idiosyncratic comedies.
South Social Film Festival is collaborating with Instituto Cervantes to celebrate Spain at Moving Pictures Cinema (08 JUN). RADIANT CIRCUS subscribers can unlock a juicy discount for this thrilling event.
RADIANT CIRCUS is 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. First up: RAFIKI (29 MAY).

FILMS IN LONDON TODAY

SINGLE-O EXHIBITS

THE CABINET OF DR. CALIGARI d. Robert Wiene, 1920 + LIVE SCORE/INSTALLATION by Matt Harding at Deptford Cinema (18 MAY 18:00 INSTALLATION / 20:00 FILM):

“At a local carnival in a small German town, hypnotist Dr Caligari presents the somnambulist Cesare, who can purportedly predict the future of curious fairgoers. But at night, the doctor wakes Cesare from his sleep to enact his evil bidding… The seminal German expressionist film will be accompanied by a live contemporary soundtrack, performed by Matt Harding.”

Exploding Cinema at The Horse Hospital (18 MAY 19:00):

“Come to our rank screening in the dark pocket of Bloomsbury that is the wonderful Horse Hospital to be intrigued and inthralled by the myriad flickering images that make up one of our shows. Plus musical guests, raffle prizes, drink, a toilet and the finest psychedelic light show that ever blew a mind.”

More films in London today (A – Z):

ART & MIND d. Amélie Ravalec, 2019 at ICA (18 MAY 12:50).
THE ARTIST d. Michel Hazanavicius, 2011 + LIVE SCORE by BBC Symphony Orchestra at Barbican (18 MAY 20:00 – Tickets available on the day).
BATMAN + BATMAN RETURNS Anniversary Double Bill d. Tim Burton, 1989/1992 presented by Empire Magazine at Picturehouse Central (18 MAY 18:00 – Other Picturehouses available!).
DIAMANTINO d. Gabriel Abrantes & Daniel Schmidt, 2018 at Barbican (18 MAY 13:55).
DIAMANTINO d. Gabriel Abrantes & Daniel Schmidt, 2018 at ICA (18 MAY 14:20).
French Impressions: GIRL d. Lukas Dhont, 2018 + INTRO by Jon Davies at Watermans (18 MAY 13:00).
THE GREATEST SHOWMAN d. Michael Gracey, 2017 presented by Catford Film on Culverley Green (18 MAY 19:30 – open air screening).
HERO – Inspired By The Extraordinary Life & Times Of Mr. Ulric Cross d. Frances-Anne Solomon, 2018 + Q&A with the director & cast at BFI Southbank (18 MAY 14:00).
Hidden Truth Breakdown – GET OUT d. Jordan Peele, 2017 by The Investigator ‘Andrew Muhammad‘ presented by Black History Studies at St Ann’s Library, Tottenham (18 MAY 17:30).
KASALA! d. Ema Edosio, 2018 at Bernie Grant Arts Centre (18 MAY 19:00).
LORO d. Paolo Sorrentino, 2018 at Regent Street Cinema (18 MAY 14:00, 17:00 & 20:00).
PERSONAL PROBLEMS d. Bill Gunn, 1980 at Birkbeck Cinema (18 MAY 13:00).
QUADROPHENIA d. Franc Roddam, 1979 presented by Stow Film Lounge at Mirth, Marvel & Maud (18 MAY 19:00)

MUSEUM SHOWS 1 // SEASONS

Films in London today: SONG at BFI, part of BEYOND YOUR WILDEST DREAMS (18 MAY).

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

SONG 35mm d. Richard Eichberg, 1928 + LIVE PIANO ACCOMPANIMENT (18 MAY 15:20).
THE FIGHT FOR THE MATTERHORN d. Mario Bonnard & Nunzio Malsomma, 1928 + LIVE PIANO ACCOMPANIMENT (18 MAY 17:50).

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

THE OUTLAW JOSEY WALES d. Clint Eastwood, 1976 (18 MAY 20:25).

CELEBRATING 80 YEARS OF THE BATMAN! at The Prince Charles (06 to 27 MAY):

BATMAN d. Tim Burton, 1989 (17 to 27 MAY).

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

TOUTE RÉVOLUTION EST UN COUP DE DÉS + LES YEUX NE VEULENT PAS EN TOUT TEMPS SE FERMER…(OTHON) (18 MAY 18:00, Close-Up).
LES ANTIQUITÉS DE ROME, JEAN-CLAUDE ROUSSEAU (18 MAY 20:30, Close-Up).

JOHN WATERS SELECTROSPECTIVE at The Prince Charles (04 MAR to 26 JUN 2019):

CRY-BABY 35mm d. John Waters, 1990 (18 MAY 20:45).

KUBRICK at BFI Southbank (APR to MAY):

DR. STRANGELOVE OR: HOW I LEARNED TO STOP WORRYING AND LOVE THE BOMB d. Stanley Kubrick, 1963 enjoys a grind show run (18 to 30 MAY).
“Inspired by Kubrick”: HER d. Spike Jonze, 2013 (18 MAY 20:30).

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

AFTER THE STORM d. Hirokazu Kore-eda, 2016 (18 MAY 18:00 – Currently looking SOLD OUT!).

STUDIO GHIBLI FOREVER at The Prince Charles (until 21 APR):

PRINCESS MONONOKE d. Hayao Miyazaki, 1997 (18 MAY 12:35).

MUSEUM SHOWS 2 // FESTIVALS

Films in London today: A QUIET PLACE at Brockwell Lido, part of Herne Hill Film Festival (18 MAY 21:00). — Films in London today: A QUIET PLACE at Brockwell Lido, part of Herne Hill Free Film Festival (18 MAY 21:00).

Film festivals in London today include:

Beyond Words French Literature Festival (15 to 20 MAY).
Everyman Music Film Festival (09 to 26 MAY).
FLAWA: Festival of Latin American Women in Arts (15 to 19 MAY).
Herne Hill Free Film Festival (29 APR to 01 JUN).
London Greek Film Festival (15 to 18 MAY).
Sci-Fi-London (15 to 22 MAY).
Uncensored Festival (17 to 19 MAY).

GRIND SHOWS

Films in London today: AMA-SAN at ICA (17 to 23 MAY).

AMA-SAN d. Cláudia Varejão, 2016 at ICA (18 MAY 16:20):

For over 2,000 years, female shellfish divers, known as ama-san, have fished for abalone off the coast of Japan. Focusing on three women who have spent decades diving together near a small fishing village on the Shima peninsular, AMA-SAN is a unique portrait of an ancient custom which is at risk of disappearing.

TUCKED d. Jamie Patterson, 2018 at Rio Cinema (18 MAY 19:00):

“Gender non-conforming Jackie Collins is an 80+ years old drag queen with an acerbic nightclub comedy act. Diagnosed with cancer but determined to keep on performing and boozing, but between a surprising new friendship with young, non-binary newcomer Faith and unfinished business with his estranged daughter, he may just have the most eventful month and a half of his life.”

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

AMAZING GRACE d. Alan Elliott & Sydney Pollack, 2018 at DocHouse (until 23 MAY). THE ARCTIC CAMELS d. Karl Emil Rikardsen, 2019 at DocHouse (17 to 23 MAY). ASH IS PUREST WHITE d. Jia Zhangke, 2018 at ICA (until 23 MAY). BATMAN d. Tim Burton, 1989 (17 to 27 MAY). BEATS d. Brian Welsh, 2019 at ArtHouse Crouch End (17 to 23 MAY). BIRDS OF PASSAGE d. Cristina Gallego, 2018 at Barbican (17 to 23 MAY). DR STRANGELOVE OR: HOW I STOPPED WORRYING & LEARNED TO LOVE THE BOMB d. Stanley Kubrick, 1964 at ArtHouse Crouch End (18 to 23 MAY). ELLA FITZGERALD: JUST ONE OF THOSE THINGS d. Leslie Woodhead, 2019 at DocHouse (until 22 MAY). FERRANTE FEVER d. Giacomo Durzi, 2017 at DocHouse (17 to 23 MAY). HIGH LIFE d. Claire Denis, 2018 at Ciné Lumière (until 23 MAY). MADELINE’S MADELINE d. Josephine Decker, 2018 at Barbican (until 22 MAY). MARTY d. Delbert Mann, 1955 at Whirled Cinema (20 to 26 MAY). PICK OF THE LITTER d. Don Hardy & Dana Nachman, 2018 at ArtHouse Crouch End (17 to 23 MAY). THE SISTERS BROTHERS d. Jacques Audiard, 2018 at The Prince Charles (until 23 MAY). THE TESTAMENT d. Amichai Greenberg, 2017 presented by UKJF at JW3 (19 to 23 MAY). VOX LUX d. Brady Corbet, 2018 at The Castle Cinema (until 23 MAY). WOMEN AT WAR d. Benedikt Erlingsson, 2018 at The Castle Cinema (17 to 23 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+.