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:

ZAMA + INTRO by Dr Jon Hackett at The Exchange (22 JAN 20:00 – might be SOLD OUT, check venue for details):

Richmond Film Society presents: In a remote Spanish colony we find ‘corregidor’ Zama who has seen better times. We observe as he seeks favours to regain prestige and be reunited with his family. Will the Fates let him succeed?

New at RADIANT CIRCUS:

INTERVIEW: We chatted to Nuala O’Sullivan, director of the Women Over 50 Film Festival (WOFFF), in advance of the BEST OF THE FEST pop-up at Mother’s Ruin (03 FEB 16:00).
NOW SHOWING: DRIFTING SHADOWS: MASTERPIECES OF FINNISH CINEMA at Close-Up (18 to 30 JAN).
NOW BOOKING: DEREK JARMAN SELECTROSPECTIVE at The Prince Charles Cinema (23 JAN to 16 APR).
HOLD THE DATE!! We love a juicy collab, now it’s our turn [15 FEB].

FILMS IN LONDON TODAY

SINGLE-O EXHIBITS

BABY FACE (1933) + DISCUSSION at The Cinema Museum (22 JAN 19:30):

Women & Cocaine Presents (a new film night celebrating the fierce & liberated women of Pre-Code cinema): Barbara Stanwyck plays Lily Powers, brought up by her sleazy single father in an even sleazier bar somewhere in the sticks. When he dies and she is left alone, her mentor advises her to use her feminine powers and go to the big city.

THE CALLER + INTRO at The Castle Cinema (22 JAN 21:00):

Science Fiction Theatre presents: Under the guise of using her phone to call a repair truck, a mysterious stranger (Malcolm McDowell) convinces a lone woman (Madolyn Smith) to let him in to her isolated cabin in the woods. But all is not what it seems, and when his cover story begins to fall apart, the pair engage in an increasingly tense and bizarre series of mind games…

CAN YOU EVER FORGIVE ME? + SCREENTALK with Richard E Grant at Barbican (22 JAN 20:15):

An endlessly entertaining character study with an Oscar®-worthy performance from Melissa McCarthy as celebrity biographer-turned-forger Lee Israel.

More films in London today (A – Z):

BLUE COLLAR presented by Tufnell Park Film Club at The Lord Palmerston (22 JAN 20:00).
IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK + Q&A with director Barry Jenkins, actors KiKi Layne & Stephen James at Picturehouse Ritzy (22 JAN 19:00 – SOLD OUT!).
ISLAND OF THE HUNGRY GHOSTS at DocHouse (22 JAN 18:40).
POLINA at Regent Street Cinema (22 JAN 20:50).
SORRY TO BOTHER YOU at The David Lean (22 JAN 19:30).
STAND BY ME at The Prince Charles (22 JAN 18:10 – £1 PCC Members Screening).

MUSEUM SHOWS 1 // SEASONS

Films in London today: KAISA’S ENCHANTED FOREST at Close-Up (22 JAN).

BEFORE THE NIGHT at Ciné Lumière (22 JAN to 30 JAN):

ON EARTH AND GARDENING – PIERRE HUYGHE talk + artists’ films (22 JAN 18:20).

BIG SCREEN CLASSICS: THINGS THAT GO BUMP IN THE NIGHT at BFI Southbank (03 to 31 JAN):

VAMPYR: DER TRAUM DES ALLAN GRAY (22 JAN 20:45).

DRIFTING SHADOWS: MASTERPIECES OF FINNISH CINEMA at Close-Up (18 to 30 JAN):

KAISA’S ENCHANTED FOREST (22 JAN 20:30).

THE GOLDEN AGE OF ALEXANDER KORDA: BRITAIN’S MOVIE MOGUL at BFI Southbank (JAN):

SERVICE FOR LADIES aka Reserved for Ladies + INTRO by Josephine Botting (22 JAN 18:10 – currently SOLD OUT!).
REMBRANDT 35mm + INTRO by Simon Callow (22 JAN 20:30).

INGMAR BERGMAN FOCUS at BFI Southbank (JAN):

WILD STRAWBERRIES aka Smultronstället (22 JAN 14:30).

MARTIN SCORSESE SELECTROSPECTIVE at The Prince Charles (until 18 JUL):

NEW YORK, NEW YORK 35mm (22 JAN 20:20).

MICHELANGELO ANTONIONI: CONFRONTING THE MODERN WORLD WITH STYLE at BFI Southbank (JAN to FEB):

L’AVVENTURA aka The Adventure (22 JAN 18:30).

MUSEUM SHOWS 2 // FESTIVALS

We don’t think there are any film festivals in London today…

GRIND SHOWS

Films in London today: THE RAFT at Rio Cinema (18 to 24 JAN).

MARY QUEEN OF SCOTS at ArtHouse (22 JAN 12:30 P&B, 15:15, 18:00 & 20:45):

Explores the turbulent life of the charismatic Mary Stuart (Saoirse Ronan). Queen of France at 16 and widowed at 18, Mary defies pressure to remarry. Instead, she returns to her native Scotland to reclaim her rightful throne. But Scotland and England fall under the rule of the compelling Elizabeth I (Margot Robbie).

THE RAFT at Rio Cinema (22 JAN 18:15):

In 1973, five men and six women drifted across the Atlantic on a raft as part of a scientific experiment studying the sociology of violence, aggression and sexual attraction in human behavior.

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

A STAR IS BORN at The Prince Charles (until 24 JAN). BEAUTIFUL BOY at Rio Cinema (18 to 24 JAN). BLACK’ 47 at Whirled Cinema (21 to 27 JAN). COLETTE at The Lexi (until 24 JAN). THE FAVOURITEat ICA (until 24 JAN). FREE SOLO at ICA (until 24 JAN). FYRE at The Prince Charles (18 to 24 JAN). HALE COUNTY THIS MORNING, THIS EVENING at ICA (18 to 24 JAN). THE HOUSE BY THE SEA at Ciné Lumière (until 24 JAN). ITZHAK presented by UKJF at JW3 (20 to 24 JAN). THE OLD MAN & THE GUN at The Prince Charles (18 to 24 JAN). ONE CUT OF THE DEAD at The Prince Charles (until 08 FEB). THE PASSENGER at BFI (until 24 FEB). SHOPLIFTERS at ICA (until 24 JAN). SORRY TO BOTHER YOU at The Prince Charles (until 24 JAN). STAN & OLLIE at The Castle Cinema (until 24 JAN). THREE IDENTICAL STRANGERS at DocHouse (until 24 JAN).

MORE: weekly digests // monthly roundups // event calendar // festivals A to Z.

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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+.