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: CAVE OF FORGOTTEN DREAMS 3D (26 AUG 16:30), part of ALTERNATE REALITIES at Barbican (20 to 27 AUG): “It could almost be a modern Brit horror, a film that takes us on an eerie descent into an ancient cave to discover something strange, awe-inspiring and scary…” – Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian.

FILMS IN LONDON TODAY

SINGLE-O EXHIBITS

Harryhausen – The Movie Posters at BFI Southbank (26 AUG 15:00):

In this special presentation, author Richard Holliss will deliver an illustrated talk showcasing some of the amazing poster art for Ray Harryhausen’s beloved movies that he collected for his new book. And as an added bonus, we screen two rare items featuring the man himself…

THE LAST WITNESS + Q&A with director Piotr Szkopiak at Phoenix Cinema (26 AUG 14:00):

Directed by BAFTA Award Nominee Piotr Szkopiak, THE LAST WITNESS is a political thriller based on the harrowing true events of the Katyn Massacre in Spring 1940, starring Alex Pettyfer (Magic Mike, I am Number Four), Michael Gambon (Harry Potter franchise, King of Thieves) and Talulah Riley (Westworld).

More films in London today (A – Z):

BLUES BROTHERS in tribute to Aretha Franklin at Picturehouse Central (26 AUG 12:45).
BRIEF ENCOUNTER at BFI (26 AUG 15:40).
CALL ME BY YOUR NAME presented by Deeper Into Movies at Moth Club (26 AUG 15:00).
COLD WAR at ICA (26 AUG 14:10).
DISTANT CONSTELLATION at ICA (26 AUG 14:45).
Double Bill: THE EYES OF ORSON WELLES + CITIZEN KANE at Regent Street Cinema (26 AUG 17:50 & 20:10).
Double Bill: THE EYES OF ORSON WELLES + THE STRANGER at Regent Street Cinema (26 AUG 13:30 & 15:50).
THE GOONIES at Backyard Cinema (26 AUG 12:30).
INSTANT DREAMS at Picturehouse Central (26 AUG 15:00).
THE KING at Barbican (26 AUG 15:35).
THE KING at ICA (26 AUG 14:25).
LEANING INTO THE WIND at DocHouse (26 AUG 14:30).
LEONARD COHEN: BIRD ON A WIRE presented by Deeper Into Movies at Moth Club (26 AUG 19:30).
THE LION KING at Rootfop Film Club, Peckham (26 AUG 20:00).
MONSTERS INC. at Picturehouse Central (26 AUG 13:00 – Other Picturehouses available!).
ONE NOTE AT A TIME at Barbican (26 AUG 20:40).
SICILIAN GHOST STORY at ICA (26 AUG 12:25).
THE THIN MAN presented by Kennington Talkies at The Cinema Museum (26 AUG 14:30).
THE WOUND at Whirled Cinema (26 AUG 18:00).

MUSEUM SHOWS 1 // SEASONS

Films in London today: LA POINTE COURTE at Ciné Lumière (26 AUG).

AGNÈS VARDA: GLEANING TRUTHS various venues (AUG to SEP):

Close-Up (until 02 SEP): VAGABOND (26 AUG 20:30).

ALL NIGHT / DAY / MINI MOVIE MARATHONS at The Prince Charles (ongoing):

THE LORD OF THE RINGS Theatrical Editions 35mm (26 AUG 23:30).
MYSTERY MOVIE MARATHON 5 mystery films, 1 ticket (26 AUG 23:45).

ALTERNATE REALITIES at Barbican (20 to 27 AUG):

CAVE OF FORGOTTEN DREAMS 3D (26 AUG 16:30).
Alternate Realities Touring VR Exhibition (20 to 27 AUG – check venue for opening times – Free!).

ANIMATION 2018 at BFI Southbank (2018):

Ivor Wood: A Celebration (26 AUG 13:00).

CLOSE-UP ON ÉRIC ROHMER at Close-Up Centre (15 AUG to 03 SEP):

THE AVIATOR’S WIFE (26 AUG 18:00).

FIERCE: THE UNTAMEABLE JOAN CRAWFORD at BFI Southbank (AUG to OCT):

JOHNNY GUITAR (26 AUG 17:40).
WHATEVER HAPPENED TO BABY JANE? (26 AUG 20:00).
MILDRED PIERCE (26 AUG 17:30 & 19:50).
THE WOMEN (26 AUG 17:00 & 19:45).

MENELIK SHABAZZ at Deptford Cinema (24 to 26 AUG):

THE STORY OF LOVER’S ROCK (26 AUG 17:30).

SUMMER FILMS at House of Vans (until 26 AUG – Free! / No booking required):

FRIDAY THE 13TH version not listed (26 AUG 14:00 & 16:00).

VARDA BY AGNÈS at Ciné Lumière (26 AUG to 30 SEP):

LA POINTE COURTE + SALON with Nick Walker, Rochester Kino (26 AUG 14:00).

MUSEUM SHOWS 2 // FESTIVALS

Films festivals projecting in London today include:

Arrow Video FrightFest (23 to 27 AUG).

GRIND SHOWS

Films in London today: BRAGUINO at ICA (26 AUG).

BRAGUINO at ICA (26 AUG 18:35):

In this work directed by the French artist, filmmaker and photographer Clément Cogitore, two feuding families, the Braguines and the Kilines, live in adjoining but otherwise isolated compounds deep in Siberia’s boreal forest, their settlement completely unreachable by road.

THE CLEANERS at DocHouse (26 AUG 18:30):

This documentary confronts the dark underworld of the internet, revealing a shadow industry of ‘digital cleaning’ that controls the posts we see online. The film follows five of these digital cleaners, who are outsourced by Silicon Valley to the global headquarter for content moderation in the city of Manila in the Philippines.

ONE NOTE AT A TIME at Rio Cinema (26 AUG 16:00 & 18:30):

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, music can save the soul of the city, but can the musicians save themselves? The multiple award-winning feature documentary ONE NOTE AT A TIME pays homage to the musicians who courageously returned to their hometown of New Orleans after the devastation of one of the most deadly and destructive storms in American history.

More films in London this week (A – Z): A NORTHERN SOUL at DocHouse (24 to 30 AUG). BLACKkKLANSMAN ArtHouse Crouch End (24 to 30 AUG). BOMBSHELL: THE HEDY LAMARR STORY presented by UKJF at JW3 (26 to 30 AUG). THE BREADWINNER at The Castle Cinema 924 to 30 AUG). THE CHILDREN ACT at Lexi Cinema (24 to 26 AUG). ICEMAN at Watermans (24 to 30 AUG). MCQUEEN at ICA (25 to 30 AUG). POPE FRANCIS: A MAN OF HIS WORD at Watermans (24 to 30 AUG).

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 check box office each morning for films in London today and try to only list events you can book for at the time of posting: some events may still be sold out. Please click quickly! We don’t filter by age/certification: all readers & subscribers should be 18+.