SCREEN GUIDE: Films in London this week [17 to 23 JAN 2020]
RADIANT CIRCUS is your handcrafted guide to London’s DIY, indie & alternative movie nights, film events & gallery screenings. Our latest SCREEN GUIDE helps you find great films in London this week*.
FRI 17 // SAT 18 // SUN 19 // MON 20 // TUE 21 // WED 22 // THU 23
Find films in London this week by:
SINGLE-O EXHIBITS (one-off attractions – by date) // MUSEUM SHOWS (several exhibits under one roof – by seasons & festivals) // GRIND SHOWS (a selection of new releases & regular runs).
FEATURED ATTRACTION
GIRLFIGHT d. Karyn Kusama, 2000 + Skype Q&A with the director at BFI Southbank (22 JAN 20:30):
- Woman With A Movie Camera presents: “Diana is a Brooklyn teenager whose hot temper gets her into plenty of fights. These are mainly in the school hallways – until she accompanies her brother to boxing training and develops a taste for the ring. Yet the bigger fight lies ahead, as she struggles to establish herself in a man’s world. This spotlight of female boxing packs a punch, with two outstanding debuts: Karyn Kusama behind the camera and the unforgettable Michelle Rodriguez in front of it.”
NEW AT RADIANT CIRCUS
Check out the event highlights in our RADIANT CIRCUS guide to the London Short Film Festival (10 to 19 JAN).
As part of our #32BoroughsOfFilm initiative, we’re celebrating community cinema across Greater London. Get booking for Richmond Film Society and Wimbledon Film Club’s fabulous offerings (JAN to JUN 2020).
We’re delighted to be working with Screen25 Cinema in South Norwood to offer our monthly subscribers a juicy £2 discount on their 2020 season. Support RADIANT CIRCUS – and get all our listings delivered direct! – by heading to patreon.com/radiantcircus to subscribe and unlock the code.
FILMS IN LONDON THIS WEEK
SINGLE-O EXHIBITS
ONE-OFF MOVIE NIGHTS, FILM EVENTS & GALLERY SCREENINGS (by date/event)
FRI 17
THE AMAZING JOHNATHAN DOCUMENTARY d. Benjamin Berman, 2019 + Live Magic by Matiss Duhon at Harris Academy South Norwood (17 JAN 19:45):
- Screen25 Cinema presents: “Johnathan is diagnosed with a terminal heart condition, is given one year to live, and is forced to retire his act. Cut to three years later: Johnathan is not dead, much to everyone’s amazement, and documentarian Ben Berman films the illusionist on an epic comeback tour. Join us from 19:45 for a magically entertaining performance from juggler, comedy, and cephalopods expert Matiss Duhon.”
EL CIUDADANO ILUSTRE aka The Distinguished Citizen d. Gastón Duprat & Mariano Cohn, 2016 + Intro by Adam Feinstein at The Cinema Museum (17 JAN 19:30):
- “This delicious black comedy is one of the finest Argentinian films of recent years. Directed by two superb younger talents, Gastón Duprat and Mariano Cohn, it features a stunning central performance by Óscar Martínez as a Nobel Prize-winning writer who returns to his home town to receive another award – only to find that the trip does not go as planned.”
More films in London today (A – Z):
- BAD BOYS FOR LIFE d. Adil El Arbi & Bilall Fallah, 2020 + Opening Night Party presented by Kush Films at Genesis Cinema (17 JAN 21:00). BE NATURAL: THE UNTOLD STORY OF ALICE GUY-BLACHÉ d. Pamela B. Green at BFI (17 JAN 17:45). THE KINGMAKER d. Lauren Greenfield, 2019 at DocHouse (17 JAN 14:20). THE KINGMAKER d. Lauren Greenfield, 2019 at Ciné Lumière (17 JAN 20:20). LA BELLE ÉPOQUE d. Nicolas Bedos, 2019 at Ciné Lumière (17 JAN 16:00). LULLABY aka Chanson Douce d. Lucie Borleteau, 2019 at Ciné Lumière (17 JAN 20:30). SO LONG, MY SON d. Wang Xiaoshuai, 2019 at Deptford Cinema (17 JAN 19:00).
SAT 18
BE NATURAL: THE UNTOLD STORY OF ALICE GUY-BLACHÉ d. Pamela B. Green + Panel at DocHouse (18 JAN 16:00):
- Birds’ Eye View #ReclaimTheFrame presents: “Alice Guy-Blaché was a prolific filmmaker and a cinematic pioneer, yet she has largely been erased from the history books. In this entertaining and enlightening documentary, Pamela B. Green goes on an eventful journey to discover the astonishing scope of Guy-Blaché’s career, and probe just why she has been forgotten.”
Blinking Buzzards – The UK Buster Keaton Society at The Cinema Museum (18 JAN 16:00):
- “Quarterly meeting of the society dedicated to the appreciation of the silent comedian. After a selection of Keaton shorts and a break, the second half will be a screening of SEVEN CHANCES (1925), which is based on a play produced in 1916. Buster plays Jimmy Shannon, who is on the brink of bankrupcy when he is told that his grandfather’s will leaving him seven million dollars. In order to inherit the money, Jimmy must marry before 7 pm on his 27th birthday – which is today!”
CARMEN JONES d. Otto Preminger, 1954 + Dance Performance/Workshop at West Norwood Library & Picturehouse (18 JAN 17:00):
- Rhythm & Views + Black Stock Films present: “Dorothy Dandridge and Harry Belafonte are electrifying in this Oscar Hammerstein and Otto Preminger musical, based on Georges Bizet’s opera Carmen, with its iconic music score and passionate story adapted to an African-American wartime setting. Followed by a dance workshop of pioneering dances of the ’40s and ’50s.”
More films in London today (A – Z):
- ALIEN [Theatrical Version] + ALIENS [Director’s Cut] d. Ridley Scott, 1979 + James Cameron, 1986 at The Prince Charles (18 JAN 20:45). Behind The Scenes Of BEAST TYPE SONG at Tate Britain (18 JAN 18:30). BE NATURAL: THE UNTOLD STORY OF ALICE GUY-BLACHÉ d. Pamela B. Green at BFI (18 JAN 14:45). DUCK SOUP d. Leo McCarey, 1933 at The Prince Charles (18 JAN 12:15). French Impressions: NON-FICTION d. Oliver Assayas, 2019 + Talk by Jon Davis at Watermans (18 JAN 13:00). Jenny Holzer 2 Documentary Portraits presented by Deeper Into Movies at Moth Club (18 JAN 19:00). LA DOLCE VITA 4K d. Federico Fellini, 1960 at Ciné Lumière (18 JAN 18:15). LULLABY aka Chanson Douce d. Lucie Borleteau, 2019 at Ciné Lumière (18 JAN 16:00). SO LONG, MY SON d. Wang Xiaoshuai, 2019 at Ciné Lumière (18 JAN 18:00).
SUN 19
SUNRISE WITH SEA MONSTERS d. Myles Painter, 2019 + Q&A with the director at Deptford Cinema (19 JAN 17:15):
- Wavelength Docs presents: “Following an old desktop hard drive as it wanders around the British landscape, this shot on 16mm film is an original addition to the sub-genre of unusual travelogues in British cinema. Considering the storage and preservation of our knowledge for future humanity, the film works through concepts of memory, data, archives, humanism and futurity, with director Myles Painter using a common hard drive as a starting point for thought-provoking conversations with scientists, technologists and philosophers.”
More films in London today (A – Z):
- 2040 d. Damon Gameau, 2019 at Catford Mews (19 JAN 14:00). BUDDIES d. Arthur J. Bressan, 1985 at Regent Street Cinema (19 JAN 20:30). COINCOIN AND THE EXTRA-HUMANS: GUNK, GUNK, GUNK!!! d. Bruno Dumont, 2018 at ICA (19 JAN 12:30). EIGTH GRADE d. Bo Burnham, 2018 at Whirled Cinema (19 JAN 18:00). EL TOPO + THE HOLY MOUNTAIN d. Alejandro Jodorowsky, 1970 + 1973 presented by Deeper Into Movies at The Curtain (19 JAN 16:00). EL TOPO d. Alejandro Jodorowsky, 1970 at ICA (19 JAN 21:25). THE KINGMAKER d. Lauren Greenfield, 2019 at DocHouse (19 JAN 20:00). LA DOLCE VITA 4K d. Federico Fellini, 1960 at Ciné Lumière (19 JAN 18:10). LULLABY aka Chanson Douce d. Lucie Borleteau, 2019 at Ciné Lumière (19 JAN 20:30). MARSHAWN LYNCH: A HISTORY d. David Shields, 2019 at ICA (19 JAN 16:45).
MON 20
21 MILES d. Richard Parry, 2019 + Q&A with the director at Frontline Club (20 JAN 19:00):
- “Kais, a 30-year old Tunisian arrives in France’s notorious Calais Jungle with nothing more than the shirt on his back. Over sixteen months, the film charts his mounting struggles with human traffickers, violent gangs, poverty, mass eviction and arrest as he tries to leave the makeshift camp and cross the 21 miles of English Channel to the UK.”
THE PERSONAL HISTORY OF DAVID COPPERFIELD d. Armando Iannucci + Q&A with the director at Genesis Cinema (20 JAN 18:15):
- “The irresistible pairing of Iannucci and Charles Dickens produces a hilarious, contemporary spin on a timeless story that follows young David (Dev Patel) on his journey from childhood to middle age. Along the way he learns about social injustice and meets some of the richest characters from the Dickens universe such as eternal optimist Mr Micawber (Peter Capaldi), eccentric Mr Dick (Hugh Laurie) and humble but deadly Uriah Heep (Ben Whishaw).”
REACH FOR THE SKY d. Lewis Gilbert, 1956 + Q&A with Nick Pourgourides at Kenneth More Theatre (20 JAN 11:00):
- The Good Company Film Club presents: “The true story of airman Douglas Bader, who overcame the loss of both legs in a flying accident to become a successful World War II fighter pilot. A rare opportunity to see Kenneth More on the big screen, the film will be followed by a Q&A with the founder of More’s official website Nick Pourgourides, who will also share some behind-the-scenes stories.”
More films in London today (A – Z):
- CITIZEN K d. Alex Gibney, 2019 at DocHouse (20 JAN 14:00). FRIDA d. Julie Taymor, 2002 at TT Liquor (20 JAN 18:30). JEWISH BRITAIN ON FILM d. Jon Spira, 2019 at JW3 (20 JAN 15:55). THE KINGMAKER d. Lauren Greenfield, 2019 at Ciné Lumière (20 JAN 18:10). LA BELLE ÉPOQUE d. Nicolas Bedos, 2019 at Ciné Lumière (20 JAN 20:40). ONCE UPON A TIME… IN HOLLYWOOD d. Quentin Tarrantino, 2019 presented by Deeper Into Movies at The Old Queens Head (20 JAN 19:30). RONNIE WOOD: SOMEBODY UP THERE LIKES ME d. Mike Figgis, 2019 at Regent Street Cinema (20 JAN 20:30). SO LONG, MY SON d. Wang Xiaoshuai, 2019 at Ciné Lumière (20 JAN 17:15).
TUE 21
A FREE SOUL d. Clarence Brown, 1931 + Discussion & Raffle at The Cinema Museum (21 JAN 19:30):
- Women & Cocaine presents: “The original Pre Code Queen, Norma Shearer’s brutal melodrama was banned in Ireland upon its release, and its easy to see why! Norma plays Jan, the ingenue daughter of an alcoholic Lawyer father (Lionel Barrymore in his Oscar winning role) who falls for gangster Ace Wilfong (Clark Gable) while her father is representing him on a murder trial. However, she soon finds that the liaison is not easily severed when she wants out…”
POND LIFE d. Bill Buckhurst, 2018 + Q&A with the director at Curzon Wimbledon (21 JAN 20:30):
- Wimbledon Film Club presents: “Entrancing 1990s coming of age drama adapted by Richard Cameron from his own play follows a group of young people over one summer in a South Yorkshire mining village. Riveting realism & poetry brought to life by Richard Hawley’s haunting original score.”
THE WILD GOOSE LAKE d. Diao Yinan Chinese New Year Special Screening at Regent Street Cinema (21 JAN 20:30):
- Chinese Visual Festival presents: “Diao Yinan (BLACK COAL, THIN ICE) returns with THE WILD GOOSE LAKE, a sumptuously shot crime drama which screened in competition at the Cannes Film Festival in 2019. This exhilarating, moody neo-noir follows a gang leader (Hu Ge) and a mysterious girl (Gwei Lun Mei) whose paths intertwine as they are both running away from their past, in search of freedom and redemption.”
More films in London today (A – Z):
- 21 MILES d. Richard Parry, 2019 + Q&A with the director at Everyman Crystal Palace (21 JAN 19:30). A TALE OF TWO SISTERS d. Jee-woon Kim, 2003 presented by Tufnell Park Film Club at The Lord Palmerston (21 JAN 20:00). BEETLEJUICE d. Tim Burton, 1988 presented by Deeper Into Movies at Peckham Levels (21 JAN 19:30 – FREE!). BE NATURAL: THE UNTOLD STORY OF ALICE GUY-BLACHÉ d. Pamela B. Green at BFI (21 JAN 20:45). CAPERNAUM d. Nadine Labaki, 2018 presented by Richmond Film Society at The Exchange (21 JAN 20:00). DOLEMITE d. D’Urville Martin, 1975 at The Prince Charles (21 JAN 20:45). GARDEN d. Peter Schreiner, 2019 presented by CineClub at Austrian Cultural Forum (21 JAN 19:00 – FREE!). HONEY BOY d. Alma Har’el, 2019 at Regent Street Cinema (21 JAN 18:30). JEWISH BRITAIN ON FILM d. Jon Spira, 2019 at JW3 (21 JAN 15:55). JOSÉ d. Li Cheng, 2018 + Intro by Natalia Christofoletti Barrenha at Barbican (21 JAN 18:30). THE KINGMAKER d. Lauren Greenfield, 2019 at DocHouse (21 JAN 20:30). LA BELLE ÉPOQUE d. Nicolas Bedos, 2019 at Ciné Lumière (21 JAN 20:40). LA DOLCE VITA d. Federico Fellini, 1960 at ICA (21 JAN 14:30). THE LAST BLACK MAN IN SAN FRANCISCO d. Joe Talbot, 2019 at The David Lean (21 JAN 19:30). MARRIAGE STORY d. Noah Baumbach, 2019 at Ciné Lumière (21 JAN 20:15). MARSHAWN LYNCH: A HISTORY d. David Shields, 2019 at ICA (21 JAN 17:00). THE PERSONAL HISTORY OF DAVID COPPERFIELD d. Armando Iannucci + Q&A with the director at BFI Southbank (21 JAN 20:15).
WED 22
END OF SEASON d. Elmar Imanov, 2019 + Q&A with the director at Barbican (22 JAN 18:20):
- New East Cinema presents: “A family on the verge of falling apart pays a life-changing trip to the beach in this haunting Azerbaijani drama from debut director Elmar Imanov. Features excellent performances from his cast, especially Mir-Movsum Mirzazade as the angry, vulnerable son. End of Season is an excellent study of alienation and mutual incomprehension, with echoes of Michelangelo Antonioni’s AVVENTURA.”
GIRLFIGHT d. Karyn Kusama, 2000 + Skype Q&A with the director at BFI Southbank (22 JAN 20:30):
- Woman With A Movie Camera presents: “Diana is a Brooklyn teenager whose hot temper gets her into plenty of fights. These are mainly in the school hallways – until she accompanies her brother to boxing training and develops a taste for the ring. Yet the bigger fight lies ahead, as she struggles to establish herself in a man’s world. This spotlight of female boxing packs a punch, with two outstanding debuts: Karyn Kusama behind the camera and the unforgettable Michelle Rodriguez in front of it.”
I WAS HERE d. Nathalie Biancheri & Ola Jankowska, 2017 + Q&A with the directors at ICA (22 JAN 18:30):
- “On a journey through post-Brexit vote England, locals from towns, villages and cities are invited to take part in a casting for a documentary character. As each candidate tries to prove themselves, the audience questions our perception of a life worth capturing on film and our basic, human instinct to leave a trace of ourselves.”
More films in London today (A – Z):
- BE NATURAL: THE UNTOLD STORY OF ALICE GUY-BLACHÉ d. Pamela B. Green at Curzon Aldgate (22 JAN 18:15 – Other Curzons available!). CITIZEN K d. Alex Gibney, 2019 at DocHouse (22 JAN 20:30). EL TOPO d. Alejandro Jodorowsky, 1970 at ICA (22 JAN 15:50). INHERIT THE WIND 35mm d. Stanley Kramer, 1960 at Regent Street Cinema (22 JAN 12:00 & 15:30). LA DOLCE VITA d. Federico Fellini, 1960 at ICA (22 JAN 15:00). LAWRENCE OF BELGRAVIA d. Paul Kelly, 2008 + Q&A with Lawrence presented by Heavenly Films at Regent Street Cinema (22 JAN 19:30). MARSHAWN LYNCH: A HISTORY d. David Shields, 2019 at ICA (22 JAN 18:25). Odyssey Film Club: PAIN & GLORY d. Pedro Almodóvar, 2019 presented by Screen25 Cinema at Harris Academy South Norwood (22 JAN 19:45). THE SHAPE OF WATER d. Guillermo del Toro, 2017 presented by Pitshanger Pictures at St. Barnabas Church (22 JAN 20:15). SORRY WE MISSED YOU d. Ken Loach, 2019 at The David Lean (22 JAN 14:30 & 19:30). Swinging Paris & Espace Fumeur Talks + Screenings by Vadim Kosmos & Patrick Knill at The Horse Hospital (22 JAN 19:00). TO TOKYO d. Caspar Seale Jones, 2018 + Q&A at Everyman Hampstead (22 JAN 18:30). THE TRUMAN SHOW d. Peter Weir, 1998 + Intro/Discussion with Gareth Jones presented by Film School at The Cinema Museum (22 JAN 19:00). THE WITCH d. Robert Eggers, 2015 at The Prince Charles (22 JAN 18:30).
THU 23
Anne Robinson: WAKEFUL with Mairéad McClean at The Whitechapel Gallery (23 JAN 19:00):
- “Artist filmmaker Anne Robinson presents and is in conversation with writer Cherry Smyth about her long-term, multi-disciplinary project Wakeful. Building on a fragmented childhood memory and looking back to a 1918 sea voyage to the Baltic on which her father was ship’s cook, she experiments with film technologies to record time strangely. The screening will also include two films by artist Mairéad McClean: A LINE WAS DRAWN (2019) and NO MORE (2013).”
EAT + RESTAURANT d. Andy Warhol, 1963 + 1965 at Regent Street Cinema (23 JAN 19:30):
- The Photographers’ Gallery presents: “To coincide with the current exhibition Feast for the Eyes, join us for a unique screening of Andy Warhol’s EAT (1963) and RESTAURANT (1965). The former captures the simple act of a man eating mushrooms in a one-man show starring Robert Indiana in a single 35-minute shot. RESTAURANT, on the other hand, is a moving still life, opening with a tight shot of a chequered tablecloth. With off camera conversations and the appearance of Warhol superstars like Edie Sedgwick, this 34-minute film documents a staged dinner in a New York restaurant.”
THE MAN WHO KILLED DON QUIXOTE d. Terry Gilliam, 2018 + Pre-recorded Q&A with the director at Rio Cinema (23 JAN 18:30):
- “A legendary and fantastic literary tale of adventure and daring-do. A modern epic tale of disaster and disappointment with a happy ending that has already become a filmmaking legend. Terry Gilliam’s 30 year passionate but seemingly doomed struggle to complete his version of Cervantes’ masterpiece is finally over and the result is the gloriously witty THE MAN WHO KILLED DON QUIXOTE.”
- Also at (by screening time): Curzon Victoria (23 JAN 18:00 – Other Curzons available!); Genesis Cinema (23 JAN 18:20); Everyman Hampstead & Muswell Hill (23 JAN 19:45) Picturehouse West Norwood (23 JAN 20:00 – Other Picturehouses available!).
More films in London today (A – Z):
- BREAKING THE LIMITS aka Najlepszy d. Łukasz Palkowski, 2017 at Polish Social and Cultural Association (23 JAN 19:30). CLUELESS d. Amy Heckerling, 1995 presented by Crofton Park Pictures at Rivoli Ballroom (23 JAN 20:00). DUCK SOUP d. Leo McCarey, 1933 at The Prince Charles (23 JAN 16:20 – £1 Members Screening). EL TOPO d. Alejandro Jodorowsky, 1970 at ICA (23 JAN 21:15). LA BELLE ÉPOQUE d. Nicolas Bedos, 2019 at The David Lean (23 JAN 14:30 & 19:30). LA DOLCE VITA d. Federico Fellini, 1960 at ICA (23 JAN 14:45).
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MUSEUM SHOWS PART 1
SEASONS (by event/venue)
70mm PRESENTATIONS at The Prince Charles (ongoing):
“Bringing regular 70mm presentations back to the West End with”:
- 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY 70mm d. Stanley Kubrick, 1968 (18 JAN 17:00 / 20 JAN 20:15).
1999 – 2019: EXPLORING 20 YEARS OF SCI-FI at The Prince Charles (2020):
- SERENITY d. Joss Whedon, 2005 (19 JAN 18:05).
ACADEMY AT REGENT ST. at Regent Street Cinema (JAN to FEB):
“Before the advent of widescreen formats such as CinemaScope, VistaVision and Todd A-O, all films were shot at the (by modern standards) boxy aspect ratio of 1.37:1, also known as the Academy ratio. Some of the greatest films ever made were produced on this format and we’re delighted to bring them back to the big screen.” Includes:
- CITIZEN KANE d. Orson Welles, 1941 (19 JAN 14:00).
ALTERNATE REALITIES at The Barbican (13 to 19 JAN):
“Join us for Sheffield Doc/Fest’s pioneering digital art strand, featuring two works from the festival’s Alternate Realities exhibition of interactive and immersive non-fiction.” Includes:
- TROUGH THE WARDROBE Installation (13 to 19 JAN – FREE! Check venue for timings); ECHO Installation (13 to 19 JAN – FREE! Check venue for timings); and, SHELTER – FAREWELL TO EDEN d. Enrico Masi, 2019 (18 JAN 15:30).
AMERICAN NEW WAVE at The Prince Charles (2020):
“We’re going to be runnin this strand throughout the year so keep checking back, as there is a lot more still to come!” Includes:
- WHO’S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF? d. Mike Nichols, 1966 (19 JAN 15:30); and, FACES 35mm d. John Cassavetes, 1968 (19 JAN 20:45).
A WORM’S TAIL VIEW IS OFTEN THE TRUE ONE: FILMS BY PERE PORTABELLA at Close-Up & BFI Southbank (26 NOV 2019 to 15 FEB 2020):
“The most ambitious, creative and complete retrospective of works by ‘the most important living director you’ve never heard of’—Pere Portabella—will tour London’s most engaged cultural institutions from November 2019 until February 2020.” Includes:
- Pere Portabella Short Films (21 JAN 20:15); and, NOCTURNO 29 + Short: NO COMPTEU AMB ELS DITS d. Pere Portabella, 1967 + 1968 (23 JAN 20:30).
BIG SCREEN CLASSICS at BFI Southbank (DEC to JAN):
- FREAKS 35mm d. Tod Browning, 1932 (18 JAN 18:00 / 21 JAN 18:00); 12 ANGRY MEN d. Sidney Lumet, 1957 (19 JAN 16:50 / 20 JAN 20:45); THE ASPHALT JUNGLE d. John Huston, 1950 + Intro by Dr Lucy Bolton (22 JAN 18:00); and, TOUCHEZ PAS AU GRISBI d. Jacques Becker, 1954 (23 JAN 17:50).
BLOOD ON EARTH: FILMS FROM THE AFRICAN & CARIBBEAN DIASPORA at Deptford Cinema (until 16 MAY 2020):
“A series of films embracing work which explores the human condition through stories from the African and Caribbean diaspora.” Includes:
- CITY OF GOD d. Kátia Lund & Fernando Meirelles, 2002 (18 JAN 19:30).
CAROLE LOMBARD: THE BRIGHTEST STAR at BFI Southbank (JAN):
“We celebrate a bright, shining star of the silver screen with a selection of her best films, from the ‘origins’ of screwball to dazzlingly delightful romcoms.” Includes:
- BOLERO 35mm d. Wesley Ruggles, 1934 (17 JAN 20:45); SWING HIGH, SWING LOW 35mm d. Mitchell Leisen, 1937 (18 JAN 15:50); MR & MRS SMITH 35mm d. Alfred Hitchcock, 1941 (19 JAN 14:20); TO BE OR NOT TO BE 35mm d. Ernst Lubitsch, 1942 (20 JAN 18:10); and, MY MAN GODFREY 4K d. Gregory La Cava, 1936 (22 JAN 20:50).
CHINESE NEW YEAR at BFI Southbank (19 to 26 JAN):
“Celebrate Chinese New Year in a variety of genres, from the traditional New Year’s fare of comedy-drama, to popular new documentary.” Includes:
- LITTLE Q d. Wing-Cheong Law, 2019 (19 JAN 15:00); and, ALL’S WELL ENDS WELL aka Ga yau hei si d. Clifton Ko, 1992 (23 JAN 18:00).
DIAMONDS IN THE SKY at Genesis Cinema & The Prince Charles (09 to 17 JAN):
“A season exploring pop music and freedom of female expression. Curated by Annie Mullineux as part of the Film Studies, Programming and Curation MA at NFTS.” Includes:
- ROMY & MICHELE’S HIGH SCHOOL REUNION d. David Mirkin, 1997 (17 JAN 18:15 – The PCC).
DÒRA MAURER & THE BÉLA BALÁZS STUDIO at Tate Modern (17 to 18 JAN):
“This two-day film series surveys the short films made by visual artists working in Budapest in the last two decades of Hungary’s socialist era.” Includes:
- Inter-Images (17 JAN 19:00); and, Space Painting (18 JAN 17:00).
ESSENTIAL CINEMA at Close-Up (23 DEC to 31 JAN):
“Our ongoing repertory series presenting masterpieces from throughout the history of cinema. The current programme particularly focusses on fairytales, folklore, ghost stories and the uncanny.” Includes:
- SOLARIS d. Andrei Tarkovsky, 1972 (17 JAN 19:30); L’AVVENTURA d. Michelangelo Antonioni, 1960 (19 JAN 19:30); and, THE SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE d. Víctor Erice, 1973 (20 JAN 20:15).
FELLINI at BFI Southbank (JAN to FEB):
“Enjoy the start of a two-month season on one of world cinema’s most exuberantly playful filmmakers.” Includes:
- Walkers & Wanderers: LA STRADA 4K d. Federico Fellini, 1954 (18 JAN 13:00 / 20 JAN 20:50); and, I VITELLONI 4K d. Federico Fellini, 1953 (19 JAN 20:10 / 21 JAN 20:50).
- Society & Spectacle: THE WHITE SHEIK 4K aka Lo Sceicco Bianco d. Federico Fellini, 1952 (18 JAN 21:00); FELLINI: A DIRECTOR’S NOTEBOOK 4K + ORCHESTRA REHEARSAL 4K d. Federico Fellini, 1969 + 1978 (20 JAN 18:00); and, GINGER & FRED 4K aka Ginger e Fred d. Federico Fellini, 1986 (23 JAN 18:10).
- Weekender: Viva Fellini! (18 to 19 JAN – check venue for programme).
- Re-release: LA DOLCE VITA 4K d. Federico Fellini, 1960 (06 to 26 JAN).
THE FILMS OF LYNNE RAMSAY at The Prince Charles (JAN to FEB):
- MORVERN CALLAR d. Lynne Ramsay, 2002 (20 JAN 18:00).
FIRST FILMS at Classic Cinema Club – Ealing (JAN to FEB):
“We begin the new year and decade with some important firsts in cinema: promising debuts; first-time collaborators; and the first motions of major film movements. Featuring famous all-time greats and lesser-known masterpieces, we hope some of these are new to you.” Includes:
- DRUNKEN ANGEL d. Akira Kurosawa, 1948 (17 JAN 19:30).
HAPPY B-DAY JIM! at House Of Vans (16 JAN to 02 FEB – FREE!/No booking required):
“It’s January, the month of the new year’s resolutions and, of course, the birthday of the king of comedy: Jim Carrey. To celebrate, we’ll be screening a retrospective film series in ode to Jim’s life on the big screen.” Includes:
- THE MASK d. Chuck Russell, 1994 (18 JAN 15:00 & 17:30); YES MAN d. Peyton Reed, 2008 (19 JAN 14:00 & 16:00); and, ACE VENTURA: PET DETECTIVE d. Tom Shadyac, 1994 (23 JAN 17:00 & 19:15).
IN HARM’S WAY: THE FILMS OF MAJED NEISI at Close-Up (18 JAN & 08 FEB):
“Born in Southwest Iran, Majed Neisi has dedicated himself to examining the pathology of war in a succession of Middle Eastern battlegrounds, documenting a rare picture of ordinary people’s resilience. We’re delighted to welcome Majed Neisi to Close-Up for the first UK retrospective of his documentaries.” Includes:
- Programme 1 (18 JAN 18:00); and, Programme 2 (18 JAN 20:30).
JOHN CASSAVETES IN 35MM at The Prince Charles (JAN to MAR):
- FACES 35mm d. John Cassavetes, 1968 (19 JAN 20:45).
JOIN THE #BONGHIVE at The Prince Charles (JAN to FEB):
“we’re trying to bring as many of Bong Joon-ho’s titles to our screen as possible; there are continual rights issues with SNOWPIERCER, and MEMORIES OF MURDER has recently become unavailable, but we’re working on both so keep your fingers crossed!” Includes:
- MOTHER 35mm aka Madeo d. Bong Joon-ho, 2009 (22 JAN 20:45).
MELODIA!: DISCOVERING MUSICALS FROM RUSSIA & THE CAUCASUS at Ciné Lumière (07 to 31 JAN):
“A thrilling season of classic and contemporary musicals from Russia and the Caucasus, Melodia! celebrates the diversity and complexity of the genre across Soviet, Russian and Caucasian cultures.” Includes:
- KARINE d. Arman Manaryan, 1969 (21 JAN 18:30); and, A MAN FROM BOULEVARD DES CAPUCINES d. Alla Surikova, 1987 (22 JAN 18:30).
MUSICULTS at Genesis Cinema (JAN):
“Forget everything you’ve known about musicals… Genesis presents musiCULTS, a season of dirty, daring and in your face flicks that will make you reconsider the genre as a whole.” Includes:
- THE UMBRELLAS OF CHERBOURG: A RESTORATION d. Jacques Demy, 1964 (19 JAN 12:30); and, TOMMY d. Ken Russell, 1974 (23 JAN 21:00).
REMINISCENCES OF JONAS MEKAS at Close-Up (19 to 22 JAN):
“A year after his passing, the Lithuanian Embassy and Close-Up remember the great Jonas Mekas.” Includes:
- AS I WAS MOVING AHEAD OCCASIONALLY I SAW BRIEF GLIMPSES OF BEAUTY 16mm d. Jonas Mekas, 2000 (19 JAN 14:00); and, WALDEN 16mm Jonas Mekas, 1969 (22 JAN 19:00).
STUDIO GHIBLI FOREVER at The Prince Charles (forever!):
“Never far from our screen are the legendary films from the greatest animation house on the planet, Studio Ghibli.” Includes:
- LAPUTA: CASTLE IN THE SKY 35mm d. Hayao Miyazaki, 1986 (18 JAN 12:00).
- Dubbed versions also screening – check venue.
TRIBUTE TO DELPHINE SEYRIG – ACTRESS, DIRECTOR AND ACTIVIST at Ciné Lumière (01 DEC 2019 to 04 FEB 2020):
“From being a film icon to supporting emerging women directors, Delphine Seyrig (1932-1990) increasingly got involved in the women’s rights and social struggles of her times, both in France and internationally, especially via the making of activist videos with her collective ‘Les Insoumuses’ (Defiant Muses) and through co-founding the Simone de Beauvoir Audiovisual Centre in Paris.” Includes:
- JEANNE DIELMAN, 23 QUAI DU COMMERCE, 1080 BRUXELLES d. Chantal Akerman, 1975 (19 JAN 14:00 / 23 JAN 18:45 + Intro by Professor Laura Mulvey).
> Plan ahead with our monthly roundup of London’s rep seasons & film festivals.
MUSEUM SHOWS PART 2
FILM FESTIVALS (by date/duration)
Film festivals in London this week include:
- London Short Film Festival (10 to 19 JAN).
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GRIND SHOWS
REGULAR RUNS & MAINSTREAM MARVELS (by title)
BE NATURAL: THE UNTOLD STORY OF ALICE GUY-BLACHÉ d. Pamela B. Green, 2018 at Ciné Lumière (17 to 23 JAN):
- “When Alice Guy-Blaché completed her first film in 1896 Paris, she was not only the first female filmmaker, but one of the first directors ever to make a narrative film. Narrated by Jodie Foster, this documentary follows her rise from Gaumont secretary to her appointment as head of production a year later, and her subsequent illustrious 20-year international career.”
WAVES d. Trey Edward Shults, 2019 at BFI (17 to 23 JAN):
- “Tyler (Kelvin Harrison Jr) is a high-school senior with a star spot on the wrestling team, an adoring girlfriend and an affluent middle-class home. Yet bubbling pressures slowly cause his bright future to unravel. This complex and devastating family melodrama is fuelled by an array of raw and intense performances. An eclectic soundtrack fused with vivid camerawork firmly establishes Shults (IT COMES AT NIGHT) as one of contemporary cinema’s most exciting new voices.”
WEATHERING WITH YOU d. Makoto Shinkai, 2019 at ICA (17 to 23 JAN):
- “The summer of his high school freshman year, Hodaka runs away from his remote island home to Tokyo and quickly finds himself pushed to his financial and personal limits. The weather is unusually gloomy and rainy every day, as if to suggest his future. Then one day, Hodaka meets Hina on a busy street corner. This bright and strong-willed girl possesses a strange and wonderful ability: the power to stop the rain and clear the sky…”
More films in London this week (A – Z):
- 1917 d. Sam Mendes, 2019 at The Lexi (17 to 23 JAN). ADVOCATE d. Rachel Leah Jones & Philippe Bellaiche, 2019 at DocHouse (until 23 JAN). A HIDDEN LIFE d. Terrence Malick, 2019 at ArtHouse Crouch End (17 to 23 JAN). BOMBSHELL d. Jay Roach, 2019 at Rio Cinema (17 to 23 JAN). BUDDHA IN AFRICA d. Nicole Schafer, 2019 at DocHouse (17 to 23 JAN). EL TOPO d. Alejandro Jodorowsky, 1970 at Rio Cinema (17 to 20 JAN). THE GHOST OF PETER SELLERS d. Peter Medak, 2018 at DocHouse (until 23 JAN). JOJO RABBIT d. Taika Waititi, 2019 at Rich Mix (17 to 23 JAN). LITTLE WOMEN d. Greta Gerwig, 2019 at The Castle Cinema (until 30 JAN). LONG DAY’S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT d. Bi Gan, 2018 at ICA (until 23 JAN). MIDNIGHT TRAVELER d. Hassan Fazili, 2019 at DocHouse (17 to 23 JAN). THE SUN IS ALSO A STAR d. Ry Russo-Young, 2019 at Whirled Cinema (20 to 26 JAN). UNCUT GEMS d. Benny Safdie & Josh Safdie, 2019 at ICA (until 23 JAN).
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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+.