This is a film still from THE HARDER THEY FALL, opening night of the 65th BFI London Film Festival.

SCREEN GUIDE: What’s on in London this week [01 to 07 OCT 2021]

Our RADIANT CIRCUS guide to what’s on in London this week across DIY, indie & alternative cinema, including one-off screen events, film seasons, film festivals & new releases.

By RADIANT CIRCUS // Twitter @radiantcircus / Instagram @radiantcircus

More good news… One of London’s remaining dark indie screens, the glorious David Lean Cinema, has posted this notice on their website: “We have agreement from Croydon Council regarding our reopening plans!” No further details are given, but be sure to subscribe to their newsletter for programme announcements (or check back here of course…).

October is an unusual month as the normal rep programming routine gets knocked into a new orbit by three big hitters: Black History Month, London Film Festival and Halloween season. We’ll be posting our annual SCREAM GUIDE – the ultimate guide to what’s on in London this scary season! – and a special BHM roundup in the next couple of days. That will shortly be followed by our regular monthly roundup for the rest of October.

Speaking of scary movies, Michael Almereyda’s stylised vampire film NADJA 35mm was such a success as part of the LOST VAMPIRES season last week (continuing at The Prince Charles) that ICA has scheduled 4 more screenings (see daily listings for details). We’ve been impressed by these short seasons from the MA students on the NFTS’ Programming & Curation programme. Next up is Sophie Determan’s THE FEMALE OF THE SPECIES IS MORE DEADLY THAN THE MALE, also at The Prince Charles as part of their HORROCTOBER season. Catford Mews joins the seasonal horror show with a wonderful season TWISTED FOLK: THE BEST FOLK HORROR FILMS FROM THE LAST DECADE, starting this weekend with Ari Aster’s MIDSOMMAR. Full details below.

Of course, the other juggernaut that’s rather taking over London’s indie screens is the release of a certain Bond movie… After so much famine, we can only hope that NO TIME TO DIE proves to be the box-office feast that TENET wasn’t. Good luck to all our venue friends for some serious box office bounty. We know you need it.

Given the emphasis on Bond, it’s surprising there isn’t more spy-related programming. Ciné Lumière leads the way with their EYES ON SPIES season, which starts with Mr Craig’s farewell (obviously…) and will continue later in the month with, amongst others, French cult comedy series OSS 117 starring Jean Dujardin as the pride of French intelligence and Georges Lautner’s LE PROFESSIONNEL with the late Jean-Paul Belmondo. Full details coming soon.

Few film festivals go toe-to-toe with LFF, but you can still catch the amazing online programme at Women Over 50 Film Festival (until 02 OCT) and Fringe! Queer Film & Arts Fest launches their programme this week (05 OCT). Similarly, few new releases would dare to compete with Bond, but there are some serious alternatives including BELLY OF THE BEAST, Erika Cohn’s documentary about “the shameful and ongoing legacy of eugenics and reproductive injustice in California’s women’s prisons” at Bertha DocHouse, and EMA, Pablo Larraín’s “extraordinary spectacle, which highlights an intimate journey into the (night)lives and loves of troubled young people” at ICA.

As to our Featured Attraction Of The Week, we’re going all-in with the London-wide opening night gala of the 65th BFI London Film Festival … Jeymes Samuel’s THE HARDER THEY FALL is a new Western, and there simply aren’t enough of them, certainly not ones made by Black filmmakers, and inspired by the real-life stories of the Wild West’s African-American cowboys (and girls…).

See you in the darkness,

Richard // RADIANT CIRCUS

BFI LFF Opening Night Gala: THE HARDER THEY FALL d. Jeymes Samuel, 2021 (06 OCT):

  • Various venues, inc: Barbican (06 OCT 20:00); Catford Mews (06 OCT 19:45); The Cinema In The Arches (06 OCT 20:00); Curzon Cinemas (06 OCT various); Everyman Cinemas (06 OCT various); Genesis Cinema (06 OCT 19:45); The Lexi Cinema (06 OCT 19:45); Rich Mix (06 OCT 19:45); The Royal Festival Hall (06 OCT 19:00).
  • “Jonathan Majors, Regina King and Idris Elba lead a stunning cast in this fast, fun and ultra-stylish new Western from debut feature director Jeymes Samuel (aka The Bullitts). With incredible panache and detail, the film brings together legendary Black cowboys from across the ages to create an unabashedly rip-roaring story, with an excellent modern soundtrack, featuring Fela Kuti and Barrington Levy.”
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FRIDAY 01 OCT

  • Dramathon short film programme + filmmaker Q&A presented by Shorts On Tap at Rich Mix (01 OCT 18:30).
  • FILMFARSI d. Ehsan Khoshbakht, 2019 + Intro/Q&A with the director at Close-Up (01 OCT 20:15).
  • IN THE HEIGHTS d. Jon M. Chu, 2021 at Screen25Cinema at Harris Academy South Norwood (01 OCT 19:45).
  • NADJA 35mm d. Michael Almereyda, 1994 at ICA (01 OCT 18:25).
  • THE STORY OF A THREE DAY PASS 4k aka La Permission d. Melvin Van Peebles, 1968 at BFI Southbank (01 OCT 18:30).

SATURDAY 02 OCT

  • THE DEER d. Masoud Kimiai, 1974 + Intro by Ehsan Khoshbakht at Close-Up (02 OCT 20:15).
  • DUNE d. David Lynch, 1984 at ICA (02 OCT 13:30).
  • NADJA 35mm d. Michael Almereyda, 1994 at ICA (02 OCT 19:15).
  • THE STORY OF A THREE DAY PASS 4k aka La Permission d. Melvin Van Peebles, 1968 at BFI Southbank (02 OCT 15:30).
  • THE WATERMELON WOMAN d. Cheryl Dunye, 1996 at Riverside Studios (02 OCT 14:00).

SUNDAY 03 OCT

MONDAY 04 OCT

  • DUNE d. David Lynch, 1984 at The Prince Charles (04 OCT 20:30).
  • French Impressions: TWO OF US d. Filippo Meneghetti, 2019 in-venue film screening + online discussion with Jon Davies presented by Watermans (04 OCT 19:00 + 07 OCT 20:00).
  • GUMMO VHS d. Harmony Korine, 1997 presented by Deeper Into Movies at Sebright Arms (04 OCT 19:30 – FREE!).
  • JEFF BUCKLEY LIVE IN CHICAGO presented by Deeper Into Movies at Moth Club (04 OCT 19:30).
  • REAR WINDOW d. Alfred Hitchcock, 1954 at Regent Street Cinema (04 OCT 13:30).

ONLINE

TUESDAY 05 OCT

  • 3 Films by Niki Kohandel presented by Conch Art Collective at SOAS (05 OCT 18:00 – FREE).
  • DUNE d. Denis Villeneuve, 2021 + Recorded Q&A with the director at BFI Southbank (05 OCT 18:30).
  • GREENER GRASS d. Jocelyn DeBoer & Dawn Luebbe, 2019 presented by Double Wonderful at Venue MOT Unit 18 (05 OCT 19:30).
  • NADJA 35mm d. Michael Almereyda, 1994 at ICA (05 OCT 18:45).
  • PLAYING AWAY d. Horace Ové, 1987 for Black History Month at The Halley (05 OCT 18:30 – FREE).
  • THE SACRIFICE d. Andrei Tarkovsky, 1986 at ICA (05 OCT 16:00).
  • Sam the Wheels, Witness and Filmmaker film programme + Q&A with Sandi Hudson-Francis, Mark Sealy & Lucy Davies at Barbican (05 OCT 18:10) / Part of The Decolonising Lens.
  • THE STORY OF A THREE DAY PASS 4k aka La Permission d. Melvin Van Peebles, 1968 at BFI Southbank (05 OCT 20:40).
  • WOMAN OF THE YEAR d. George Stevens, 1942 presented by Tufnell Park Film Club at The Lord Palmerston (05 OCT 20:00).

WEDNESDAY 06 OCT

THURSDAY 07 OCT

  • UNQUIET EARTH aka Tierra Inquieta d. Chiara Ambrosio & Caterina Pasqualino, 2018 at The Whitechapel Gallery (07 OCT 19:00).

35MM PRESENTATIONS at The Prince Charles

70MM PRESENTATIONS at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY 70mm d. Stanley Kubrick, 1968 ‘unrestored version’ (04 OCT 20:15).

100 YEARS: SIMONE SIGNORET, THE POLITICAL STAR – PART I at Ciné Lumière

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): CASQUE D’OR aka Golden Helmet d. Jacques Becker, 1952 (03 OCT 15:15 / 05 OCT 18:20 / 06 OCT 20:30).

ANNIVERSARY SCREENINGS at The Prince Charles

A PRYOR ENGAGEMENT at BFI Southbank

BIG SCREEN CLASSICS at BFI Southbank

BRIAN DE PALMA at The Prince Charles 

DAVID CRONENBERG at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): SCANNERS d. David Cronenberg, 1981 (04 OCT 17:45).

DENIS VILLENEUVE: THE PATH TO DUNE at BFI Southbank

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): ARRIVAL d. Denis Villeneuve, 2016 (02 OCT 17:30); BLADE RUNNER 2049 4k d. Denis Villeneuve, 2017 (03 OCT 17:30).

ESSENTIAL CINEMA at Close-Up

FATAL FEMMES at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): UNDER THE SKIN d. Jonathan Glazer, 2013 (04 OCT 15:30); THE WITCH d. Robert Eggers, 2015 (07 OCT 13:30); RAW d. Julia Ducournau, 2016 (07 OCT 18:30).

THE FEMALE OF THE SPECIES IS MORE DEADLY THAN THE MALE at The Prince Charles 

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): FRANKENSTEIN CREATED WOMAN d. Terence Fisher, 1967 (04 OCT 18:10).
  • Curated by Sophie Determan. Presented in partnership with the National Film & Television School.

FLUID REALITIES: THE CINEMA OF SALOMÉ LAMAS at ICA

  • Includes (check promoter for full listings): ENCOUNTERS_WITH_LANDSCAPE3x + LE BOUDIN + THEATRUM ORBIS TERRARUM d. Salomé Lamas, 2012, 2013 & 2014 (01 OCT 18:30); UBI SUNT + GOLDEN DAWN + IMPERIAL GIEL + A COMUNIDADE d. Salomé Lamas, 2017, 2011, 2012 & 2012 (02 OCT 14:40); HANGAR, METRO, TERMINAL + EXTINCTION d. Salomé Lamas, 2018 (03 OCT 14:40).

HORROCTOBER at The Prince Charles

JEAN-PAUL BELMONDO LE MAGNIFIQUE at Ciné Lumière

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): BREATHLESS aka A bout de souffle d. Jean-Luc Godard, 1959 (01 OCT 20:20 / 03 OCT 19:30).

LOST VAMPIRES at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): ONLY LOVERS LEFT ALIVE d. Jim Jarmusch, 2013 (05 OCT 18:00).
  • Curated by Geoffrey Badger. Presented in partnership with the National Film & Television School.

NFTS AT 50 at BFI Southbank

  • Includes (check venue for listings): OF TIME & THE CITY d. Terence Davies, 2008 + Q&A with the director (02 OCT 14:15); ROCKS d. Sarah Gavron, 2019 + Q&A with the director (02 OCT 17:30).

STEPHEN KING at The Prince Charles

TEEN MOVIES at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): MEAN GIRLS d. Mark Waters, 2003 (03 OCT 18:15).

THE TIME IS NEW: SELECTIONS FROM CONTEMPORARY ARAB CINEMA at BFI Southbank

TWISTED FOLK: THE BEST FOLK HORROR FILMS FROM THE LAST DECADE at Catford Mews

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): MIDSOMMAR d. Ari Aster, 2019 (02 OCT 20:30 / 04 OCT 20:30 / 06 OCT 20:30).

WEREWOLF FILMS at The Prince Charles

WONG KAR WAI at BFI Southbank

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): CHUNGKING EXPRESS 4K aka Chung Hing sam lam d. Wong Kar Wai, 1994 (01 OCT 14:15 / 02 OCT 15:15 / 04 OCT 20:40); IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE 4K aka Fa yeung nin wah d. Wong Kar Wai, 2000 (01 OCT 18:15 / 02 OCT 18:10 / 03 OCT 12:20 / 05 OCT 14:40); 2046 4K d. Wong Kar Wai, 2004 (01 OCT 20:30 / 03 OCT 14:50); DAYS OF BEING WILD 4k aka Ah Fei jing juen d. Wong Kar Wai, 1990 (02 OCT 12:30 / 05 OCT 18:20); HAPPY TOGETHER 4k aka Chun gwong cha sit d. Wong Kar Wai, 1997 (02 OCT 20:40 / 04 OCT 14:45); FALLEN ANGELS 4k aka Do lok tin si d. Wong Kar Wai, 1995 (04 OCT 18:30 / 05 OCT 20:45).

Deeper Into Movies at Dalston Roof Park

The Luna Cinema at Wandsworth Park

BELLY OF THE BEAST d. Erika Cohn, 2020.

EMA d. Pablo Larraín, 2019.

  • Various venues inc: ICA

OLIVER SACKS: HIS OWN LIFE d. Ric Burns, 2019.

  • Also (01 to 07 OCT various dates/times): FAUCI d. John Hoffman & Janet Tobias, 2021 at: JW3 // FRIDA – VIVA LA VIDA d. Giovanni Troilo, 2019 at: Bertha DocHouse // MY NAME IS PAULI MURRAY d. Julie Coleman, 2021 at: Watermans // SONG WITHOUT A NAME aka Canción sin nombre d. Melina León, 2019 at: ICA.
Networking in the beer garden at Filly Brook at WunderKammerLive (17 SEP): Photography credit – Robin Sinha

WunderKammerLive (17 SEP) was our first network and showcase event for London’s alternative cinema community. The event was curated by RADIANT CIRCUS and hosted at the Filly Brook – an indie craft beer, food and music venue in E11 – as part of the Barbican-backed Leytonstone Loves Film (15 to 19 SEP 2021).

A mixed crowd of Leytonstoners, local cinema practitioners and those from further afield came together to hear four inspiring stories of diverse/DIY cinema, engage in some casual networking in the beer garden, and indulge in a surprise Friday night film which (much to our own surprise…), we’d managed to keep under wraps until the very last moment… Read what happened. // Sign up to our newsletter for news of the next event.

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*THE SMALL PRINT: Opinions author’s own. // As accurate as we could make it. Apologies for any errors. Updates & corrections will be made to the online version only. // Event dates/times/formats are subject to change by the venue/organiser. Events may already be sold out at the time of posting, so please click quickly. // We try to list as many original format screenings as we can (8 to 70MM), but sometimes formats change due to age of the print, availability, logistics etc, so please check ahead with your venue if the format is your thing. // All images are used in the spirit of fair use for reporting & review – no ownership is implied or intended / unless otherwise credited to RADIANT CIRCUS as the original rights holder. We will remove any images immediately upon request – just get in touch. // We don’t filter our listings by age/certification: all readers & subscribers should therefore be 18+. // Finally, we always try to follow The Carny Code by “not screwing up anyone else’s game”, but everyone can make mistakes… If something does go wrong, we will always do our best to put it right. //.