SCREEN GUIDE: What’s on in London this week [03 to 09 DEC 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

It’s the start of a new screen month, meaning we’ve posted (and already updated!) our latest epic roundup of film seasons and festivals projecting across London. Check it out if you want to plan your cinema visits right through until the end of 2021. Of course, before we get to that point, Christmas is popping up all over and you’ll find plenty of festive offerings – both mainstream and more offbeat – this week. For the truly adventurous, there’s even an outdoor film festival on a pontoon at St. Katherine’s Dock…

BFI’s year-long, nation-wide focus on Japanese films has brought a huge amount of fascinating screen culture to all corners of the capital, often supported by National Lottery funding through the BFI’s FAN initiative. BFI Southbank’s own JAPAN 2021 continues this week, branching out with two great additions: ANOTHER GAZE features women-made films chosen by Daniella Shreir, editor of the feminist film journal, and at BFI IMAX you’ll find special presentations of SEVEN SAMURAIAKIRA and a brand new 4K restoration of BATTLE ROYALE on ‘Britain’s biggest screen’ (all 09 DEC). Also of note, Ross McDonnell’s UK retrospective of the works of RYÛSUKE HAMAGUCHI concludes at Close-Up this weekend with two of the acclaimed director’s latest offerings.

We’ve been covering the next generation of film programmers from NFTS for a while now, so it’s great to see another new season come into sharp focus this week: Ryan Ninesling’s HUMAN RESOURCES screens at Close-Up and Genesis, starting on Friday in Shoreditch with a rare screening of Margot Benacerraf’s “landmark work of Latin American feminist cinema”, ARAYA (03 DEC). Elsewhere, The Care-fuffle Collective continues their REPEATED APPARITIONS season at The Horse Hospital with a screening of Marlon Rigg’s TONGUES UNTIED (09 DEC) and I’ve chosen BFI’s A CLASS OF HIS OWN: THE FILMS OF JACK CLAYTON as our Featured Attraction of the Month. The complete run of Clayton’s directorial works celebrates the centenary of his birth and includes a certain title that’s irresistible to any self-respecting circus/sideshow-themed film blog.

In this week’s film clubs and collectives, The Gothique Film Society starts everything off with a double bill of 1965 rarities, DARK INTRUDER + THE GHOST OF SIERRA DE COBRE, introduced by Kim Newman (03 DEC). Exploding Cinema celebrates “three decades of flicks, light tricks and spilled beer” with a special 30th Birthday extravaganza (04 DEC) and Musical Sunday completes your weekend with a seasonal favourite, THE MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL (05 DEC). You’ll find all these excellent events at The Cinema Museum.

Deeper Into Movies continues their multi-pronged attack with a series of events in both London and New York this week. Our pick of the local bunch is the 4K restoration of Dennis Hopper’s OUT OF THE BLUE which screens in partnership with BFI at Moth Club (06 DEC). You’ll have a tougher time deciding what to see on Tuesday (07 DEC). Cinesisters bring their latest collection of shorts to Genesis Cinema, Sands Film Club offers both in-venue and online screenings of Ealing comedy THE TITFIELD THUNDERBOLT, and Double Wonderful returns to Venue MOT with an international collab, Video Expert 1. In one of the most deliciously delirious listings I’ve posted in a long while (and I mean that in a very good way…), West Central London Fixers – who find volunteer repairers to fix people’s electronics for free! – present a special screening of WATERWORLD at The Tabernacle, including a presentation by ‘Extinction Rebellion scientist’ Dr Charlie Gardner (also 07 DEC). If Kevin Costner with gills doesn’t make the point about the climate emergency we all face, nothing will…

On Wednesday (08 DEC), T A P E Collective continues their run of events at Barbican with Trippin’ Over My Tongue and the folk at Kennington Bioscope do their beautiful silent cinema thing with a double bill of THE EAGLE’S MATE 35mm and THE ESKIMO BABY. Continuing their run of off-kilter titles, Pitshanger Pictures follows last week’s BORDER with SLACK BAY which they describe as “a truly Marmite film, loved by some and loathed by others!”. There are possibly too many delights to mention on Thursday (09 DEC), but my pick of the bunch would be Jellied Reel’s screening of Elia Suleiman’s CHRONICLE OF A DISAPPEARANCE at The Castle Cinema, and Jonetsu Nights’ takeover of Close-Up for a welcome screening of Takashi Miike’s 13 ASSASSINS. If you haven’t seen the awesome doc REBEL DYKES, this could also be your day…

In addition to the Christmas Floating Film Festival (29 NOV to 05 DEC)*, newcomers to our festival listings this week include Ealing Film Festival (04 to 05 DEC), London Film Week (06 to 12 DEC) and, representing both Japanese and Scottish screen culture, We Love Anime (04 to 05 DEC). I also want to make a special mention of Queer East’s work to memorialise the late Mickey Chen, including a weeklong free streaming programme of films (from 04 to 10 DEC, including NOT JUST A WEDDING BANQUET, BOYS FOR BEAUTY, MEMORANDUM ON HAPPINESS and SCARS ON MEMORY) and a live online panel discussion, Documenting Taiwan’s Queer History (08 DEC).

Finally, I’ve chosen Sam Enthoven and Arkadiusz Potyka’s performance of a live electronic score for Japanese silent A PAGE OF MADNESS at ArtHouse Crouch End (05 DEC) as our Featured Attraction of the Week. A special mention too goes to the wonderful people at BIMI/Essay Film Festival for their excellent programme at Goethe-Institut, ESCAPE ROUTE TO MARSEILLE (04 DEC), which is resurrected from last year’s cancelled event.

See you in the darkness,

Richard // RADIANT CIRCUS

*No connection to WATERWORLD I assume…

A PAGE OF MADNESS aka Kurutta ippêji d. Teinosuke Kinugasa, 1926 + Live electronic score by Sam Enthoven & Arkadiusz Potyka at ArtHouse Crouch End (05 DEC 15:15).

  • “In Japan, a man (Masao Inoue) takes a job as a janitor at a mental asylum in order to be near his wife (Yoshie Nakagawa). Although his wife suffers genuine mental anguish, the man believes he can rescue her — but his attempt to break her out one night backfires when she panics. After she returns to her room, the husband again makes plans to try to take her out, only to be interrupted in the attempt by a doctor and several attendants, whom he attacks and believes he has killed.”
  • “A masterpiece of Japanese avant-garde silent cinema.” Silent London

FRIDAY 03 DEC

ONLINE

SATURDAY 04 DEC

SUNDAY 05 DEC

  • A PAGE OF MADNESS aka Kurutta ippêji d. Teinosuke Kinugasa, 1926 + Live electronic score by Sam Enthoven & Arkadiusz Potyka at ArtHouse Crouch End (05 DEC 15:15).
  • BECOMING COUSTEAU d. Liz Garbus, 2021 at Ciné Lumière (05 DEC 11:20).
  • THE BISHOP’S WIFE d. Henry Koster, 1947 (05 DEC 13:00).
  • BOILING POINT d. Phillip Barantini, 2021 + Q&A with the director & actors Stephen Graham, Ray Panthaki & Lauryn Ajufo at Genesis Cinema (05 DEC 12:25).
  • A CLOCKWORK ORANGE: 4K RESTORATION d. Stanley Kubrick, 1971 at Riverside Studios (05 DEC 14:00).
  • IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE d. Frank Capra, 1946 at Everyman Cinemas (05 DEC various).
  • JAWS d. Steven Spielberg, 1975 + Q&A with Ian Shaw (05 DEC 15:00).
  • THE MATRIX: 4K RESTORATION d. Lana Wachowski & Lilly Wachowski, 1999 at Regent Street Cinema (05 DEC 13:30).
  • THE MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL d. Brian Henson, 1992 presented by Musical Sunday at The Cinema Museum (05 DEC 13:00+).
  • REBEL DYKES d. Harri Shanahan & Sian Williams, 2021 + Short: FIREWORKS REVISITED d. Bev Zalcock + Q&A with Bev Zalcock & Guests at Rio Cinema (05 DEC 14:15).
  • RIDERS OF JUSTICE d. Anders Thomas Jensen, 2020 at Whirled Cinema (05 DEC 17:00).
  • WEST SIDE STORY: 60TH ANNIVERSARY d. Jerome Robbins & Robert Wise, 1961 at Electric Cinemas (05 DEC 13:00).

MONDAY 06 DEC

  • THE COLOR OF POMEGRANATES aka Sayat Nova d. Sergei Parajanov, 1969 presented by Deeper Into Movies at Farr’s Dalston (06 DEC 19:30).
  • THE COLOUR ROOM d. Claire McCarthy, 2021 + Q&A with the director & producer Thembisa Cochrane at Genesis Cinema (06 DEC 18:10).
  • DEREK d. Isaac Julien, 2008 presented by Deeper Into Movies at Sebright Arms (06 DEC 19:30 – FREE!).
  • Mark Kermode Live in 3D at the BFI Southbank (06 DEC 18:10).
  • OUT OF THE BLUE: 4K RESTORATION d. Dennis Hopper, 1980 presented by Deeper Into Movies at Moth Club (06 DEC 19:30).
  • French Impressions: PETITE MAMAN d. Céline Sciamma, 2021 in-venue screening + online discussion with Jon Davis at Watermans (06 DEC 19:00 + 09 DEC 20:00).
  • PIXIE d. Barnaby Thompson, 2020 at Whirled Cinema (06 DEC 20:00).
  • SEVEN SAMURAI d. Akira Kurosawa, 1954 at Olympic Studios (06 DEC 19:00).
  • THE STORMS OF JEREMY THOMAS d. Mark Cousins, 2021 + Live Q&A with the director & Jeremy Thomas at Curzon Mayfair (06 DEC 18:15).
  • THE STORMS OF JEREMY THOMAS d. Mark Cousins, 2021 + Live satellite Q&A with the director & Jeremy Thomas at: ArtHouse Crouch End (06 DEC 18:30); Bertha DocHouse (06 DEC 18:20).
  • TITANE d. Julia Ducournau, 2021 + Recorded Q&A with the director at BFI Southbank (06 DEC 20:30).

TUESDAY 07 DEC

  • BAD LUCK BANGING OR LOONY PORN d. Radu Jude, 2021 at Genesis Cinema (07 DEC 21:00).
  • BOARDERS d. Sean Fee & Annika Ranin, 2021 + Q&A at Peckhamplex (07 DEC 20:30).
  • Cinesisters’ Shorts Vol. 4 short film programme + Q&A/Networking at Genesis Cinema (07 DEC 18:40).
  • LAMB d. Valdimar Johannsson, 2021 + Q&A with the director & Noomi Rapace at Everyman Screen On The Green (07 DEC 20:00).
  • TV Preview: THE MEZZOTINT d. Mark Gatiss, 2021 + Q&A with the director at BFI Southbank (07 DEC 18:10).
  • MOTHERING SUNDAY d. Eva Husson, 2021 at The David Lean (07 DEC 14:30).
  • PIXIE d. Barnaby Thompson, 2020 at Whirled Cinema (07 DEC 20:00).
  • SPENCER d. Pablo Larraín, 2021 at The David Lean (07 DEC 19:30).
  • THE TITFIELD THUNDERBOLT d. Charles Crichton, 1953 presented by Sands Film Club in-venue at Sands Films Studios and online (07 DEC 20:00 – FREE/Donation requested).
  • TV Preview: THE TOURIST d. Chris Sweeney, 2021 + Q&A with actors Jamie Dornan, Danielle Macdonald, Shalom Brune-Franklin at BFI Southbank (07 DEC 20:30).
  • Video Expert 1 short film programme presented by Double Wonderful at Venue MOT Unit 18 (07 DEC 19:30+).
  • WATERWORLD d. Kevin Reynolds, 1995 + Talk by Dr Charlie Gardner presented by West Central London Fixers at The Tabernacle W11 (07 DEC 19:00).

WEDNESDAY 08 DEC

  • BABETTE’S FEAST aka Babettes gæstebud d. Gabriel Axel, 1987 at Calder Bookshop & Theatre SE1 (08 DEC 19:00 – Donation requested).
  • BOILING POINT d. Philip Barantini, 2021 + Q&A with the director, actors Ray Panthaki & Lauryn Ajufo at BFI Southbank (08 DEC 20:30).
  • But Where Are You Really From? Trippin’ Over My Tongue short film programme + live poetry performances by Shanay Neusum-James & Owiny Lubangakene presented by T A P E Collective at Barbican (08 DEC 18:15 – HOH).
  • CONGO CALLING d. Stephan Hilpert, 2019 at Bertha DocHouse (08 DEC 16:00).
  • THE EAGLE’S MATE 35mm + THE ESKIMO BABY d. James Kirkwood, 1914 + d. Heinz Schall, 1916 + Live piano accompaniment presented by Kennington Bioscope at The Cinema Museum (08 DEC 19:30).
  • FINAL ACCOUNT d. Luke Holland, 2021 at Bertha DocHouse (08 DEC 20:45).
  • LAMB d. Valdimar Johannsson, 2021 + Q&A with the director & Noomi Rapace at The Ritzy (08 DEC 19:00).
  • THE MATRIX: 4K RESTORATION d. Lana Wachowski & Lilly Wachowski, 1999 at Regent Street Cinema (08 DEC 17:00).
  • MOTHERING SUNDAY d. Eva Husson, 2021 at The David Lean (08 DEC 19:30).
  • NOMADLAND d. Chloé Zhao, 2020 at The David Lean (08 DEC 14:30).
  • PIXIE d. Barnaby Thompson, 2020 at Whirled Cinema (08 DEC 20:00).
  • RAW d. Julia Ducournau, 2016 at Genesis Cinema (08 DEC 21:10).
  • SHOPLIFTERS d. Hirokazu Kore-eda, 2018 at Screen25 Cinema (08 DEC 19:45).
  • SLACK BAY aka Ma Loute d. Bruno Dumont, 2016 presented by Pitshanger Pictures at St Barnabas Hall W5 (08 DEC 20:15).
  • SWAN SONG d. Benjamin Cleary, 2021 + Q&A with the director, producer Rebecca Bourke, actors Mahershala Ali & Naomie Harris at BFI Southbank (08 DEC 17:15).

ONLINE

THURSDAY 09 DEC

  • 13 ASSASSINS aka Jûsan-nin no shikaku d. Takashi Miike, 2010 presented by Jōnetsu Nights at Close-Up (09 DEC 19:00).
  • AN AMERICAN IN PARIS d. Vincente Minnelli, 1951 + Q&A with Leslie Caron & Gary Yershon at Ciné Lumière (09 DEC 19:00).
  • BURMA STORYBOOK d. Corinne van Egeraat & Petr Lom, 2017 + Virtual Q&A at Whitechapel Gallery (09 DEC 19:00).
  • THE CHAMPION OF AUSCHWITZ aka Mistrz d. Maciej Barczewski, 2020 at Polish Social and Cultural Association POSK (09 DEC 19:30).
  • CHRONICLE OF A DISAPPEARANCE d. Elia Suleiman, 1996 + Surprise short film presented by Jellied Reels at The Castle Cinema (09 DEC 21:00).
  • FINAL ACCOUNT d. Luke Holland, 2021 at Bertha DocHouse (09 DEC 16:00).
  • THE FRENCH DISPATCH d. Wes Anderson, 2021 at The David Lean (09 DEC 14:30).
  • TV Preview: GHOSTS CHRISTMAS SPECIAL d. Nick Collett, 2021 + Q&A at BFI Southbank (09 DEC 18:10).
  • PRANZO DI FERRAGOSTO d. Gianni di Gregorio, 2009 + Short: STORIE DI DOLCE d. Piero Cannizzaro + Festive drinks & a special treat! presented by CinemaItaliaUK at The Garden Cinema (09 DEC 19:00).
  • REBEL DYKES d. Harri Shanahan & Sian Williams, 2021 + Short: THE SAPPHO PROJECT: FRAGMENT 147 d. Sari Katharyn at Genesis Cinema (09 DEC 18:35).
  • REBEL DYKES d. Harri Shanahan & Sian Williams, 2021 + Recorded Q&A with the directors at Picturehouse West Norwood (09 DEC 20:45).
  • SPENCER d. Pablo Larraín, 2021 at The David Lean (09 DEC 19:30).
  • TICK, TICK…BOOM! d. Lin-Manuel Miranda, 2021 + Q&A with the director, actors Alexandra Shipp & Robin de Jesús, & producer Julie Oh at BFI Southbank (09 DEC 20:30).

35MM PRESENTATIONS at The Prince Charles

70MM PRESENTATIONS at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): DIE HARD 70mm d. John McTiernan, 1988 (03 DEC 20:40 / 07 DEC 21:00).

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

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): THE SLEEPING CAR MURDERS d. Costa-Gavras, 1965 (05 DEC 14:00 / 07 DEC 18:30).

A CLASS OF HIS OWN: THE FILMS OF JACK CLAYTON at BFI Southbank

ALL WE WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS… at Picturehouse Cinemas

ALT. XMAS at The Prince Charles

ANNIVERSARY SCREENINGS at The Prince Charles

BIG SCREEN CLASSICS: CHRISTMAS ON SCREEN at BFI Southbank

BOGARDE AT 100 at BFI Southbank

BUSTING THE BIAS at BFI Southbank

CHRISTMAS at Chiswick Cinema

  • Includes (check venue for listings): ELF d. Jon Favreau, 2003 (05 DEC 15:00);

CHRISTMAS at The Prince Charles

CHRISTMAS ON 35MM at Everyman Screen On The Green

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): BAD SANTA 35mm d. Terry Zwigoff, 2003 (04 DEC 22:30).

CLOSE-UP ON RYÛSUKE HAMAGUCHI at Close-Up

CULT CLASSIC FILM POP UP at Design District

CULTPIX SEASON at Everyman Cinemas

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): SILENT NIGHT, BLOODY NIGHT d. Theodore Gershuny, 1972 + Intro by Kim Newman (07 DEC 20:30 – Everyman Broadgate).

EXPERIENCE THE FLAVOURS OF JAPAN at Picturehouse Cinemas

EYES ON SPIES at Ciné Lumière

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): LE PROFESSIONNEL d. Georges Lautner, 1981 (06 DEC 18:15).

HUMAN RESOURCES at Close-Up & Genesis Cinema

  • Includes (check venue for listings): ARAYA d. Margot Benacerraf, 1959 at Close-Up (03 DEC 20:15); BLUE COLLAR d. Paul Schrader, 1978 + Panel discussion at Genesis Cinema (08 DEC 18:10); LA PROMESSE 35mm d. Jean-Pierre Dardenne & Luc Dardenne, 1996 at Genesis Cinema (09 DEC 21:00).
  • Curated by Ryan NineslingPresented in partnership with the National Film & Television School.

IN FOCUS: RADU JUDE at ICA

JAPAN 2021 at BFI Southbank

JAPAN 2021 at BFI IMAX

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): SEVEN SAMURAI aka Shichinin no Samurai d. Akira Kurosawa, 1954 (09 DEC 13:30); AKIRA d. Katsuhiro Ôtomo, 1988 (09 DEC 18:00); BATTLE ROYALE: 4K RESTORATION d. Kinji Fukasaku, 2000 (09 DEC 20:45).

JAPAN 2021: ANOTHER GAZE at BFI Southbank

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): 0.5MM aka 0.5 miri d. Momoko Andô, 2014 (04 DEC 18:30).

JEAN-PAUL BELMONDO LE MAGNIFIQUE at Ciné Lumière

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): PIERROT LE FOU d. Jean-Luc Godard, 1965 (06 DEC 20:20); LE PROFESSIONNEL d. Georges Lautner, 1981 (06 DEC 18:15).

MOVIE MARATHONS at The Prince Charles

REPEATED APPARITIONS at The Horse Hospital 

  • Includes (check venue for listings): TONGUES UNTIED d. Marlon Riggs, 1989 + Experimental collective reading moderated by Collective Çukurcuma and contribution from Fran Lock (09 DEC 19:00).

THE WORLD OF WONG KAR WAI at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for listings): CHUNGKING EXPRESS d. Wong Kar Wai, 1994 (06 DEC 12:35 & 21:00).
ENCOUNTER d. Michael Pearce, 2021.
THE HAND OF GOD aka È stata la mano di Dio d. Paolo Sorrentino, 2021.
THERE IS NO EVIL d. Mohammad Rasoulof, 2020.

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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. //.