SCREEN GUIDE: What’s on in London this week [05 to 11 NOV 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

We posted our “invaluable monthly guide to the repertory scene in London” (thanks for those very kind words Tony Paley!) earlier in the week, so please check that out for a comprehensive overview of what’s on across town in November. We chose CINEMA OF THE SELF: PERSONAL DOCUMENTARY IN JAPAN presented by Wavelength Docs at Close-Up (13 to 14 NOV) as our Featured Attraction of the Month.

In venue news, Screen25 Cinema has posted some pictures of their new home at Socco Cheta Community Hub where construction continues at pace! New arthouse indie Garden Cinema in Covent Garden – which was just about to open when the pandemic plunged everyone into darkness… – has staged a test event featuring the gorgeous arancini of CinemaItaliaUK. More special events in their opening programme and an official launch date are promised soon.

Some updates… Last month, we invited your support for Jane Giles’ kickstarter campaign to complete her new feature-length film doc, SCALA CLUB CINEMA. We’re delighted to say Jane’s funding target of £25k was thoroughly smashed (reaching a grand total of over £40k!). Last week, we also asked you to show your support for The Cinema Museum who were close to their target of 60k signatories on a petition to help save their historic venue. That target was also smashed – 60,500 and counting at the time of posting! – but their future is a lot less certain. As this SCREEN GUIDE gets published, The Cinema Museum team will be submitting their petition to site owners/developers, Lifestory. We can only wish them well in their endeavours.

Looking to the week ahead, Women & Cocaine returns to public screenings at The Cinema Museum with Joan Crawford’s “gripping pre code romantic drama” POSSESSED (06 NOV), and Musical Sunday resumes their feel-good screenings at the same venue with HAIRSPRAY (07 NOV). Tufnell Park Film Club projects a tribute to the late Roger Michell with VENUS (09 NOV) whilst Jellied Reels continues their series of surprise double-bills (a feature and a short!) by going Down Bad Down Under at The Castle Cinema (11 NOV).

In seasons, 2007: A VINTAGE YEAR FOR CINEMA gets underway at The Prince Charles and African Odysseys launches a series of special events dedicated to DARCUS HOWE at BFI. Catford Mews concludes their excellent TWISTED FOLK horror season with THE VVITCH (a film we love…) and Habibi Collective begins FILM COLLECTIVES & POLITICAL LIBERATION IN THE UK (1963–2020) about just that, also at The Castle (07 NOV).

We’ve counted 19 film festivals across the capital this month, and will doubtless add more as the autumn unfolds. We’re particularly pleased to see our old friends Fringe! Queer Film & Arts Fest return to venues this week with an amazing lineup including features and shorts, arts and literature events, hands-on sex-positive workshops in their Love Hub, and a series of sensational party nights (09 to 14 NOV).

It’s a quiet week for new releases and revivals, with many indie screens still dedicated to the blockbusting triumvirate of NO TIME TO DIE, DUNE and THE FRENCH DISPATCH. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t treasures to be found… We like the look of 7 PRISONERS, the Marmite movie SPENCER, and a week-long run of Wong Kar Wai’s AS TEARS GO BY (which opens a season of his works at The Prince Charles).

For our Featured Attraction of the Week, we’ve chosen Lost Futures’ presentation of Shunji Iwai’s ALL ABOUT LILY CHOU-CHOU at The Prince Charles (10 NOV). And we’ve chosen it for those simple, old-fashioned reasons… it’s a film we love and have never seen on anything bigger than a TV from DVD before. Exhibitor Matt Lloyd Turner reckons the film has hardly (if ever…) been screened cinematically since it premiered at the BFI London Film Festival in 2001. So this one should be a real treat.

See you in the darkness,

Richard // RADIANT CIRCUS

ALL ABOUT LILY CHOU-CHOU d. Shunji Iwai, 2001 + Recorded intro by Joanne McNeil, author of Lurking, presented by Lost Futures at The Prince Charles (10 NOV 20:20).

  • “Made by the acclaimed director of LOVE LETTER and APRIL STORY, Shunji Iwai’s ALL ABOUT LILY CHOU-CHOU is told through the eyes of Yuichi (Hayato Ichihara), an eighth-grader obsessed with the ethereal J-Pop idol Lily Chou-Chou, a character inspired by Canto-pop artist and actress Faye Wong and compared often to Bjork. Creating a fan-site through which a loyal coterie of ‘Lilyphiles’ trade gossip, information, and speculation, Yuichi takes increasing solace in this fictional world, using the strength of the community to overcome his crippling shyness and the harsh realities of the outside world, before meeting up with other devotees for real at a mega-concert.”
  • Lost Futures is a curatorial project by Matt Lloyd Turner, a series of films for unknown futures.

FRIDAY 05 NOV

SATURDAY 06 NOV

  • ANOTHER ROUND d. Thomas Vinterberg, 2020 at The David Lean (06 NOV 14:00).
  • THE DIVIDE aka La Fracture d. Catherine Corsini, 2021 + Q&A with the director at Ciné Lumière (06 NOV 18:00).
  • HEAVEN WITHOUT EARTH aka Cielo senza terra d. Giovanni Davide Maderna & Sara Pozzoli, 2020 at ICA (06 NOV 16:00).
  • THE LITTLE PRINCE OF NEW YORK d. Sam Stillman, 2021 presented by Deeper Into Movies at Rio Cinema (06 NOV 14:00).
  • POSSESSED d. Curtis Bernhardt, 1947 presented by Women & Cocaine at The Cinema Museum (06 NOV 18:30).
  • SEVEN SAMURAI aka Shichinin no Samurai d. Akira Kurosawa, 1954 + Recorded intro by Jasper Sharpe + Interval at Riverside Studios (06 NOV 13:00 – Free sake!).
  • YOU WILL DIE AT TWENTY d. Amjad Abu Alala, 2019 preview at ICA (06 NOV 13:45).

SUNDAY 07 NOV

  • Doctor Who: GALAXY 4 (animated) at BFI Southbank (07 NOV 12:00).
  • HAIRSPRAY d. Adam Shankman, 2007 presented by Musical Sunday at The Cinema Museum (07 NOV 13:00+).
  • HIGHWAY ONE d. Jaclyn Bethany, 2021 + Q&A with the director at Genesis Cinema (07 NOV 20:30).
  • THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER d. Charles Laughton, 1955 at The Prince Charles (07 NOV 15:40).
  • NOMADLAND d. Chloé Zhao, 2020 at Whirled Cinema (07 NOV 17:00).
  • SEVEN SAMURAI aka Shichinin no Samurai d. Akira Kurosawa, 1954 + Recorded intro by Jasper Sharpe + Interval at Riverside Studios (07 NOV 13:00 – Free sake!).

MONDAY 08 NOV

  • ANOTHER ROUND d. Thomas Vinterberg, 2020 at Whirled Cinema (08 NOV 20:00).
  • DEAR FUTURE CHILDREN d. Franz Böhm, 2021 + Q&A with the director at Picturehouse Finsbury Park (08 NOV 20:30).
  • French Impressions: DEERSKIN d. Quentin Dupieux, 2019 in-venue screening at Watermans (08 NOV 19:00) followed by free online Discussion with Jon Davis (11 NOV 20:00 – FREE!).
  • Mark Kermode Live in 3D at the BFI Southbank (08 NOV 18:10).
  • PIG d. Michael Sarnoski, 2021 presented by Deeper Into Movies at Farr’s Dalston (08 NOV 19:30).

ONLINE

  • No Ticket Required: THE DEATH OF STALIN d. Armando Iannuci, 2017 watch the film + recorded intro in advance then join free online discussion with Michael Brooke, presented by Watermans (08 NOV 20:00).

TUESDAY 09 NOV

  • ANOTHER ROUND d. Thomas Vinterberg, 2020 at Whirled Cinema (09 NOV 20:00).
  • JUDAS AND THE BLACK MESSIAH d. Shaka King, 2021 at The David Lean (09 NOV 19:30).
  • KING ROCKER d. Michael Cumming, 2020 + Q&A with the director & Stewart Lee at Everyman Broadgate (09 NOV 20:30).
  • THE LAST BUS d. Gillies MacKinnon, 2021 at The David Lean (09 NOV 14:30).
  • MOTHERING SUNDAY d. Eva Husson, 2021 at Picturehouse Cinemas (09 NOV various).
  • MOTHERING SUNDAY d. Eva Husson, 2021 + Q&A with the producers Stephen Wolley & Liza Karlsen at Everyman Belsize Park (09 NOV 20:00).
  • THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER d. Charles Laughton, 1955 at The Prince Charles (09 NOV 15:30).
  • VENUS d. Roger Michell, 2006 tribute screening presented by Tufnell Park Film Club at The Lord Palmerston (09 NOV 20:00).

WEDNESDAY 10 NOV

  • ALL ABOUT LILY CHOU-CHOU d. Shunji Iwai, 2001 presented by Lost Futures at The Prince Charles (10 NOV 20:20).
  • ANOTHER ROUND d. Thomas Vinterberg, 2020 at Whirled Cinema (10 NOV 20:00).
  • THE FOOTBALL MONOLOGUES d. Greg Cruttwell, 2021 + Q&A with the director at Peckhamplex (10 NOV 18:30).
  • GONE, GONE BEYOND by People Like Us (aka Vicki Bennett) 360-degree cinematic installation at Barbican (10 to 13 NOV various).
  • SELBÉ ET TANT D’AUTRES aka Selbe: One Among Many + REASSEMBLAGE d. Safi Faye, 1982 + Trinh T. Minh-ha, 1982 presented by The Machine That Kills Bad People at ICA (10 NOV 18:45).
  • THE SPARKS BROTHERS d. Edgar Wright, 2021 at Screen25 Cinema at Harris Academy South Norwood (10 NOV 19:45).
  • The Whickers Audio Documentary Showcase + Q&A with producer Ibby Caputo at Bertha DocHouse (10 NOV 18:20).

THURSDAY 11 NOV

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’ (06 NOV 20:15 / 09 NOV 20:15).

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

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): THE CRUCIBLE aka Les Sorcières de Salem d. Raymond Rouleau, 1957 (07 NOV 13:20).

2007: A VINTAGE YEAR FOR CINEMA at The Prince Charles

AFRICAN ODYSSEYS: DARCUS HOWE at BFI Southbank

ANNIVERSARY SCREENINGS at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): HARD EIGHT aka Sydney d. Paul Thomas Anderson, 1996 (06 NOV 15:40); MULHOLLAND DR. 35mm d. David Lynch, 2001 (09 NOV 20:30).

BIG SCREEN CLASSICS: WATCHING THE DETECTIVES at BFI Southbank

BRIAN DE PALMA at The Prince Charles 

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): RAISING CAIN 35mm d. Brian De Palma, 1992 (05 NOV 21:00); HI, MOM! d. Brian De Palma, 1970 (09 NOV 18:05); SCARFACE d. Brian De Palma, 1983 (10 NOV 20:05).

EDGAR WRIGHT’S LONDON AFTER DARK at BFI Southbank

ESSENTIAL CINEMA at Close-Up

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): TAIPEI STORY d. Edward Yang, 1985 (05 NOV 20:15); A BRIGHTER SUMMER DAY d. Edward Yang, 1991 (06 NOV 15:15 / 07 NOV 15:00); YI YI d. Edward Yang, 2000 (06 NOV 19:30 / 07 NOV 19:15).

EXPERIENCE THE FLAVOURS OF JAPAN at Picturehouse Cinemas

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): EARLY SUMMER aka Bakushû d. Yasujirô Ozu, 1951 (07 NOV various).

EYES ON SPIES at Ciné Lumière

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): OSS 117: FROM AFRICA WITH LOVE aka OSS 117: Alerte rouge en Afrique noire d. Nicolas Bedos, 2021 (07 NOV 20:20 / 10 NOV 20:35).

FILM COLLECTIVES & POLITICAL LIBERATION IN THE UK (1963–2020) at The Castle Cinema 

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): NIGHTCLEANERS d. Berwick Street Collective, 1975 + COUNCIL HOUSING IN BETHNAL GREEN d. Joan Littlewood, 1963 (07 NOV 16:30).
  • Programmed by The Habibi Collective.

THE FILMS OF DAVID LYNCH at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): MULHOLLAND DR. 35mm d. David Lynch, 2001 (09 NOV 20:30).

THE FILMS OF PAUL THOMAS ANDERSON at The Prince Charles

HORROCTOBER at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): HOUSE aka Hausu d. Nobuhiko Obayashi, 1977 (08 NOV 20:45 / 11 NOV 18:00).

IN FOCUS: RADU JUDE at ICA

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): EVERYBODY IN OUR FAMILY aka Toata Lumea Din Familia Noastra d. Radu Jude, 2012 (05 NOV 18:30 / 06 NOV 20:45 / 10 NOV 18:30); Short films by Radu Jude (07 NOV 19:00 / 09 NOV 18:45 / 11 NOV 20:40).

JAPAN 2021 at BFI Southbank

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 (06 NOV 16:10).

MIKE LEIGH at BFI Southbank 

MIKE LEIGH’S CHOICES at BFI Southbank

  • Includes (check venue for listings): TOKYO STORY 4k aka Tôkyô monogatari d. Yasujirô Ozu, 1953 (07 NOV 12:45 / 09 NOV 20:20); THE TREE OF WOODEN CLOGS aka L’Albero degli zoccoli d. Ermanno Olmi, 1978 (07 NOV 13:50); JULES ET JIM d. François Truffaut, 1962 (10 NOV 14:30).

MOVIE MARATHONS at The Prince Charles

STUDIO GHIBLI at The Prince Charles

TALES OF TOMORROW: SCI-FI SELECTIONS at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY 70mm d. Stanley Kubrick, 1968 ‘unrestored version’ (06 NOV 20:15 / 09 NOV 20:15).

TEEN MOVIES at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): BACK TO THE FUTURE d. Robert Zemeckis, 1985 (07 NOV 12:45 / 11 NOV 15:30).

THAT’S KINO, BABY! at The Prince Charles

TOKYO 1964: DESIGNING TOMORROW at Japan House London 

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

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): THE VVITCH d. Robert Eggers, 2015 (06 NOV 20:30 / 08 NOV 20:30 / 10 NOV 20:30).

THE WORLD OF WONG KAR WAI at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for listings): AS TEARS GO BY d. Wong Kar Wai, 1988 (06 to 11 NOV various).

7 PRISONERS aka 7 Prisioneiros d. Alexandre Moratto, 2021.

AS TEARS GO BY d. Wong Kar Wai, 1988.

SPENCER d. Pablo Larraín, 2021.

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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. //.