This is a film still from THE BIG HEAT (1953), presented by Wimbledon Film Club at Curzon Wimbledon (13 July 2022).

SCREEN GUIDE: What’s on in London this week [09 to 15 JUL 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 wondered how this would work… The Prince Charles has informed their regulars that all screenings will be reverting to full capacity from 19 July in-keeping with changing government COVID-19 controls. Whilst the venue will be retaining many of their COVID-fighting measures (like air purification, enhanced cleaning, staggered start times, and staff wearing masks…), they make a special appeal for audience support. We’ll quote them in full because this is important:

“By law, our customers will not be required to wear a face covering – but we would implore you to wear one anyway. We have limited space in the venue’s public areas so you may be in close proximity to others when moving around the cinema. We ask that you keep your face covering in place and only remove it when sitting in our auditoriums eating or drinking. Let us show respect toward fellow cinema-goers and staff, and work together to keep each other safe.”

The Prince Charles Cinema

They have our full support.

Looking into this week, you can gear up for the Tokyo Summer Olympics with some sports-related screenings, including a rare chance to catch Yuri Ozerov’s documentary “capturing the excitement and extraordinary feats of the 1980 Moscow Olympics”, O SPORT, YOU ARE PEACE! at Barbican (11 JUL). Bertha DocHouse has a special screening of a documentary about legendary Japanese volleyball team, THE WITCHES OF THE ORIENT (14 JUL). And then there’s another chance to see Mayye Zayed’s LIFT LIKE A GIRL at ICA as part of the continuing SAFAR Film Festival (09 JUL).

If music be your food of love, you’re spoilt for choice this week, thanks in no small part to the outrageously energetic Doc’n Roll Festival. Their screenings include SEBASTIEN TELLIER: MANY LIVES with DJ set at The Castle Cinema (09 JUL), DELIA DERBYSHIRE: THE MYTHS AND LEGENDARY TAPES plus Q&A with director Caroline Catz, also at The Castle (10 JUL), and an extended engagement of DON’T GO GENTLE: A FILM ABOUT IDLES at The Prince Charles as part of their distribution gig. Elsewhere, We Are Parable partner with Rich Mix to present a special preview of SUMMER OF SOUL (… OR, WHEN THE REVOLUTION COULD NOT BE TELEVISED) (12 JUL), and Deeper Into Movies continues their well-established musical groove on the same day with GAZELLE TWIN AND NYX: DEEP ENGLAND at Moth Club (12 JUL).

Rep seasons continue across London, and we want to make special mention of WOMEN PIONEERS OF SILENT CINEMA at Ciné Lumière which includes an intro by Bryony Dixon and live accompaniment by John Sweeney (15 JUL 18:20). Part of WOMEN PIONEERS OF FRENCH CINEMA, the event is packed to the rafters with works by Alice Guy-Blaché aka “the first person to have directed a fiction film” and other films that “show how the torch was picked up and carried by other women directors working in the early decades of cinema”. On a different note, we also love how Sunset Screening Sessions are following last week’s silent Hitchcock thriller THE LODGER with AUSTIN POWERS: INTERNATIONAL MAN OF MYSTERY outdoors at the Homestead Cafe at Beckenham Place Park (09 JUL). If outdoor events are your bag, Rooftop Film Club has announced their August programmes… (get booking now).

South London venue Whirled Cinema has announced their reopening date of 26 JUL with multi-award winning NOMADLAND. They are also prepping for a special screening of BURNING AN ILLUSION in honour of the recent passing of visionary British film-maker, Melenik Shabazz (05 AUG). We’re also delighted to see UK Jewish Film returns to screens this week with a UK-wide season, UK Jewish Film: Back To The Cinema. You can catch this week’s choices at Phoenix Cinema (11 & 13 JUL, details below).

As to this week’s new releases (of which there’s a bunch…), we’re particularly taken by Zoé Wittock’s JUMBO, because who isn’t curious about a woman’s special relationship with a fairground attraction? TOVE gets a wide release with significant added value special features from Birds’ Eye View’s #ReclaimTheFrame initiative (the pick of their events is probably the live panel discussion at Regent Street Cinema, 12 JUL). And, to coincide with new release of literary adaptation MARTIN EDEN (see Grind Show listings for venues), ArtHouse Crouch End and ICA are showing director Pietro Marcello’s earlier work, LOST & BEAUTIFUL which premiered at the ICA’s Frame Of Representation in 2016 (see listings for dates).

For our Featured Attraction Of The Week we celebrate Wimbledon Film Club for making West London THE go-to destination for fans of Fritz Lang* (well, maybe…). The community film club’s presentation of THE BIG HEAT includes a Q&A with film historian Peter Evans and shows upstairs at Curzon Wimbledon (13 JUL). We’re huge fans of DIY screen culture and it’s great to see WFC returning with such a strong lineup of their always-welcoming cinema events.

See you in the darkness,

Richard // RADIANT CIRCUS

*Ealing-based film club Pitshanger Pictures also has a habit of showing Lang’s work, this time in a church with an improvised live organ accompaniment… there’s nothing quite like it.

THE BIG HEAT d. Fritz Lang, 1953 + Q&A with film historian Peter Evans presented by Wimbledon Film Club at Curzon Wimbledon (13 JUL 20:30):

  • “Police Sergeant Bannion is investigating the apparent suicide of a policeman, when he is suddenly ordered to stop. Bent coppers and systemic corruption drive this classic b&w Hollywood noir, incisively directed by emigré Fritz Lang, visionary creator of the dystopian METROPOLIS and disturbing M.”
  • Wimbledon Film Club is a welcoming, award-winning local club, screening at Curzon Wimbledon. Expect “world cinema, best of Brit and indie, festival favourites and films you didn’t know were out there”.

FRIDAY 09 JUL

ONLINE

  • Morteza Avini and his CHRONICLE OF TRIUMPH Panel discussion + Q&A presented online by BIMI (09 JUL 18:00 – FREE / booking required) // Upon registration, 3 episodes of CHRONICLE OF TRIUMPH will be made available online 24 hours in advance of the live event.

SATURDAY 10 JUL

  • 200 METERS d. Ameen Nayfeh, 2020 + Q&A with the director at ICA (10 JUL 18:00) / Part of SAFAR Film Festival.
  • CITY HALL d. Frederick Wiseman, 2020 presented by Architecture On Film at Barbican (10 JUL 13:00).
  • DELIA DERBYSHIRE: THE MYTHS AND LEGENDARY TAPES d. Caroline Catz, 2020 + Q&A with the director at The Castle Cinema (10 JUL 16:00) / Part of Doc’n Roll Festival.
  • THE MILKMAID d. Desmond Ovbiagele, 2020 European Premiere + Q&A with the director & producer Oluseun Sowemimo at BFI Southbank (10 JUL 14:00) / Part of African Odysseys.
  • MORVERN CALLAR d. Lynne Ramsay, 2002 presented by Deeper Into Movies at Oslo London (10 JUL 15:00).
  • POSSESSION d. Andrzej Zulawski, 1981 presented by Deeper Into Movies at Oslo London (10 JUL 19:30).
  • THE PRINCESS BRIDE d. Rob Reiner, 1987 at The Prince Charles (10 JUL 12:00).
  • SAFAR Shorts Programme at ICA (10 JUL 15:30) / Part of SAFAR Film Festival.
  • TOVE d. Zaida Bergroth, 2020 + Recorded Intro by the director & actor Alma Pöysti presented by Birds’ Eye View #ReclaimTheFrame at Barbican (10 JUL 14:30).
  • TOVE d. Zaida Bergroth, 2020 + Recorded Intro by the director & actor Alma Pöysti presented by Birds’ Eye View #ReclaimTheFrame at BFI Southbank (10 JUL 14:30).

SUNDAY 11 JUL

MONDAY 12 JUL

  • THE BIRD WITH THE CRYSTAL PLUMAGE d. Dario Argento, 1970 4K Restoration at The Prince Charles (12 JUL 16:20).
  • GAZELLE TWIN AND NYX: DEEP ENGLAND a performance film by Iain Forsyth and Jane Pollard presented by Deeper Into Movies at Moth Club (12 JUL 19:30).
  • Homage To Juliette Gréco: ORPHÉE d. Jean Cocteau, 1950 + Lecture by Prof. Richard Dyer at Ciné Lumière (12 JUL 18:30).
  • IT MUST BE HEAVEN d. Elia Suleiman, 2019 at Genesis Cinema (12 JUL 21:00).
  • LA HAINE d. Mathieu Kassovitz, 1995 at Picturehouse Cinemas (12 JUL various).
  • LOCAL HERO d. Bill Forsyth, 1983 at Picturehouse Bromley (12 JUL 19:45).
  • LOST & BEAUTIFUL aka Bella e perduta d. Pietro Marcello, 2015 at ArtHouse Crouch End (12 JUL 12:15).
  • SUMMER OF SOUL (… OR, WHEN THE REVOLUTION COULD NOT BE TELEVISED) d. Questlove, 2021 + Recorded Q&A with the director presented by We Are Parable at Rich Mix (12 JUL 18:15).
  • TOVE d. Zaida Bergroth, 2020 + Recorded Intro by the director & actor Alma Pöysti presented by Birds’ Eye View #ReclaimTheFrame at Barbican (12 JUL 14:30).
  • TOVE d. Zaida Bergroth, 2020 + Recorded Intro by the director & actor Alma Pöysti + Panel with Natania Jansz & Paul Gravett presented by Birds’ Eye View #ReclaimTheFrame at Regent Street Cinema (12 JUL 19:00).

TUESDAY 13 JUL

  • BATTLE ROYALE aka Batoru rowaiaru d. Kinji Fukasaku, 2000 at The Prince Charles (13 JUL 12:20).
  • THE BIG HEAT d. Fritz Lang, 1953 + Q&A with film historian Peter Evans presented by Wimbledon Film Club at Curzon Wimbledon (13 JUL 20:30).
  • GUNDA d. Viktor Kosakovskiy, 2021 at Genesis Cinema (13 JUL 18:30).
  • HERE WE ARE d. Nir Bergman, 2020 at Phoenix Cinema (13 JUL 20:00) / Part of UK Jewish Film: Back to the Cinema.
  • LA HAINE d. Mathieu Kassovitz, 1995 at Picturehouse Cinemas (13 JUL various).

WEDNESDAY 14 JUL

  • BYE BYE MORONS aka Adieu les cons d. Albert Dupontel, 2020 preview for Bastille Day at Curzon Mayfair (14 JUL 18:20).
  • GIDDY STRATOSPHERES d. Laura Jean Marsh, 2021 + Intro with cast & crew at Rio Cinema (14 JUL 18:30).
  • Hidden Figures: Jacqueline Audry – OLIVIA d. Jacqueline Audry, 1951 + Intro by Dr Clara Bradbury-Rance at Barbican (14 JUL).
  • LADY BOSS: THE JACKIE COLLINS STORY d. Laura Fairrie, 2021 + Recorded Q&A with Joan Collins at Olympic Studios (14 JUL 20:30).
  • MINARI d. Lee Isaac Chung, 2021 presented by Screen25 Cinema at Harris Academy South Norwood (14 JUL 19:45).
  • PERSIANS LESSONS d. Vadim Perelman, 2020 at JW3 (14 JUL 20:00).
  • THE WITCHES OF THE ORIENT d. Julien Faraut, 2021 + Recorded Panel Discussion with the director, Manga expert Paul Gravett & Maria Bertelli, England volleyball player at Bertha DocHouse (14 JUL 18:30).

THURSDAY 15 JUL

  • THE BIRD WITH THE CRYSTAL PLUMAGE d. Dario Argento, 1970 4K Restoration at Genesis Cinema (15 JUL 21:00).
  • DRIFTING d. Jun Li, 2021 at BFI Southbank (15 JUL 17:50) / Opening night of Chinese Visual Festival.
  • LA HAINE d. Mathieu Kassovitz, 1995 at Picturehouse Cinemas (15 JUL various).
  • LOST & BEAUTIFUL aka Bella e perduta d. Pietro Marcello, 2015 at ArtHouse Crouch End (15 JUL 14:15).
  • LOST & BEAUTIFUL aka Bella e perduta d. Pietro Marcello, 2015 at ICA (15 JUL 20:30).
  • TOVE d. Zaida Bergroth, 2020 + Recorded Intro by the director & actor Alma Pöysti presented by Birds’ Eye View #ReclaimTheFrame at Barbican (15 JUL 14:30).
  • WITHNAIL & I d. Bruce Robinson, 1987 at The Prince Charles (15 JUL 20:20).

35MM PRESENTATIONS at The Prince Charles

70MM PRESENTATIONS at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): DUNE 70MM d. David Lynch, 1984 (10 JUL 20:30 / 14 JUL 20:30).

ANDREI TARKOVSKY at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): SOLARIS d. Andrei Tarkovsky, 1972 (11 JUL 14:00 & 17:30 / 15 JUL 11:45).

ANIME SCREENINGS at The Prince Charles

ANNIVERSARY SCREENINGS at The Prince Charles

BEST OF CÉSAR 2021 at Ciné Lumière

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): LA NUIT VENUE aka Night Ride d. Frédéric Farrucci, 2020 (13 JUL 18:25).

BIG SCREEN CLASSICS: TOGETHERNESS at BFI Southbank (from 01 JUL):

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): REAR WINDOW d. Alfred Hitchcock, 1954 (09 JUL 14:30); ALL ABOUT MY MOTHER aka Todo sobre mi madre d. Pedro Almodóvar, 1999 (10 JUL 21:00); WILD STRAWBERRIES aka Smultronstället d. Ingmar Bergman, 1957 (11 JUL 12:50); 35 SHOTS OF RUM 35MM aka 35 Rhums d. Claire Denis, 2008 (12 JUL 20:45); MAN ABOUT TOWN aka Le Silence est d’or d. René Clair, 1947 (13 JUL 14:15); THE MAGNIFICENT AMBERSONS 35MM d. Orson Welles, 1942 + Recorded Intro by Geoff Andrew, Programmer-at-Large (14 JUL 18:00); BATTLESHIP POTEMKIN aka Bronenosets Potemkin d. Sergei Eisenstein, 1925 at BFI Southbank (15 JUL 18:00).

BUT WHERE ARE YOU REALLY FROM? presented by T A P E Collective at BFI Southbank (from 01 JUL):

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): EYIMOFE aka This is My Desire d. Arie Esiri & Chuko Esiri, 2020 at BFI Southbank (09 JUL 17:40); PINKY d. Elia Kazan, 1949 + Short: TWO d. Daisy Ifama, 2017 (10 JUL 20:50); HEAD-ON aka Gegen die Wand d. Fatih Akin, 2004 + Short: SORRY, MY SOMALI IS NOT VERY GOOD d. Warda Mohamed, 2020 (11 JUL 18:30); BLACK GIRL aka La noire de… d. Ousmane Sembène, 1966 + Short: I BIT MY TONGUE d. Nina Khada, 2020 (12 JUL 18:20); THE NAMESAKE 35MM d. Mira Nair, 2006 + live spoken-word performance (14 JUL 17:40).

THE CINEMA OF MÁRTA MÉSZÁROS at BFI Southbank (from 05 JUL)

CLOSE-UP ON ANDREI TARKOVSKY at Close-Up

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): MIRROR d. Andrei Tarkovsky, 1974 (09 JUL 20:15); THE SACRIFICE d. Andrei Tarkovsky, 1986 (10 JUL 19:30); ANDREI RUBLEV d. Andrei Tarkovsky, 1966 (11 JUL 19:00).

DOCUMENTARIES at The Prince Charles (from 09 JUL)

ÉRIC ROHMER at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): A SUMMER’S TALE 35MM aka Conte d’été d. Éric Rohmer, 1996 (14 JUL 15:15).

FILM4 CLASSICS at Everyman Cinemas

THE FILMS OF QUENTIN TARANTINO at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): DJANGO UNCHAINED 35MM d. Quentin Tarantino, 2012 (13 JUL 20:00).

JAMES BOND 007 at The Prince Charles

THE FILMS OF PAUL THOMAS ANDERSON at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): PUNCH-DRUNK LOVE 35MM d. Paul Thomas Anderson, 2002 (12 JUL 18:15).

THE FILMS OF WES ANDERSON at The Prince Charles

JOIN THE #BONGHIVE at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): OKJA d. Bong Joon-ho, 2017 (14 JUL 18:00).

KRZYSZTOF KIESLOWSKI’S THREE COLOURS TRILOGY at The Prince Charles (from 13 JUL)

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): THREE COLOURS: BLUE 35MM d. Krzysztof Kieslowski, 1993 (13 JUL 18:00 / 15 JUL 15:50).

L.A. NIGHTS at Backyard Cinema

  • Continues at Capital Studios (check venue for listings).

MIAMI BEACH at Backyard Cinema

  • Continues at Capital Studios (check venue for listings).

ROBERT ALTMAN: AMERICAN OUTSIDER at BFI Southbank

SPLASH, SCRATCH, DUNK! FILMS MADE BY HAND at Barbican Cinema (from 08 JUL)

STUDIO GHIBLI at The Prince Charles

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

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): DUNE 70MM d. David Lynch, 1984 (10 JUL 20:30 / 14 JUL 20:30);  SOLARIS d. Andrei Tarkovsky, 1972 (11 JUL 14:00 & 17:30 / 15 JUL 11:45); ALIEN d. Ridley Scott, 1979 (11 JUL 21:05); BLADE RUNNER : THE FINAL CUT d. Ridley Scott, 1982 (13 JUL 20:30); OKJA d. Bong Joon-ho, 2017 (14 JUL 18:00).

TEEN MOVIES at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): BOOKSMART d. Olivia Wilde, 2019 (09 JUL 21:00).

THAT’S KINO, BABY! at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): DAY FOR NIGHT aka La nuit américaine d. François Truffaut, 1973 (12 JUL 20:30).

WOMEN PIONEERS OF FRENCH CINEMA at Ciné Lumière

WONG KAR WAI at BFI Southbank (from 07 JUL)

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): FALLEN ANGELS 4K aka Do lok tin si d. Wong Kar Wai, 1995 (09 JUL 20:50 / 14 JUL 14:30); ASHES OF TIME REDUX 35MM aka Dung che sai duk d. Wong Kar Wai, 2008 + Recorded Intro by season programmer Ann Lee (10 JUL 11:20); CHUNGKING EXPRESS 4K aka Chung Hing sam lam d. Wong Kar Wai, 1994 (10 JUL 18:15 / 12 JUL 20:50); HAPPY TOGETHER 4K aka Chun gwong cha sit d. Wong Kar Wai, 1997 (11 JUL 15:40); DAYS OF BEING WILD 4K aka Ah Fei jing juen d. Wong Kar Wai, 1990 (12 JUL 14:30); IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE 4K aka Fa yeung nin wah d. Wong Kar Wai, 2000 (14 JUL 20:45); 2046 4K d. Wong Kar Wai, 2004 (15 JUL 20:20).

THE WORLD OF WONG KAR WEI at ICA (from 07 JUL)

Deeper Into Movies at Dalston Roof Park

  • Includes (check promoter for full listings): PERSEPOLIS d. Vincent Paronnaud & Marjane Satrapi, 2007 (12 JUL 20:00).

The Luna Cinema at various venues

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): GREASE d. Randal Kleiser, 1978 at Danson House (09 JUL 21:15); PRETTY WOMAN d. Garry Marshall, 1990 at Old Royal Naval College (09 JUL 21:15); THE GREATEST SHOWMAN d. Michael Gracey, 2017 at Old Royal Naval College (10 JUL 21:15); ROCKETMAN d. Dexter Fletcher, 2019 at Danson House (10 JUL 21:15); A STAR IS BORN d. Bradley Cooper, 2018 at Old Royal Naval College (11 JUL 21:15); ROMEO + JULIET d. Baz Luhrmann, 1996 (11 JUL 21:15); MEAN GIRLS d. Mark Waters, 2004 at Marble Hill (13 JUL 21:15); THE GOONIES d. Richard Donner, 1985 at Marble Hill (14 JUL 21:15); THE BODYGUARD d. Mick Jackson, 1992 at Marble Hill (15 JUL 21:15).

Rooftop Cinema at Bar Elba SE1

Rooftop Film Club, Peckham

Rooftop Film Club, Stratford East

Sunset Screening Sessions at The Homestead Cafe at Beckenham Park Place (02 JUL to 06 AUG):

This is a film still from JUMBO (2020) which opens across London this week.

JUMBO d. Zoé Wittock, 2020

This is a film still from MARTIN EDEN (2019) which opens this week across London.

MARTIN EDEN d. Pietro Marcello, 2019

This is a film still from TOVE (2020) which opens across London this week.

TOVE d. Zaida Bergroth, 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. //.