SCREEN GUIDE: What’s on in London this week [10 to 16 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

And so it goes… from today (10 DEC) face coverings are mandatory again inside cinemas (unless you are eating, drinking, or otherwise exempt). Many cinemas have been asking their audiences to respect the practice of wearing face coverings before this point, so hopefully this won’t be too much of a wrench. Stay safe out there…

Two classic horror films get new scores this week, starting with composer Jason Frederick’s new backing track for Bela Lugosi vehicle WHITE ZOMBIE at The Horse Hospital (10 DEC), followed by Dritëro Demjaha’s live accompaniment for silent scarer, NOSFERATU at Screen25 (15 DEC). For fans of genre cinema, a silent adaptation of Owen Wister’s novel THE VIRGINIAN aka “the granddaddy of all westerns” screens from a 35mm print with live piano score from John Sweeney and intro by Bryony Dixon at BFI Southbank (12 DEC).

In other special events, Kush Films starts the screen week with a UK exclusive screening of new body-swop comedy ON THE OTHER FOOT at Genesis (10 DEC), Women & Cocaine celebrates “Hollywood’s Queen of Cool, Marlene Dietrich” with DISHONORED at The Cinema Museum (11 DEC), and Ciné-Real 16mm Film Club brings the festive joy with THE SNOWMAN at The Castle (12, 16 & 19 DEC). No Bollocks Film Club presents Jan Svankmajer’s animated ALICE (also at The Castle, 14 DEC), and Sands Films Cinema Club completes their series of online and in-venue screenings of Ealing comedies with the first of the lot, HUE & CRY (14 DEC). Continuing a busy Tuesday, specialist exhibitors New East Cinema present WAKE UP ON MARS with a Q&A with director Dea Gjinovci at Barbican, and Austrian Cultural Centre hosts a rearranged screening of WOHIN UND ZURÜCK PART III – WELCOME IN VIENNA (both 14 DEC).

On Wednesday, the IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE matinee is accompanied by a performance from legendary Ida Barr, “serving pearly queen realness” at Rio Cinema (15 DEC), and The Final Girls host a special screening plus panel discussion of Julia Ducornau’s TITANE at the same venue (15 DEC). For something equally terrifying (to many), Pinc film club presents SPICE WORLD: THE MOVIE at The Castle Cinema (15 DEC). Concluding your screen week, Nick Walker will hold your hand (at a safe social distance!) through Cult Classic Collective’s presentation of Takashi Miike’s AUDITION at Genesis (16 DEC), and Highgate Film Society presents THE PHILADELPHIA STORY (16 DEC, followed by an online discussion 17 DEC).

The Christmas season pretty much sets the pace for repertory programmes this week, with Catford Mews, Chiswick Cinema, Genesis Cinema, and Rivoli Ballroom amongst many others all joining the festive throng. BFI continues JAPAN 2021 with a series of expert introductions for rarely screened titles (some from 35mm) and MilkTea Films continues the national celebration of Japanese screen culture with THIS IS WHAT A FAMILY LOOKS LIKE, a series of three events that explores what it means to be a family (11, 12 and 19 DEC).

NFTS MA student Ryan Ninesling was set to conclude his fascinating HUMAN RESOURCES season with Brandon Cronenberg’s unforgettable POSSESSOR at Genesis this week (14 DEC), but a power cut on Brick Lane prevented Close-Up from screening opener ARAYA on 03 DEC. That screening has now been rearranged for 13 JAN 2022 (check venue for details). NFTS classmate Emily Wright takes over Close-Up’s screening room this week for a new season all about “premonition, belief and disaster”, THE EDGE OF BELIEF (10 to 16 DEC), which becomes our Featured Attraction of the Week. Of course, you could pair this largely experimental programme with new release DON’T LOOK UP for a cinematic lesson in startling contrast…

See you in the darkness,

Richard // RADIANT CIRCUS

PS – This is our penultimate Screen Guide of the year, with the final edition coming out on 17 DEC when we will take our bow and say our thanks for everyone’s support through another turbulent year in the darkness.

THE EDGE OF BELIEF at Close-Up

• “A collection of feature-length and short films that explores how faith, myth and belief have shaped the landscape and the experience of those who live within it, often foretelling disasters to come. The programme invites viewers to ponder the ways in which our society dwells between past and future catastrophes: from the precarious relationship forged between a village and its volcano, to a community in the highlands of Lesotho threatened with resettlement to make way for a dam, to a suite of parables on disaster and dispossession in the American mid-west.”
• THIS IS NOT A BURIAL, IT’S A RESURRECTION d. Lemohang Jeremiah Mosese, 2019 + Short: SPIRITS & ROCKS: AN AZORIAN MYTH d. Aylin Gökmen, 2020 (10 DEC 20:15); Short Films Part 1 + Part 2 (12 DEC 18:00); THE ILLINOIS PARABLES + SENSEMAYÁ d. Deborah Stratman, 2016 + Colectivo Los Ingrávidos, 2021 (15 DEC 20:15); STE. ANNE d. Rhayne Vermette, 2021 (16 DEC 20:15).
• Curated by Emily Wright. Presented in partnership with the National Film & Television School.

FRIDAY 10 DEC

• ALONE d. Nicolai Khalezin & Natalia Kaliada + Panel discussion at Barbican (10 DEC 18:30).
• COUP 53 d. Taghi Amirani, 2019 + Q&A with the director & editor Walter Murch at ICA (10 DEC 18:30).
• ON THE OTHER FOOT d. Fredi ‘Kruga’ Nwaka, 2021 + Q&A, UK exclusive screening + after party presented by Kush Films at Genesis Cinema (10 DEC 20:30).
• This Kind of Thing: Videogames & beyond at BFI Southbank (10 DEC 16:00).
• WHITE ZOMBIE d. Victor Halperin, 1932 + Live score by Jason Frederick at The Horse Hospital (10 DEC 19:30).

SATURDAY 11 DEC

• African Odysseys: BILLY BANG LUCKY MAN d. Markus Hansen & Jean-Marie Boulet, 2008 + Intro by author Kevin Le Gendre & Q&A with co-director Markus Hansen at BFI Southbank (11 DEC 17:30).
• DISHONORED d. Josef von Sternberg, 1931 presented by Women & Cocaine at The Cinema Museum (11 DEC 19:30).
• KEYBOARD FANTASIES: THE BEVERLY GLENN-COPELAND STORY d. Posy Dixon, 2019 + Q&A with the director, Jolliff Seville & Azekel Axelle (Black Trans Foundation) presented by Dark Matter at The Ritzy (11 DEC 17:30).
• THE PRESTIGE d. Christopher Nolan, 2006 + Live podcast presented by RKG at Rio Cinema (11 DEC 11:30).
• WEDNESDAY IN SPACE d. Hudson Hughes, 2021 at Whirled Cinema (11 DEC 12:45).

SUNDAY 12 DEC

• BAD LUCK BANGING OR LOONY PORN d. Radu Jude, 2021 + Recorded Q&A with the director at The Lexi Cinema (12 DEC 19:30).
• FROM DUSK ‘TIL DAWN + THE COMEBACK SPECIAL d. Tim Pope, 1993 + 2018 + Q&A with the director & Matt Johnson at ICA (12 DEC 16:00).
• Patti Boulaye in person at BFI Southbank (12 DEC 15:30).
• PIXIE d. Barnaby Thompson, 2020 at Whirled Cinema (12 DEC 17:00).
• SEVEN SAMURAI aka Shichinin no samurai d. Akira Kurosawa, 1954 at Genesis Cinema (12 DEC 12:00).
• THE SNOWMAN 16mm d. Dianne Jackson & Jimmy T. Murakami, 1982 + Shorts presented by Ciné-Real 16mm Film Club at The Castle Cinema (12 DEC 13:30).
• STALKER d. Andrei Tarkovsky, 1979 at Genesis Cinema (12 DEC 20:00).
• Stories from Home short film programme presented by Mile End Community Project at Rich Mix (12 DEC 10:30).
• UNSOPHISTICATED LADY aka La Pièce rapportée d. Antonin Peretjatko , 2021 at Ciné Lumière (12 DEC 17:40).
• THE VIRGINIAN 35mm d. Tom Forman, 1923 + Intro by BFI Curator Bryony Dixon & Live piano accompaniment by John Sweeney at BFI Southbank (12 DEC 13:00).

MONDAY 13 DEC

• IN THE HEIGHTS d. Jon M Chu, 2021 at Whirled Cinema (13 DEC 20:00).
• PASSING d. Rebecca Hall, 2021 + Virtual Q&A with the director & actors Ruth Negga & Tessa Thompson at Barbican (13 DEC 18:00).

TUESDAY 14 DEC

• ALICE d. Jan Svankmajer, 1988 presented by No Bollocks Film Club at The Castle Cinema (14 DEC 19:00).
• THE FOOTBALL MONOLOGUES d. Greg Cruttwell, 2021 + Q&A with the director, Stephen Boxer, Candida Gubbins & Emma Amos at ArtHouse Crouch End (14 DEC 20:00).
• FROM DUSK ‘TIL DAWN + THE COMEBACK SPECIAL d. Tim Pope, 1993 + 2018 at ICA (14 DEC 20:15).
• HUE & CRY d. Charles Crichton, 1947 presented by Sands Films Cinema Club at Sands Films Studios & online (14 DEC 20:00 – Donation requested).
• IN THE HEIGHTS d. Jon M Chu, 2021 at Whirled Cinema (14 DEC 20:00).
• KING RICHARD d. Reinaldo Marcus Green, 2021 at The David Lean (14 DEC 19:30).
• THE MATRIX d. Lana Wachowski & Lilly Wachowski, 1999 at The Cinema In The Arches (14 DEC 19:10).
• SPENCER d. Pablo Larraín, 2021 at The David Lean (14 DEC 14:30).
• WAKE UP ON MARS d. Dea Gjinovci, 2020 + Q&A with the director presented by New East Cinema at Barbican (14 DEC 20:45).
• WOHIN UND ZURÜCK PART III – WELCOME IN VIENNA d. Axel Corti, 1986 at Austrian Cultural Forum (14 DEC 19:00 – FREE/Rearranged).

WEDNESDAY 15 DEC

• A THOUSAND CUTS d. Ramona S. Diaz, 2020 + Panel discussion at Bertha DocHouse (15 DEC 18:20 – FREE!).
• FLEE d. Jonas Poher Rasmussen, 2021 + Q&A at Curzon Soho (15 DEC 18:10).
• FLEE d. Jonas Poher Rasmussen, 2021 preview at Catford Mews (15 DEC 20:30).
• FROM DUSK ‘TIL DAWN + THE COMEBACK SPECIAL d. Tim Pope, 1993 + 2018 at ICA (15 DEC 20:45).
• IN THE HEIGHTS d. Jon M Chu, 2021 at Whirled Cinema (15 DEC 20:00).
• Classic Matinee: IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE d. Frank Capra, 1946 + Live performance by Ida Barr at Rio Cinema (15 DEC 14:30).
• KING RICHARD d. Reinaldo Marcus Green, 2021 at The David Lean (15 DEC 19:30).
• NOSFERATU d. Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau, 1922 + Live score by Dritëro Demjaha at Screen25 Cinema (15 DEC 19:45).
• SPICE WORLD: THE MOVIE d. Bob Spiers, 1997 presented by Pinc at The Castle Cinema (15 DEC 18:45).
• TITANE d. Julia Ducornau, 2021 + Panel discussion presented by The Final Girls UK at Rio Cinema (15 DEC 20:45).
• UNSOPHISTICATED LADY aka La Pièce rapportée d. Antonin Peretjatko , 2021 at Ciné Lumière (15 DEC 20:30).

THURSDAY 16 DEC

• AUDITION d. Takashi Miike, 1999 + Intro/Salon with Nick Walker presented by Cult Classic Collective at Genesis Cinema (16 DEC 18:15).
• BRIDGET JONES’S DIARY at 20 d. Sharon Maguire, 2001 + Q&A with the director at BFI Southbank (16 DEC 18:00).
• FLEE d. Jonas Poher Rasmussen, 2021 + Q&A with the director at Picturehouse Finsbury Park (16 DEC 18:40).
• FLEE d. Jonas Poher Rasmussen, 2021 + Q&A with the director at The Castle Cinema (16 DEC 21:00).
• FROM DUSK ‘TIL DAWN + THE COMEBACK SPECIAL d. Tim Pope, 1993 + 2018 at ICA (16 DEC 20:15).
• IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE d. Frank Capra, 1946 at Watermans (16 DEC 12:45).
• KING RICHARD d. Reinaldo Marcus Green, 2021 at The David Lean (16 DEC 14:30).
• KING ROCKER d. Michael Cumming, 2020 + Q&A with the director & Stewart Lee at Rio Cinema (16 DEC 20:45).
• LA VITA OLISTICA d. The Orielles, 2021 + Q&A at Whirled Cinema (16 DEC 18:30).
• MOTHERING SUNDAY d. Eva Husson, 2021 at The David Lean (16 DEC 19:30).
• THE PHILADELPHIA STORY d. George Cukor, 1940 presented by Highgate Film Society at Highgate Literary & Scientific Institution (16 DEC 20:00).
• THE SNOWMAN 16mm d. Dianne Jackson & Jimmy T. Murakami, 1982 + Shorts presented by Ciné-Real 16mm Film Club at The Castle Cinema (16 DEC 18:45).

35MM PRESENTATIONS at The Prince Charles

• Includes (check venue for full listings): IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE 35mm d. Frank Capra, 1946 (01 to 24 DEC various); BOOGIE NIGHTS 35mm d. Paul Thomas Anderson, 1997 (12 DEC 20:25); THE SHOP AROUND THE CORNER 35mm d. Ernst Lubitsch, 1940 (13 DEC 15:30 / 16 DEC 18:20); THE APARTMENT 35mm d. Billy Wilder, 1960 (14 DEC 13:15); DIE HARD 35mm d. John McTiernan, 1988 (15 DEC 20:15); AMERICAN PSYCHO 35mm d. Mary Harron, 2000 (16 DEC 20:30); YOU’VE GOT MAIL 35mm d. Nora Ephron, 1998 (16 DEC 20:45).

70MM PRESENTATIONS at The Prince Charles

• Includes (check venue for full listings): DIE HARD 70mm d. John McTiernan, 1988 (10 DEC 21:00 / 13 DEC 18:00).

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

• Includes (check venue for full listings): ARMY OF SHADOWS aka L’Armée des ombres d. Jean-Pierre Melville, 1960 (12 DEC 14:00 + Panel discussion with Patrick Marnham & Arnaud de la Grange / 14 DEC 19:30); THE SLEEPING CAR MURDERS d. Costa-Gavras, 1965 (15 DEC 18:30).

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

• Includes (check venue for listings): THE LONELY PASSION OF JUDITH HEARNE d. Jack Clayton, 1987 (10 DEC 20:30); THE GREAT GATSBY d. Jack Clayton, 1974 (11 DEC 20:20); SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES 35mm d. Jack Clayton, 1983 (12 DEC 18:30); THE INNOCENTS d. Jack Clayton, 1961 (13 DEC 18:10).

ALL WE WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS… at Picturehouse Cinemas

• Includes (check venue for full listings): HOME ALONE d. Chris Columbus, 1990 (12 DEC); SCROOGED d. Richard Donner, 1988 (13 DEC); TANGERINE d. Sean Baker, 2015 (14 DEC).

ALT. XMAS at The Prince Charles

• Includes (check venue for listings): ROCKY IV: ROCKY VS DRAGO [Ultimate Director’s Cut] d. Sylvester Stallone, 1985 (10 DEC 15:30 / 15 DEC 15:55 / 16 DEC 12:45); IN BRUGES d. Martin McDonagh, 2008 (10 DEC 18:05); BRAZIL d. Terry Gilliam, 1985 (11 DEC 12:40 / 13 DEC 12:30); LITTLE WOMEN d. Greta Gerwig, 2019 (12 DEC 20:15); EDWARD SCISSORHANDS d. Tim Burton, 1990 (14 DEC 18:10); BLACK CHRISTMAS d. Bob Clark, 1974 (14 DEC 21:00); AMERICAN PSYCHO 35mm d. Mary Harron, 2000 (16 DEC 20:30); YOU’VE GOT MAIL 35mm d. Nora Ephron, 1998 (16 DEC 20:45).

BIG SCREEN CLASSICS: CHRISTMAS ON SCREEN at BFI Southbank

• Includes (check venue for full listings): THE SHOP AROUND THE CORNER d. Ernst Lubitsch, 1940 (03 to 23 DEC); BAD SANTA d. Terry Zwigoff, 2003 (10 DEC 20:45 / 13 DEC 20:50); TIM BURTON’S THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS d. Henry Selick, 1993 (11 DEC 16:00); MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET 4K d. George Seaton, 1947 (11 DEC 18:00);  IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE 4K d. Frank Capra, 1946 (12 DEC 15:40); THE APARTMENT 4K d. Billy Wilder, 1960 (13 DEC 14:30); TOKYO GODFATHERS aka Tokyo goddofazazu d. Satoshi Kon, 2003 (14 DEC 20:45); CAROL d. Todd Haynes, 2015 (15 DEC 17:50); SCROOGE (aka A Christmas Carol) d. Brian Desmond Hurst, 1951 (16 DEC 21:00).

BOGARDE AT 100 at BFI Southbank

• Includes (check venue for listings): I COULD GO ON SINGING 35mm d. Ronald Neame, 1963 + Intro by BFI Curator Josephine Botting & Dirk Bogarde’s niece, Alice Van den Bogaerde (16 DEC 18:15); THE SERVANT: 4K RESTORATION d. Joseph Losey, 1963 (16 DEC 20:45).

CHRISTMAS at Catford Mews

• Includes (check venue for listings): HOME ALONE d. Chris Columbus, 1990 (11 DEC 15:00 / 12 DEC 13:30); DIE HARD d. John McTiernan, 1988 (13 DEC 20:30 / 15 DEC 17:45).

CHRISTMAS at Chiswick Cinema

• Includes (check venue for listings): HOME ALONE d. Chris Columbus, 1990 (12 DEC 15:00).

CHRISTMAS at Genesis Cinema 

• Includes (check venue for listings): TOKYO GODFATHERS d. Satoshi Kon, 2004 (14 DEC 21:10); CAROL d. Todd Haynes, 2015 (15 DEC 21:00); DIE HARD d. John McTiernan, 1988 presented by Truman’s (16 DEC 21:00 – FREE pint of beer or cider).

CHRISTMAS at The Prince Charles

• Includes (check venue for full listings): IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE 35mm d. Frank Capra, 1946 (daily to 24 DEC various); THE MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL d. Brian Henson, 1992 (03 to 24 DEC various Sing Along/Santa – check venue for details); TIM BURTON’S THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS d. Henry Selick, 1993 (10 DEC 13:00 / 15 DEC 18:15);  NATIONAL LAMPOON’S CHRISTMAS VACATION d. Jeremiah S. Chechik, 1989 (10 DEC 13:15 / 15 DEC 15:40); SCROOGED d. Richard Donner, 1988 (10 DEC 20:40); DIE HARD 70/35mm d. John McTiernan, 1988 (10 DEC 21:00 / 13 DEC 18:00 – 70mm / 15 DEC 20:15 – 35mm); LOVE ACTUALLY d. Richard Curtis, 2003 (11 DEC 18:35 / 12 DEC 20:30 / 14 DEC 20:35); THE LORD OF THE RINGS TRILOGY – EXTENDED EDITIONS d. Peter Jackson, 2001, 2002 & 2003 (11 DEC 21:30); CHRISTMAS PYJAMA PARTY 5 Films, 1 Ticket! (11 DEC 21:45); HOME ALONE d. Chris Columbus, 1990 (12 DEC 12:30 / 15 DEC 18:00); ELF d. Jon Favreau, 2003 (12 DEC 14:55 / 13 DEC 18:15 / 14 DEC 12:50); THE SHOP AROUND THE CORNER 35mm d. Ernst Lubitsch, 1940 (13 DEC 15:30 / 16 DEC 18:20); THE APARTMENT 35mm d. Billy Wilder, 1960 (14 DEC 13:15); ANNA AND THE APOCALYPSE d. John McPhail, 2017 (16 DEC 15:45).

CHRISTMAS MOVIE NIGHTS at Rivoli Ballroom

• Includes (check venue for full listings): HOME ALONE 2: LOST IN NEW YORK d. Chris Columbus, 1992 (16 DEC 16:30); LOVE ACTUALLY d. Richard Curtis, 2003 (16 DEC 20:00).

CHRISTMAS ON 35MM at Everyman Screen On The Green

• Includes (check venue for full listings): GREMLINS 35mm d. Joe Dante, 1984 (11 DEC 22:30).

CLOSE-UP ON RYÛSUKE HAMAGUCHI at Close-Up

• Includes (check venue for full listings): PASSION d. Ryûsuke Hamaguchi, 2008 (12 DEC 20:15).

CULT CLASSIC FILM POP UP at Design District

• Includes (check venue for full listings): HOME ALONE d. Chris Columbus, 1990 (11 DEC 14:00); PAN’S LABYRINTH aka El laberinto del fauno d. Guillermo del Toro, 2006 (11 DEC 18:30); FROZEN d. Chris Buck & Jennifer Lee, 2013 (12 DEC 14:00); MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET (12 DEC 18:30).

CULTPIX SEASON at Everyman Cinemas

• Includes (check venue for full listings): SILENT NIGHT, BLOODY NIGHT d. Theodore Gershuny, 1972 + Intro by Kim Newman (10 DEC 23:00 – Screen On The Green).

THE EDGE OF BELIEF at Close-Up

• Includes (check venue for listings): THIS IS NOT A BURIAL, IT’S A RESURRECTION d. Lemohang Jeremiah Mosese, 2019 + Short: SPIRITS & ROCKS: AN AZORIAN MYTH d. Aylin Gökmen, 2020 (10 DEC 20:15); Short Films Part 1 + Part 2 (12 DEC 18:00); THE ILLINOIS PARABLES + SENSEMAYÁ d. Deborah Stratman, 2016 + Colectivo Los Ingrávidos, 2021 (15 DEC 20:15); STE. ANNE d. Rhayne Vermette, 2021 (16 DEC 20:15).
• Curated by Emily Wright. Presented in partnership with the National Film & Television School.

EYES ON SPIES at Ciné Lumière

• Includes (check venue for full listings): THE SPY WHO CAME IN FROM THE COLD 35mm d. Martin Ritt, 1965 (11 DEC 17:00); ARMY OF SHADOWS aka L’Armée des ombres d. Jean-Pierre Melville, 1960 (12 DEC 14:00 + Panel discussion with Patrick Marnham & Arnaud de la Grange / 14 DEC 19:30); LE PROFESSIONNEL d. Georges Lautner, 1981 (12 DEC 16:30).

THE FILMS OF PAUL THOMAS ANDERSON at The Prince Charles

• Includes (check venue for full listings): BOOGIE NIGHTS 35mm d. Paul Thomas Anderson, 1997 (12 DEC 20:25).

HUMAN RESOURCES at Close-Up & Genesis Cinema

• Includes (check venue for listings): POSSESSOR d. Brandon Cronenberg, 2020 at Genesis Cinema (14 DEC 18:20).
• This season was meant to open with ARAYA d. Margot Benacerraf, 1959 at Close-Up (03 DEC) but there was a power cut… Now screening 13 JAN (check venue for availability).
• Curated by Ryan Ninesling. Presented in partnership with the National Film & Television School.

JAPAN 2021 at BFI Southbank

• Includes (check venue for full listings): DEATH BY HANGING 35mm aka Kôshikei d. Nagisa Ôshima, 1968 (10 DEC 17:50); AFTER LIFE aka Wandafuru raifu d. Hirokazu Kore-eda, 1998 (10 DEC 20:40 / 13 DEC 20:40); DRIVE MY CAR aka Doraibu mai kâ d. Ryûsuke Hamaguchi, 2021 (11 to 19 DEC); IN THE REALM OF THE SENSES 35mm aka Ai no corrida d. Nagisa Ôshima, 1976 (11 DEC 20:45); MUDDY RIVER 35mm aka Doro no kawa d. Kôhei Oguri, 1981 + Intro by season co-programmer Alexander Jacoby (12 DEC 11:50); THE DEMON 35mm aka Kichiku d. Yoshitarô Nomura, 1978 + Intro by season co-programmer Alexander Jacoby (12 DEC 14:50); THE MAN WHO STOLE THE SUN 35mm aka Taiyô wo nusunda otoko d. Kazuhiko Hasegawa, 1979 (12 DEC 18:00 / 16 DEC 20:10); TAMPOPO 4K d. Jûzô Itami, 1985 + Intro by Catherine Wheatley (13 DEC 18:00); Philosophical Screens: TAMPOPO panel discussion (13 DEC 20:15); FUNERAL PARADE OF ROSES aka Bara no sôretsu d. Toshio Matsumoto, 1969 (14 DEC 14:30); SILENCE HAS NO WINGS 35mm aka Tobenai chinmoku d. Kazuo Kuroki, 1966 (15 DEC 18:00); WOMAN OF THE LAKE 35mm aka Onna no mizûmi d. Kijû Yoshida, 1966 (15 DEC 20:50).

JAPAN 2021: ANOTHER GAZE at BFI Southbank

• Includes (check venue for full listings): DEAR PYONGYANG d. Yang Yong-hi, 2005 + Recorded intro by the director (11 DEC 20:40); THE FAR ROAD aka Toi ippon no michi d. Sachiko Hidari, 1978 Restoration premiere + Recorded intro by Professor Ayako Saito (14 DEC 20:400); Experimenta presents: A selection of video & film works by experimental filmmaker Mako Idemitsu + Intro by Another Gaze’s Daniella Shreir (15 DEC 18:10); SKY, WIND, FIRE, WATER, EARTH + BIRTH/MOTHER aka Kya ka ra ba a + Tarachime d. Naomi Kawase, 2001 + 2006 (15 DEC 20:45).

JEAN-PAUL BELMONDO LE MAGNIFIQUE at Ciné Lumière

• Includes (check venue for full listings): LE PROFESSIONNEL d. Georges Lautner, 1981 (12 DEC 16:30); BORSALINO: 4K RESTORATION d. Jacques Deray, 1970 (13 DEC 17:50). L’HOMME DE RIO d. Philippe de Broca, 1964 (13 DEC 20:00); LE DOULOS d. Jean-Pierre Melville, 1962 (13 DEC 20:20);  PIERROT LE FOU d. Jean-Luc Godard, 1965 (15 DEC 18:10).

MOVIE MARATHONS at The Prince Charles

• Includes (check venue for listings): THE LORD OF THE RINGS TRILOGY – EXTENDED EDITIONS d. Peter Jackson, 2001, 2002 & 2003 (11 DEC 21:30); CHRISTMAS PYJAMA PARTY 5 Films, 1 Ticket! (11 DEC 21:45).

THE PRECIOUS THINGS at BFI Southbank

• Includes (check venue for listings): 1970s Odd Pop & Rare Rock (11 DEC 15:00); An Evening with Vincent Price: VINCENT PRICE IS IN THE COUNTRY d. Bryan Izzard, 1971 (11 DEC 17:50).

REPEATED APPARITIONS at The Horse Hospital 

• Includes (check venue for listings): Shorts Programme + Live-writing performance from Mengqi He (16 DEC 19:00).
• Presented by The Care-fuffle Collective.

THIS IS WHAT A FAMILY LOOKS LIKE at Rio, ActOne & Picturehouse Central

• Includes (check venues for listings): GRAVE OF THE FIREFLIES aka Hotaru no haka d. Isao Takahata, 1988 + Draw-a-long workshop with artist Ellen Li at Rio Cinema (11 DEC / Workshop – 15:00 / Film – 15:30); LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON aka Soshite chichi ni naru d. Hirokazu Kore-eda, 2013 + Risograph printing workshop with The Print Collective at ActOne Cinema (12 DEC /Workshop – 12:45 / Film – 13:30).
• Presented by MilkTea Films.

• French Film Festival (03 NOV to 15 DEC).
• London Film Week (06 to 12 DEC).
• Made In Prague Festival (07 NOV to 10 DEC).
• The South London Film Festival (18 DEC).

• Also (10 to 16 DEC, various dates/times): CITIZEN ASHE d. Rex Miller & Sam Pollard, 2021 at: Bertha DocHouse / ICA // DYING TO DIVORCE d. Chloe Fairweather, 2021 at: The Garden Cinema (13 to 19 DEC) // HOPE aka Håp d. Maria Sødahl, 2019 at: Curzon Cinemas / Peckhamplex / Picturehouse Cinemas // THE STORMS OF JEREMY THOMAS d. Mark Cousins, 2021 at: Curzon Cinemas.

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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. //.