This is a film still from BRIEF ENCOUNTER d. David Lean, 1945 presented by Habitats & Heritage at Grove Gardens Chapel, Richmond TW10 (16 FEB 20:00).

SCREEN GUIDE: What’s on in London this week [10 to 16 FEB 2023]

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

This is an advertising graphic promoting the new BAR TRASH season of cult film events in London - TRASH OR TREASURE? Resurrecting "The Worst Films of All Time" at Genesis Cinema and Rule Zero.
BAR TRASH presents… TRASH OR TREASURE? Resurrecting “The Worst Films of All Time” – BOOKING NOW!

Welcome to another screen week!

Love is in the air, so there’s a lot of screenings of ROMAN HOLIDAY and CASABLANCA across town (amongst many other choices!). Different promoters take different approaches, so make sure you scan both the daily listings and the film seasons section of this week’s Screen Guide to get across all of London’s loved-up happenings (that I could find…).

In this week’s film seasons, the JAPAN FOUNDATION TOURING FILM PROGRAMME comes to an end at ICA, Sight & Sound continues their countdown of the “100 greatest films of all time” at BFI, and Everyman Screen on the Green starts a new 35mm season dedicated to the Cohen Brothers. I’ll be continuing my TRASH OR TREASURE? season resurrecting “the worst films of all time” at Genesis with William Castle’s THE TINGLER (15 FEB). If you’re into that kind of thing, I’ll be trying to recreate the original 1959 release’s shocking seat system, PERCEPTO! (with no budget and a lot of well-meaning stupidity…). See you there…?

In new(ish) releases, DECISION TO LEAVE returns for a one day ‘special event’ screening of the film plus recorded Q&A with director Park Chan-wook (13 FEB various cinemas – see listings for details). Previews continue for Lukas Dhont’s CLOSE and Georgia Oakley’s BLUE JEAN gets the widest release across London’s indie screens this week. You can see both directors and their collaborators at different Q&A dates across town (browse daily listings for details). Other openings include Sarah Polley’s WOMEN TALKING and the anniversary 3D re-release of James Cameron’s wet epic, TITANIC. Scroll all the way down for those details and more.

I’ve chosen Habitats & Heritage’s presentation of BRIEF ENCOUNTER (16 FEB) at the Grove Gardens Chapel in Richmond as my Featured Attraction of the Week. Partly because it’s a cracking film and I love travelling to new venues for familiar titles. But also because the directions on how to get there make it sound even more like cruising than the title alone:

“The main cemetery gates close at 5pm. Access to the chapel is made via small path which crosses Grove Road Gardens and leads to the Chapel entrance. The entrance to Grove Road Gardens can be found where Greville Road meets Lower Grove Road. Be aware that there is another chapel in close proximity.”

Habitats & Heritage

See you in the darkness, and stay safe.

Richard // RADIANT CIRCUS

PS – I haven’t overlooked that Spike Lee is in town to receive his BFI Fellowship before appearing on stage at BFI Southbank ‘in conversation ‘, but that event pretty much sold out straight away. Hover over the BFI website for returns (more common than you might think) or grab one of the last few tickets for SUMMER OF SAM which the filmmaker will introduce later the same evening… that’s where I’ll be! (both events 13 FEB)

BRIEF ENCOUNTER d. David Lean, 1945 presented by Habitats & Heritage at Grove Gardens Chapel, Richmond TW10 (16 FEB 20:00).

“Join Habitats & Heritage at the atmospheric Grove Gardens Chapel on Thursday 16th February for a Valentines Day treat! See the 1945 classic romance, starring Trevor Howard and Celia Johnson, a former resident of Richmond Hill. Entrance to the Chapel will cost £15 and all proceeds will help to support Habitats & Heritage. The admission fee covers access to the Chapel, popcorn and soft drinks. Booking is required.” (Habitats & Heritage)

FRIDAY 10 FEB

  • BEHIND CLOSED DOORS d. Michael Oswald + Q&A with the director & producer & Murtaza Mehdi at Frontline’s Club (10 FEB 19:00).
  • BLUE JEAN dir Georgia Oakley, 2022 + Q&A with the director, actors Rosy McEwen & Kerrie Hayes, & producer Hélène Sifre at BFI Southbank (10 FEB 18:10).
  • BLUE JEAN dir Georgia Oakley, 2022 + Q&A with the director, actors Rosy McEwen & Kerrie Hayes, & producer Hélène Sifre at Barbican (10 FEB 20:20).
  • CHINESE TAKEAWAY aka Un cuento chino d. Sebastián Borensztein, 2011 + Intro by Adam Feinstein at Friern Barnet Community Library (10 FEB 18:30).
  • CLOSE d. Lukas Dhont, 2022 + Q&A with the director & co-writer Angelo Tijssens at Barbican (10 FEB 18:10).
  • CLOSE d. Lukas Dhont, 2022 + Q&A with the director & co-writer Angelo Tijssens at Curzon Soho (10 FEB 20:30).
  • Musical Fridays: GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES d. Howard Hawks, 1953 at The Garden Cinema (10 FEB 21:00).
  • TOWN OF STRANGERS d. Treasa O’Brien, 2021 + Intro by the director at ICA (10 FEB 17:15 / 12 FEB 17:00).

SATURDAY 11 FEB

  • BLUE JEAN dir Georgia Oakley, 2022 + Q&A with the director, actor Rosy McEwen & producer Hélène Sifre at Curzon Bloomsbury (11 FEB 18:10).
  • FANTASIA d. Various, 1940 at The Garden Cinema (11 FEB 11:00 – Pay What You Can).
  • PRIDE d. Matthew Warchus, 2014 for LGBT History Month at Bostall Library (11 FEB 18:00 – FREE!).
  • Queer Asian Diaspora Film Screening + Discussion for LGBT History Month at VFDalston (11 FEB 14:30).
  • ROMAN HOLIDAY d. William Wyler, 1953 at Ciné Lumière (11 FEB 11:15 / 14 FEB 16:00).

SUNDAY 12 FEB

  • BARAN d. Majid Majidi, 2001 at Babel Art House (12 FEB 19:30).
  • CASABLANCA d. Michael Curtiz, 1942 at Picturehouse Cinemas (12 FEB various / 14 FEB various).
  • FLIC STORY d. Jacques Deray, 1975 at Ciné Lumière (12 FEB 15:50 / 16 FEB 18:10).
  • JACKASS: Self Injury as Art & Entertainment talk by Philippa Snow, presented by Deeper Into Movies at MOTH Club (12 FEB 19:30).
  • LUZZU d. Alex Camilleri, 2021 at Whirled Cinema (12 FEB 17:00).
  • Neil Brand presents Laurel and Hardy + Live piano accompaniment at BFI Southbank (12 FEB 16:00).
  • TOWN OF STRANGERS d. Treasa O’Brien, 2021 + Intro by the director at ICA (12 FEB 17:00).
  • WHO’S AFRAID OF VAGINA WOLF d. Anna Margarita, 2013 + Intro by the director + Short: HOPE d. Jade Winters, 2022, presented by Sapphic Utopia at The Cinema Museum (12 FEB 14:30).

MONDAY 13 FEB

TALKS etc.

TUESDAY 14 FEB

  • A LOVE SONG d. Max Walker-Silverman at The David Lean (14 FEB 19:30).
  • AU BONHEUR DES DAMES d. Julien Duvivier, 1930 presented ingenue & online by Sands Films Cinema Club at Sands Films Studios (14 FEB 20:00 – Donation requested).
  • BARFLY d. Barbet Schroeder, 1987 presented by Fourth Wall at The Lab E20 (14 FEB 19:30).
  • BREATHLESS aka À bout de souffle d. Jean-Luc Godard, 1960 at The Lexi Cinema (14 FEB 18:30).
  • BUFFALO ’66 d. Vincent Gallo, 1998 presented by Deeper into Movies at Bush Hall (14 FEB 19:30).
  • CASABLANCA d. Michael Curtiz, 1942 at Picturehouse Cinemas (14 FEB various).
  • My Twisted Valentine: CRASH d. David Cronenberg, 1996 at Barbican (14 FEB 20:45).
  • ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND d. Michel Gondry, 2004 at Phoenix Cinema (14 FEB 17:45).
  • HAROLD AND MAUDE d. Hal Ashby, 1971 at The Garden Cinema (14 FEB 16:00 & 20:45).
  • HAROLD AND MAUDE d. Hal Ashby, 1971 at Rio Cinema (14 FEB 18:30).
  • HAROLD AND MAUDE d. Hal Ashby, 1971 presented by Tufnell Park Film Club at The Lord Palmerston (14 FEB 20:00).
  • HIT THE ROAD aka Jaddeh Khaki d. Panah Panahi, 2021 presented by Wimbledon Film Club at Curzon Wimbledon (14 FEB 20:30).
  • ROMAN HOLIDAY d. William Wyler, 1953 at Ciné Lumière (14 FEB 16:00).
  • ROMEO + JULIET d. Baz Luhrmann, 1996 + Live choir presented by Backyard Cinema at Barbican (14 FEB 19:30).
  • ROMEO + JULIET d. Baz Luhrmann, 1996 presented by Crofton Park Pictures at Rivoli Ballroom (14 FEB 19:30).
  • SALÓ, OR THE 120 DAYS OF SODOM aka Salò o le 120 giornate di Sodoma d. Pier Paolo Pasolini, 1975, presented by Deeper Into Movies at MOTH Club (14 FEB 19:30).
  • SWEETHEART d. Marley Morrison, 2021 at Whirled Cinema (14 FEB 20:00 / 15 FEB 20:00 / 19 FEB 17:00).

TALKS etc.

See also VALENTINE’S seasons listed below!

WEDNESDAY 15 FEB

  • AFTERSUN d. Charlotte Wells, 2022 at The David Lean (15 FEB 19:30).
  • Classic Matinee: A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH d. Michael Powell, 1946 at ActOne Cinema (15 FEB 14:15).
  • ATOMIC HOPE d. Frankie Fenton, 2022 + Panel Discussion at Bertha DocHouse (15 FEB 18:20).
  • BLUE JEAN dir Georgia Oakley, 2022 + Panel discussion with producer Hélène Sifre, Laila El-Metoui (Founder of Pride in Education), & Sarah Drummond (Director of DON’T SAY GAY) at The Garden Cinema (15 FEB 19:00).
  • LOVE AND BASKETBALL d. Gina Prince-Bythewood, 2000 presented by BBE Movie Club at Bubba Oasis N1 (15 FEB 19:00 – FREE).
  • Pink Palace: NIGHTHAWKS d. Ron Peck, 1978 + Intro/discussion with Carla Mitchell from Four Corners in the basement bar at Rio Cinema (15 FEB 20:00).
  • PITFALL aka Otoshiana dir Hiroshi Teshigahara, 1962 presented by Electric Frog Film Club at ArtHouse Crouch End (15 FEB 19:00).
  • SWEETHEART d. Marley Morrison, 2021 at Whirled Cinema (15 FEB 20:00 / 19 FEB 17:00).

THURSDAY 16 FEB

  • The Best Documentary Cinema, In Short Short film programme + Filmmaker intros/networking, presented by Doc Heads at The Garden Cinema (16 FEB 20:00).
  • BRIEF ENCOUNTER d. David Lean, 1945 presented by Habitats & Heritage at Grove Gardens Chapel, Richmond TW10 (16 FEB 20:00).
  • CASABLANCA 16mm d. Michael Curtiz, 1942 presented by Ciné-Real 16mm Film Club at The Castle Cinema (16 FEB 19:30 / 19 FEB 14:00).
  • FLIC STORY d. Jacques Deray, 1975 at Ciné Lumière (16 FEB 18:10).
  • THE INSPECTION d. Elegance Bratton, 2022 at Clapham Picturehouse (16 FEB 20:00).
  • MACAO d. Josef von Sternberg, 1952 presented by Lobotomy Room at Fontaine’s Bar (16 FEB 20:00 – FREE!).
  • NOMADLAND d. Chloe Zhao, 2020 presented by Highgate Film Society at HLSI (16 FEB 19:30).
  • SIGHTSEERS d. Ben Wheatley, 2012 + Intro/Q&A with Alice Lowe and Steve Oram, presented by Deeper Into Movies x Weird Walk at Rio Cinema (16 FEB 20:30).
  • TÁR d. Todd Field, 2022 at The David Lean (16 FEB 14:30 HOH & 19:30).
  • TOKYO STORY d. Ozu Yasujirō, 1953 at Japan House London (16 FEB 18:30 / 19 FEB 16:30).

16MM SCREENINGS at The Castle Cinema

35MM PRESENTATIONS at The Prince Charles

70MM PRESENTATIONS at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): DUNKIRK 70mm d. Christopher Nolan, 2017 (16 FEB 20:45).

IMAX PRESENTATIONS at BFI IMAX

AKIRA KUROSAWA at BFI Southbank & BFI IMAX 

A LI’L BIT OF LUIS BUÑUEL at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): FEVER MOUNTS AT EL PAO aka La fièvre monte à El Pao d. Luis Buñuel, 1959 (13 FEB 12:45).

ANNIVERSARY SEASON at Everyman Belsize Park

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): ROMAN HOLIDAY d. William Wyler, 1953 (12 FEB 12:45 / 14 FEB 18:00).

ANNIVERSARY SCREENINGS at The Prince Charles (Not listed elsewhere!)

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): THE WAGES OF FEAR d. Henri-Georges Clouzot, 1953 (15 FEB 12:00).

A TASTE OF QUEER CINEMA at The Garden Cinema

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): BLUE JEAN d. Georgia Oakley, 2022 (10 to 23 FEB).

BAR TRASH: TRASH OR TREASURE? at Rule Zero & Genesis Cinema 

  • Includes (check venue for listings): THE TINGLER d. William Castle, 1959 + Intro, intermission, themed drinks & prize giveaways at Genesis Cinema’s Bar Paragon (15 FEB 20:30 – Screening with an unauthorised, low-budget, DIY version of shocking seat system, PERCEPTO!).
  • Presented by Token Homo.

BEHIND THE LENS: FILMS FOR LGBT+ HISTORY MONTH at The Cinema Museum

CARL MAYER MINI SEASON at Austrian Cultural Forum

CINEMA RESTORED at Barbican

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): MAT MAGIC d. Mat Sentul & John Calvert, 1971 Introduction from Asian Film Archivist Chew Tee Pao (16 FEB 18:30).

CINEMATIC JUKEBOX / CLASSIC FILM SEASON at The Prince Charles (not listed elsewhere!)

CLASSICS at Genesis Cinema

COEN BROTHERS ON 35MM at Everyman Screen On The Green

  • Includes (check venue for listings): RAISING ARIZONA 35mm d. Joel Coen, 1986 (11 FEB 22:30 / 15 FEB 10:30).

DISNEY MATINEES at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): FANTASIA 35mm 1940 (11 FEB 15:05).

DRUMROLL FOR FORTUITOUS HEROES at Ciné Lumière

ESSENTIAL CINEMA at Close-Up Film Centre

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): THE EXILES dir Kent Mackenzie, 1961 (10 FEB 20:15); MIRROR d. Andrei Tarkovsky, 1974 (11 FEB 18:00); HEROIC PURGATORY dir Yoshishige Yoshida, 1970 (11 FEB 20:15); EROS + MASSACRE d. Kiju Yoshida, 1969 (12 FEB 19:00).

FROM THE REQUEST BOARD… at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for full listings: ONCE 35mm d. John Carney, 2007 (12 FEB 18:00); POETIC JUSTICE 35mm d. John Singleton, 1993 (16 FEB 18:05).

JAPAN FOUNDATION TOURING FILM PROGRAMME at ICA

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): SENSEI, WOULD YOU SIT BESIDE ME? aka 先生、私の隣に座っていただけませんか？ d. Takahiro Horie, 2021 (10 FEB 18:10); JOINT d. Oudai Kojima, 2021 (10 FEB 20:40); SAMURAI HUSTLE aka 超高速!参勤交代 d. Katsuhide Motoki, 2014 (11 FEB 13:00); HOLD ME BACK aka 私をくいとめて d. Akiko Ohku, 2020 (11 FEB 15:20); MY BROKEN MARIKO d. Yuki Tanada, 2022 (11 FEB 18:00); WANDERING d. Lee Sang-il, 2022 (11 FEB 20:00); WHAT A WONDERFUL FAMILY! aka 家族はつらいよ, dir. Yoji Yamada, 2016 (12 FEB 13:00); BLUE THERMAL aka ブルーサーマル d. Masaki Tachibana, 2022 (12 FEB 15:20); LESSON IN MURDER aka 死刑にいたる病 d. Kazuya Shiraishi, 2022 (12 FEB 17:40); GOODBYE CRUEL WORLD aka グッバイ・クルエル・ワールド d. Tatsushi Omori, 2022 (12 FEB 20:20).

JEAN-LUC GODARD: PERSPECTIVES at Ciné Lumière

MARILYN MONROE at The Prince Charles

MEL BROOKS SELECTROSPECTIVE (IN REVERSE) at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): BLAZING SADDLES 35mmd. Mel Brooks, 1974 (10 FEB 18:15).

MOVIE MARATHONS at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for listings): JOHN WICK TRILOGY d. Chad Stahelski & David Leitch, 2014 + 2017 + 2019 (10 FEB 18:00); THE BEFORE TRILOGY d. Richard Linklater, 1995, 2004 & 2013 (13 FEB 17:45).

NICOLAS ROEG: HAUNTING MEMORIES at Riverside Studios

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): WALKABOUT d. Nicolas Roeg, 1970 + Video essay by Mark Cousins (12 FEB 14:30).

SHENGELAIA AT 90 at The Garden Cinema

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): BLUE MOUNTAINS d. Eldar Shengelaia, 1983 (10 FEB 20:00); THE WHITE CARAVAN d. Eldar Shengelaia, 1964 (11 FEB 20:00).
  • Presented by Klassiki and the Georgian National Film Centre.

SIGHT & SOUND GREATEST FILMS OF ALL TIME 2022 at BFI Southbank & BFI IMAX

SPOTLIGHT ON WOMEN FILMMAKERS at The Prince Charles

THROWBACK SEASON at Everyman Cinemas

  • Includes (check venue for listings): PRETTY WOMAN d. Garry Marshall, 1990 (12 FEB various / 14 FEB various).

TRINTIGNANT: THE NON-CONFORMIST at Ciné Lumière

  • Includes (check venue for listings): THE GREAT SILENCE d. Sergio Corbucci, 1968 (12 FEB 12:00 / 15 FEB 18:00); THE CONFORMIST d. Bernardo Bertolucci, 1970 (13 FEB 18:15).

TONY PALEY’S GREATEST FILMS OF ALL TIME at Close-Up Film Centre

VALENTINE’S at BFI Southbank

VALENTINE’S at Chiswick Cinema

  • Includes (check venue for listings): BRIDESMAIDS d. Paul Feig, 2011 at Chiswick Cinema (13 FEB 20:00); BROS d. Billy Eichner, 2022 at Chiswick Cinema (14 FEB 17:45); ROMEO + JULIET d. Baz Luhrmann, 1996 at Chiswick Cinema (14 FEB 20:30).

VALENTINE’S at The Cinema In The Power Station

  • Includes (check venue for listings): TITANIC 2D dir James Cameron, 1997 (10 FEB 14:00 / 16 FEB 19:45); TRUE ROMANCE d. Tony Scott, 1993 (11 FEB 20:45); ROMAN HOLIDAY d. William Wyler, 1953 (12 FEB 16:30); BONES AND ALL d. Luca Guadagnino, 2022 (14 FEB 20:00); CASABLANCA d. Michael Curtiz, 1942 at The Cinema In The Power Station (14 FEB 18:00 & 20:30); PRETTY WOMAN d. Garry Marshall, 1990 (14 FEB 20:30); WHEN HARRY MET SALLY d. Rob Reiner, 1989 (15 FEB 20:15).

VALENTINE’S at Genesis Cinema

VALENTINE’S at Olympic Studios

  • Includes (check venue for listings): ROMAN HOLIDAY d. William Wyler, 1953 (11 FEB 16:50 / 14 FEB 17:50); CASABLANCA d. Michael Curtiz, 1942 (14 FEB 20:20); PRETTY WOMAN d. Garry Marshall, 1990 (14 FEB 20:50).

VALENTINE’S at The Prince Charles 

WOMEN SHAPING THE WORLD at Ciné Lumière

  • Includes (check venue for listings): CLÉO DE 5 À 7 d. Agnès Varda, 1961 + Intro by Ginette Vincendeau (15 FEB 18:00).

THE WORLD OF WONG KAR WAI at The Prince Charles

YOU BEAUTIES: NEW AUSTRALIAN CINEMA at BFI Southbank

  • Includes (check venue for listings): SISSY d. Kane Senes & Hannah Barlow, 2022 + Short: PINK REEF d. Chloe de Brito, 2022 (11 FEB 20:30); FRIENDS & STRANGERS d. James Vaughan, 2021 + Short: LIME PARFAIT d. Pat Mooney, 2022 (16 FEB 18:10). 

BLUE JEAN dir Georgia Oakley, 2022

WOMEN TALKING dir Sarah Polley, 2022

Also 10 to 16 FEB (various dates/times):

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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. //.