This is a film still from THE BEAST FROM 20,000 FATHOMS d. Eugène Lourié, 1953, presented by Lost Reels at The Cinema Museum (13 MAY 2023).

SCREEN GUIDE: What’s on in London this week [12 to 18 MAY 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 a banner advert for BAR TRASH Cult Films & Brunch at Rule Zero.
BAR TRASH presents cult films & brunch at Rule Zero in Hackney Wick – BOOKING NOW!!

Welcome to another screen week!

Venerable film format 16mm has been unspooling for a century, and to celebrate I’ve chosen two indie film exhibitors to be my Featured Attractions of the Week (both screening at The Cinema Museum)! Lost Reels (the cinema artist formerly known as Lost Vampires) projects two big-beast monster movies (13 MAY) and then Kennington Bioscope does their beautiful thing with two Western-themed silent films (17 MAY).

If you want more of all these things then support their work by rocking up and buying a ticket (Kennington Bioscope screens regularly throughout the year and Lost Reels has just announced spectacular events for August and Halloween). Hungry for even more…? BFI Southbank presents their Film On Film festival (08 to 11 JUN – selling fast!) which includes a 16mm strand, amongst many other delights. I’ll be launching a summer season of kaijū films at Genesis Cinema with the latest spawning of my cult film night BAR TRASH, MONSTER MAYHEM! (opening night = GODZILLA Gojira 31 MAY).

Elsewhere, JW3 launches their compilation archive programme with Jewish Britain On Film at both JW3 and The Lexi Cinema (see listings for 14 MAY). Evolution of Horror Podcast returns to one of their regular haunts with THE INVISIBLE MAN: 90th Anniversary at the sumptuous Regent Street Cinema (17 MAY). And, as if to take us all by surprise, Rio Cinema’s regular queer night Pink Palace skips to a Thursday for KAMIKAZE HEARTS (18 MAY 19:30). Finally, thank you to reader Daniel for drawing my attention to the PERANKH: THE JUNE GIVANNI PANAFRICAN CINEMA ARCHIVE season at Raven Row Gallery. Another new season SKIP NORMAN: HERE AND THERE from Open City Docs at Goethe-Institut and ICA joins them here and in my epic monthly roundup for May.

See you in the darkness, and stay safe.

Richard // RADIANT CIRCUS

PS – For the restless, Picturehouse Cinemas has announced THE WORLD’S BIGGEST ALL NIGHTER at Picturehouse Central (17 JUN) with seven rooms of slumbering sensations. My favourite programme is the anime one because – holy AI mother of all parodies – please save me from more Wes Anderson retrospectives….

TOKEN HOMO presents a sensational fourth season of BAR TRASH at Genesis Cinema & Rule Zero – BOOKING NOW!!

“Monsters Attack!” 16mm Double Bill featuring THE BEAST FROM 20,000 FATHOMS d. Eugène Lourié, 1953 + EMPIRE OF THE ANTS d. Bert I. Gordon, 1977 presented by Lost Reels at The Cinema Museum (13 MAY 18:00).

“Lost Reels launches a series of classics, curios and forgotten gems on 16mm with the pairing of Ray Harryhausen’s golden age stop-motion sci-fi / horror masterpiece THE BEAST FROM 20,000 FATHOMS (1953) and Bert I. Gordon’s unintentionally hilarious cult classic, EMPIRE OF THE ANTS (1977).”

Western 16mm Double Bill featuring THE WESTBOUND LIMITED d. Emory Johnson, 1923 + THE LAST OUTLAW d. Arthur Rosson, 1927 + Intro by Chris Bird & Live piano accompaniment by Meg Morley & Colin Sell, presented by Kennington Bioscope at The Cinema Museum (17 MAY 19:30).

“The Kennington Bioscope is a regular cinema event featuring live accompaniment to silent films that takes place at the Cinema Museum. We present a double bill of flms with a western theme, screened on 16mm and presented by Chris Bird. Meg Morley will be providing live piano accompaniment for the first half and Colin Sell for the second half of this show.” (Kennington Bioscope)

FRIDAY 12 MAY

  • BRAINWASHED: SEX-CAMERA-POWER d. Nina Menkes, 2022 + Q&A with the director at Ciné Lumière (12 MAY 20:30).
  • JANUARY d. Andrey Paounov, 2021 + Q&A with screenwriter Alex Barrett at The Cinema Museum (12 MAY 19:30).
  • STILL: A MICHAEL J. FOX MOVIE d. Davis Guggenheim, 2023 + Zoom Q&A with Michael J Fox at Picturehouse Central (12 MAY 18:30).

SATURDAY 13 MAY

  • African Odysseys: ABOLITION aka Abolição d. Zózimo Bulbul, 1988 + Recorded intro by Brazilian MP, Benedita da Silva & Panel discussion at BFI Southbank (13 MAY 14:00).
  • BRAINWASHED: SEX-CAMERA-POWER d. Nina Menkes, 2022 + Q&A with the director at Curzon Soho (13 MAY 14:00).
  • THE IDOL d. Hany Abu-Assad, 2015 at The Garden Cinema (13 MAY 11:00 – Pay What You Can).
  • “Monsters Attack!” 16mm Double Bill featuring THE BEAST FROM 20,000 FATHOMS d. Eugène Lourié, 1953 + EMPIRE OF THE ANTS d. Bert I. Gordon, 1977 presented by Lost Reels at The Cinema Museum (13 MAY 18:00).
  • French Impressions: THE NIGHT OF THE 12TH d. Dominik Moll, 2022 + Intro by Jon Davies at Watermans (13 MAY 13:00).
  • TOKYO STORY d. Yasujirō Ozu, 1953 at ActOne Cinema (13 MAY 14:00 / 14 MAY 14:00).
  • Trevor Mathison: Sounding Images short film programme at Birkbeck Cinema (13 MAY 15:00 – FREE!).

SUNDAY 14 MAY

MONDAY 15 MAY

  • BABYLON d. Damien Chazelle, 2022 at Whirled Cinema (15 MAY 20:00 / 16 MAY 20:00 / 17 MAY 20:00 / 21 MAY 17:00).
  • Art in the Making: THE CASE OF MARCEL DUCHAMP d. David Rowan, 1983 + Intro by BFI National Archive Curator Steven Foxon (15 MAY 18:15).
  • CRIMSON GOLD aka Talaye sorkh d. Jafar Panahi, 2003 presented by Deeper Into Movies at Farr’s Dalston (15 MAY 19:30).
  • MARIA FULL OF GRACE d. Joshua Marston, 2004 presented by Spanish Marks at India Club Lounge-Bar (15 MAY 19:00).
  • UK Premiere: THE OTHER FELLOW d. Matthew Bauer, 2023 + Q&A with cast & crew (15 MAY 19:30).
  • Monday Classic Matinée: THE SEVEN YEAR ITCH d. Billy Wilder, 1955 at Regent Street Cinema (15 MAY 13:00).
  • SHOWGIRLS d. Paul Verhoeven, 1995 presented by Transmissions at Dalston Superstore (15 MAY 19:00).
  • YOUNG SOUL REBELS 4K Restoration d. Isaac Julien, 1991 at Riverside Studios (15 MAY 14:45).

TALKS etc.

TUESDAY 16 MAY

  • BABYLON d. Damien Chazelle, 2022 at Whirled Cinema (16 MAY 20:00 / 17 MAY 20:00 / 21 MAY 17:00).
  • BEANPOLE d. Kantemir Balagov, 2019 + Intro by Dr Jon Hackett, presented by Richmond Film Society at The Exchange (16 MAY 20:00).
  • Preview: BEAU IS AFRAID d. Ari Aster, 2023 at BFI Southbank (16 MAY 19:00).
  • BICYCLE THIEVES d. Vittorio De Sica, 1948 raising funds for STEM4, presented in-venue & online by Sands Films Cinema Club at Sands Film Studios (16 MAY 20:00 – Donation requested!).
  • BRAINWASHED: SEX-CAMERA-POWER d. Nina Menkes, 2022 + Intro by Professor Laura Mulvey at Bertha DocHouse (16 MAY 15:30).
  • DISHONORED d. Josef von Sternberg, 1931 presented by Tufnell Park Film Club at The Lord Palmerston (16 MAY 20:00).
  • ERIC RAVILIOUS: DRAWN TO WAR d. Margy Kinmonth, 2022 + Q&A with the director presented by Wimbledon Film Club at Curzon Wimbledon (16 MAY 20:30).
  • THE HAPPY MAN TREE d. Katy McGahan, part of Urban Trees Festival at The Castle Cinema (16 MAY 18:30).
  • LOVE ACCORDING TO DALVA d. Emmanuelle Nicot, 2022 at The David Lean (16 MAY 19:30).
  • NAKED d. Mike Leigh, 1993 presented by Deeper Into Movies at SET Peckham (16 MAY 19:30).
  • SANS SOLEIL d. Chris Marker, 1983 chosen by poet Jake Shelvey & presented by Electric Frog Film Club at Poster Hauss (16 MAY 19:30 – FREE!).
  • Storming Heaven short film programme + discussion at Close-Up (16 MAY 20:15).
  • TAMPOPO d. Juzo Itami, 1985 at The Garden Cinema (16 MAY 20:30).

WEDNESDAY 17 MAY

  • BABYLON d. Damien Chazelle, 2022 at Whirled Cinema (17 MAY 20:00 / 21 MAY 17:00).
  • THE FIVE DEVILS d. Léa Mysius, 2023 + Intro at Riverside Studios (17 MAY 18:00).
  • THE INVISIBLE MAN: 90th Anniversary d. James Whale, 1933 + Live podcast recording, presented by Evolution of Horror at Regent Street Cinema (17 MAY 20:00).
  • MYSTERY MOVIE d. Who knows? at The Prince Charles (17 MAY 20:30).
  • Ukraine Fundraiser: MY THOUGHTS ARE SILENT d. Antonio Lukich, 2019 + Ukrainian music, cocktails, and stalls at The Garden Cinema (17 MAY 20:00).
  • Western 16mm Double Bill featuring THE WESTBOUND LIMITED d. Emory Johnson, 1923 + THE LAST OUTLAW d. Arthur Rosson, 1927 + Intro by Chris Bird & Live piano accompaniment by Meg Morley & Colin Sell, presented by Kennington Bioscope at The Cinema Museum (17 MAY 19:30).

THURSDAY 18 MAY

  • A Nasty Screening short film programme + Panel discussion presented by Sex and Rage at Close-Up (18 MAY 19:00).
  • Becoming short film programme + Q&A with the filmmakers, presented by Generation 2030 and Red Sea Film Festival Foundation at Rich Mix (18 MAY 19:45).
  • FARHA d. Darin J. Sallam, 2021 presented by The Arab Film Club & Bethlehem Cultural Festival at The Prince Charles (18 MAY 18:00).
  • FLAME OF THE ISLANDS d. Edward Ludwig, 1955 presented by Lobotomy Room at Fontaine’s Bar (18 MAY 20:00 – FREE!).
  • FLEE d. Jonas Poher Rasmussen, 2021 presented by Highgate Film Society at HLSI (18 MAY 19:30).
  • HEAT d. Michael Mann, 1995 at The Cinema in the Power Station (18 MAY 19:45).
  • Pink Palace: KAMIKAZE HEARTS d. Juliet Bashore, 1986 + Intro/discussion in the basement bar at Rio Cinema (18 MAY 19:30).
  • RYE LANE d. Raine Allen-Miller, 2023 at The David Lean (18 MAY 14:30 HOH & 19:30).

16MM SCREENINGS at The Castle Cinema

35MM PRESENTATIONS at The Prince Charles

70MM PRESENTATIONS at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): INTERSTELLAR 70mm d. Christopher Nolan, 2014 (15 MAY 14:25 / 16 MAY 12:15).

IMAX PRESENTATIONS at BFI IMAX

10 YEARS OF A24 at Picturehouse Cinemas

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): THE FLORIDA PROJECT d. Sean Baker, 2017 (12 MAY various / 14 MAY various).

ANIME at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): JUNK HEAD d. Takahide Hori, 2021 (12 MAY 13:00).

ARROW VIDEO CULT FILM at Everyman Screen On The Green

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): OLDBOY aka Oldeuboi d. Park Chan-wook, 2003 (16 MAY 20:45).

AU CONTRAIRE: JEAN-LUC GODARD at Close-Up

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): A FILM LIKE ANY OTHER d. Jean-Luc Godard, 1968 (14 MAY 18:00).

BEN WHEATLEY PRESENTS at Picturehouse Cinemas

  • Includes (check venue for listings): IN THE EARTH d. Ben Wheatley, 2021 (15 MAY various / 17 MAY 20:15 – Fulham Road).

BIG SCREEN CLASSICS: FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION… at BFI Southbank

CELEBRATING QUEER CINEMA at The Garden Cinema 

CHINESE CINEMA PROJECT at The Garden Cinema 

CINEMATIC SORCERESS: THE FILMS OF NINA MENKES at BFI Southbank

THE CINEMA OF WES ANDERSON ON 35MM at Everyman Screen On The Green

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): MOONRISE KINGDOM 35mm d. Wes Anderson, 2012 (13 MAY 22:30 / 17 MAY 10:30).

CINEMA RESTORED at Barbican

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): ONE HAND DON’T CLAP d. Kavery Kaul, 1988 + Q&A with the director (17 MAY 18:15).

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

COUNTDOWN TO OPPENHEIMER at BFI IMAX

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): BATMAN BEGINS IMAX 70mm d. Christopher Nolan, 2005 (14 MAY 11:30 / 18 MAY 20:00).

COURIER CINEMA at Biddle Bros

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): QUICKSILVER d. Thomas Michael Donnelly, 1986 (16 MAY 20:00).
  • Presented by Mondo Nights.

DARIO ARGENTO: DOORS INTO DARKNESS at BFI Southbank

DRESSED TO THRILL: A SERIES OF FILMS EXPLORING DRESS CODE AND GENDER EXPRESSION at The Cinema Museum

ESSENTIAL CINEMA at Close-Up Film Centre

THE FILMS OF MICHAEL MANN at The Prince Charles

THE FILMS OF PAUL THOMAS ANDERSON at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): MAGNOLIA 35mm d. Paul Thomas Anderson, 1999 (14 MAY 17:10 / 17 MAY 14:25).

THE FILMS OF WES ANDERSON at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): RUSHMORE d. Wes Anderson, 1998 (15 MAY 12:00).

FROM THE REQUEST BOARD… at The Prince Charles

FORGOTTEN TELEVISION DRAMA: REDISCOVERING THE HALF-HOUR PLAY at BFI Southbank

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): Women Writers (14 MAY 13:40).

GENA & JOHN at The Prince Charles

GENESIS 24TH BIRTHDAY at Genesis Cinema

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): BUT I’M A CHEERLEADER d. Jamie Babbit, 1999 (12 MAY 18:50); THE HOST d. Bong Joon-ho, 2006 (12 MAY 21:00); 12 ANGRY MEN 35mm d. Sidney Lumet, 1957 (14 MAY 17:30); DAISIES d. Vera Chytilova, 1967 (15 MAY 19:00); HAPPY TOGETHER d. Wong Kar-Wai, 1997 (16 MAY 18:45); GUMMO 35mm d. Harmony Korine, 1997 (16 MAY 21:00); TWILIGHT d. Catherine Hardwicke, 2008 (17 MAY 18:15); PAPRIKA d. Satoshi Kon, 2006 (17 MAY 21:00); A CLOCKWORK ORANGE d. Stanley Kubrick, 1971 + Intro/salon with Nick Walker, presented by Cult Classic Collective (18 MAY 18:05); OLDBOY d. Chan-wook Park, 2003 (18 MAY 21:00).

JOACHIM TRIER’S OSLO TRILOGY at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): OSLO, AUGUST 31ST d. Joachim Trier, 2011 (12 MAY 15:45 / 18 MAY 18:15).

MARILYN MONROE at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for listings): SOME LIKE IT HOT d. Billy Wilder, 1959 (13 MAY 15:15 / 16 MAY 12:45).

MARTIN SCORSESE: THE 90S PICTURES at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for listings): CASINO 35mm d. Martin Scorsese, 1995 (12 MAY 20:15).

MICHELLE YEOH SELECTROSPECTIVE at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for listings): YES, MADAM! d. Corey Yuen, 1985 (12 MAY 18:10).

MUKHRIJAT: ARAB WOMEN FILMMAKERS at The Garden Cinema

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): THE BLUE CAFTAN d. Maryam Touzani, 2022 (until 18 MAY); UNDER THE FIG TREES d. Erige Sehiri, 2021 (12 MAY 19:30 + Q&A with the director);  WAJIB d. Annemarie Jacir, 2017 (13 MAY 17:30 + Q&A with the director / 17 MAY 18:00); Double-bill: BETWEEN HEAVEN AND EARTH d. Najwa Najjar, 2019 (14 MAY 16:15 + Q&A with the director / 18 MAY 20:45) + FADIA’S TREE d. Sarah Beddington, 2022 (14 MAY 18:30).

MURIEL BOX: A WOMAN’S TAKE at BFI Southbank

PERANKH: THE JUNE GIVANNI PANAFRICAN CINEMA ARCHIVE at Raven Row Gallery

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): SAMBIZANGA d. Sarah Maldoror, 1972 + Intro (13 MAY 18:30 – FREE!).

SIGHT & SOUND GREATEST FILMS OF ALL TIME 2022 at Ciné Lumière 

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): #13 – LA RÈGLE DU JEU d. Jean Renoir, 1939 (14 MAY 14:00 / 15 MAY 18:15 / 18 MAY 15:45).

SKIP NORMAN: HERE AND THERE at ICA & Goethe-Institut

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): The DFFB Years (18 MAY 18:45).

SPOTLIGHT ON FEMALE FILMMAKERS at The Prince Charles

THROWBACK SEASON at Everyman Cinemas

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): PULP FICTION d. Quentin Tarantino, 1994 (from 14 MAY various).

WB100 – CELEBRATING EVERY STORY at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for listings): UNFORGIVEN 35mm d. Clint Eastwood, 1992 (14 MAY 12:30 / 15 MAY 20:45).

WES-TROSPECTIVE at Picturehouse Cinemas

THE WORLD OF WONG KAR WAI at The Prince Charles

WUXIA SELECTROSPECTIVE at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): A TOUCH OF SIN d. Zhang-Ke Jia, 2013 (18 MAY 12:30).

ROOFTOP FILM CLUB at Bussey Building

ROOFTOP FILM CLUB at Roof East

BRAINWASHED: SEX-CAMERA-POWER dir Nina Menkes, 2022

Various venues, inc: ArtHouse Crouch End / Bertha DocHouse / BFI / Ciné Lumière / Curzon Cinemas / Genesis Cinema / ICA / Picturehouse Cinemas

THE EIGHT MOUNTAINS aka Le otto montagne dir Felix van Groeningen & Charlotte Vandermeersch, 2022

Various venues, inc: ActOne Cinema / ArtHouse Crouch End / Barbican / BFI / The Castle Cinema / Chiswick Cinema / Ciné Lumière / Curzon Cinemas / ICA / Picturehouse Cinemas / Rio Cinema

PLAN 75 dir Chie Hayakawa, 2022

Various venues, inc: Barbican / The Castle Cinema / Curzon Cinemas / Genesis Cinema / Regent Street Cinema

Also 12 to 18 MAY (various dates/times):

RADIANT CIRCUS is powered by monthly subscribers. Get great rewards & help #ReviveTheDark. JOIN US!

*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. //.