This is a film still from MEKONG HOTEL d. Apichatpong Weerasethakul, 2012.

SCREEN GUIDE: What’s on in London this week [21 to 27 JAN 2022]

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 here we go again with changes to COVID-19 regulations, by which I mean the announced death of Plan B on 26 JAN. Our bellwether venue, The Prince Charles, has confirmed they will be dropping their ‘proof of COVID-19 status’ requirement and seating restrictions from this date. Despite considerable support from their hugely loyal audience, they’ve also come under attack from some for their stance so far. As I stated in my comment on their IG update: “As many others have said, no need to apologise for anything. Your venue, your hospitality, your duty of care, your rules. Profound respect to all indie cinema crews for seeing this journey through (&, of course, best wishes for any further bumps along the road…). RCx”

In a similar vein, The Cinema Museum reopens this week after a temporary period of closure due to the pre-Christmas COVID situation. Tours of their fascinating venue and collections will still not restart before February 2022 but you can sample two on-screen delights this week: Women & Cocaine’s celebration of Barbara Stanwyck, LADIES THEY TALK ABOUT (22 JAN); and, Musical Sunday’s presentation of GYPSY in tribute to Stephen Sondheim (23 JAN).

In specialist cinema events, it’s interesting to note that there are considerably more ‘in-person’ Q&As and panel discussions this week than in recent times, which is probably a sign that the industry is picking up pace after so much pain. I can’t think of a better way to start your screen week than by going to see Benedict Cumberbatch introduce Jane Campion’s extraordinary THE POWER OF THE DOG at Curzon Soho (21 JAN), but you’ll find your own avenues to explore I’m sure. Also of considerable note is BFI’s epic presentation of the digitally remastered SOUTH: SIR ERNEST SHACKLETON’S GLORIOUS EPIC OF THE ANTARCTIC, screening at BFI IMAX with a live performance of Neil Brand’s new score performed by the Covent Garden Sinfonia (27 JAN).

Film Clubs seem to be on the march too. Joining those already mentioned, T A P E Collective starts their new Nolly Nights at Peckham Levels (22 JAN), Ciné-Real 16mm Film Club pays tribute to Peter Bogdanovich with three scheduled screenings of PAPER MOON from 16mm at The Castle (23, 26 & 30 JAN), and Balkans, Burek, Booze, Books concludes their run of free film events at Morocco Bound with 4 MONTHS, 3 WEEKS & 2 DAYS (25 JAN). On the same evening, Tufnell Park Film Club celebrates Burns Night with a rearranged screening of Bill Forsyth’s COMFORT & JOY, which comes packaged with a special guest, actor Bill Paterson (25 JAN). Keeping Tuesday night busy, Wimbledon Film Club presents another Members’ Choice title, Maria Schrader’s I’M YOUR MAN at Curzon Wimbledon, and New East Cinema presents a special screening of COURAGE including a Q&A with the director and the leaders of Belarus Free Theatre at Barbican (both 25 JAN).

There are a few films screening for Holocaust Memorial Day this year (27 JAN), including Newham Community Cinema’s special presentation of THE CHAMPION OF AUSCHWITZ, LOVE IT WAS NOT at JW3, and TACHELES – THE HEART OF THE MATTER at Goethe-Institut London (which is also available to stream online and will be followed on 28 JAN by an online Q&A with co-director Jana Matthes and subject of the film, Yaar Harell). Not officially linked on their website, but the BFI’s Experimenta strand is also showing The Surviving Films of Franciszka and Stefan Themerson, featuring their “legendary anti-fascist film EUROPA (1931), looted by the Nazis, recently discovered in the Bundesarchiv, Berlin and screened publicly for the first time in nearly 90 years in the 2021 London Film Festival” alongside three other of their works (27 JAN).

In festivals, London Short Film Festival continues to hold focus until 23 JAN and has been joined by Syrian Arts & Cultural Festival (20 JAN to 04 FEB). London International Mime Festival at Barbican (25 JAN to 05 FEB) and Night Of Ideas at Ciné Lumière (27 JAN) follow later in the week with film screenings dotted amongst their programs. To get you in the mood, Ciné Lumière also runs a short film season called, appropriately enough, BEFORE THE NIGHT.

I’ve highlighted Kenneth Branagh’s BELFAST, Matthew Fifer and Kieran Mulcare’s CICADA, and Guillermo del Toro’s NIGHTMARE ALLEY as my new releases of the week, but, amongst several other treasures, you can also enjoy extended runs of Wong Kar Wai’s 2046 at The Prince Charles and Joanna Hogg’s THE SOUVENIR across the Picturehouse chain this week. See GRIND SHOWS for full details.

Returning to COVID-19, I’ve been at home isolating with the virus for the last 10 days, so have missed a good chunk of new cinema… Please therefore forgive my repeat focus on one of my favourite filmmakers as I make 3+3: A PROJECT CURATED BY APICHATPONG WEERASETHAKUL at ICA (22 to 30 JAN) my Featured Attraction Of The Week (and my priority for getting back in the darkness…).

This short season of films handpicked by the director is both a celebration of his latest work – MEMORIA, which I’ve still not seen thanks to the virus – and an exploration of what makes the filmmaker tick, pairing three of his own with three films from other makers. Some of Weerasethakul’s early works are undergoing restoration, but it’s hard to complain about the choices on offer here: UNCLE BOONMEE… from 35mm, CEMETERY OF SPLENDOUR , and the rarely screened MEKONG HOTEL. All of the companion titles are equally essential: Jacques Tourneur’s I WALKED WITH A ZOMBIE, Francis Ford Coppola’s THE CONVERSATION, and mystery film PURE BLOOD (well, it’s a mystery to Weerasethakul, as he hasn’t seen it yet…).

See you in the darkness, and stay safe.

Richard // RADIANT CIRCUS

3+3: A PROJECT CURATED BY APICHATPONG WEERASETHAKUL at ICA

FRIDAY 21 JAN

  • Woman With A Movie Camera: AMULET d. Romola Garai, 2020 + Q&A with the writer-director at BFI Southbank (21 JAN 18:00).
  • FILMFARSI d. Ehsan Khoshbakht, 2019 + Intro with the director at Close-Up (21 JAN 20:15).
  • HOSTILE d. Sonita Gale, 2021 + Q&A with the director at Picturehouse Finsbury Park (21 JAN 19:00).
  • NIGHTMARE ALLEY d. Guillermo del Toro, 2021 immersive cinema experience at Everyman Screen On The Green (21 JAN 19:00 / 22 JAN 19:00 / 23 JAN 19:00).
  • THE POWER OF THE DOG d. Jane Campion, 2021 + Intro by Benedict Cumberbatch at Curzon Soho (21 JAN 18:15).
  • RADIOGRAPH OF A FAMILY d. Firouzeh Khosrovani, 2021 + Recorded Q&A with the director at Bertha DocHouse (21 JAN 18:20).

SATURDAY 22 JAN

ONLINE

  • French Impressions: LOLA AND THE SEA aka Lola vers la mer d. Laurent Micheli, 2019 online discussion of the film with Jon Davies from Watermans (22 JAN 14:30 – Watch film in advance).

SUNDAY 23 JAN

  • THE 400 BLOWS 4K Restoration aka Les Quatre cents coups d. François Truffaut, 1959 at Riverside Studios (23 JAN 14:00 / 26 JAN 14:40).
  • THE 400 BLOWS 4K Restoration aka Les Quatre cents coups d. François Truffaut, 1959 at Olympic Studios (23 JAN 14:20 / 25 JAN 18:30 / 27 JAN 13:00).
  • Sidney Poitier Double Bill: GUESS WHO’S COMING TO DINNER + IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT d. Stanley Kramer, 1967 + Norman Jewison, 1967 at Kino Bermondsey (23 JAN 15:30).
  • GYPSY d. Mervyn LeRoy, 1962 presented by Musical Sunday at The Cinema Museum (23 JAN 14:00).
  • HOSTILE d. Sonita Gale, 2021 + Q&A with the director at Rio Cinema (23 JAN 17:45).
  • JAWS d. Steven Sielberg, 1975 + Q&A with Ian Shaw, writer of The Shark Is Broken & son of Robert Shaw (Quint) at Picturehouse Central (23 JAN 17:30).
  • THE KING OF LAUGHTER d. Mario Martone, 2021 presented by CinemaItaliaUK at Riverside Studios (23 JAN 15:00).
  • NIGHTMARE ALLEY d. Guillermo del Toro, 2021 immersive cinema experience at Everyman Screen On The Green (23 JAN 19:00).
  • PAPER MOON 16mm d. Peter Bogdanovich, 1973 presented by Ciné-Real 16mm Film Club at The Castle Cinema (23 JAN 13:00 – socially distanced / 26 JAN 19:30 / 30 JAN 14:00).
  • PARALLEL MOTHERS aka Madres paralelas d. Pedro Almodóvar, 2021 preview at ICA (23 JAN 18:30).
  • SUPERNOVA d. Harry Macqueen, 2020 at Whirled Cinema (23 JAN 17:00).

MONDAY 24 JAN

TALKS

TUESDAY 25 JAN

  • 4 MONTHS, 3 WEEKS & 2 DAYS aka 4 luni, 3 saptamâni si 2 zile d. Cristian Mungiu, 2007 presented by Balkans, Burek, Booze, Books at Morocco Bound (25 JAN 19:00 – FREE!).
  • THE 400 BLOWS 4K Restoration aka Les Quatre cents coups d. François Truffaut, 1959 at Olympic Studios (25 JAN 18:30 / 27 JAN 13:00).
  • AMULET d. Romola Garai, 2020 + Q&A with the writer-director at Picturehouse Finsbury Park (25 JAN 19:30).
  • THE BREADWINNER d. Nora Twomey, 2017 at Whirled Cinema (25 JAN 20:00 / 26 JAN 20:00 / 30 JAN 17:00).
  • COMFORT & JOY d. Bill Forsyth, 1984 + Special guest actor Bill Paterson presented by Tufnell Park Film Club for Burns Night at The Lord Palmerston (25 JAN 20:00).
  • COURAGE d. Aliaksei Paluyan, 2021 + Q&A with the director + Nicolai Khalezin & Natalia Kaliada of Belarus Free Theatre presented by New East Cinema at Barbican (25 JAN 20:45).
  • EASTERN d. Piotr Adamski, 2019 in-venue screening at Watermans (25 JAN 19:00 – Followed by an online discussion of the film with Michael Brooke (26 JAN 20:00).
  • I’M YOUR MAN d. Maria Schrader, 2021 presented by Wimbledon Film Club at Curzon Wimbledon (25 JAN 20:30).
  • MULHOLLAND DRIVE: 20th Anniversary d. David Lynch, 2001 at Genesis Cinema (25 JAN 20:45).
  • PETITE MAMAN d. Céline Sciamma, 2021 at The David Lean Cinema (25 JAN 19:30 / 27 JAN 14:30 & 19:30).

WEDNESDAY 26 JAN

THURSDAY 27 JAN

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’ (25 JAN 20:10).

3+3: A PROJECT CURATED BY APICHATPONG WEERASETHAKUL at ICA

007 SEASON at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE d. Terence Young, 1963 (22 JAN 15:00 / 26 JAN 13:00).

1982 SEASON at The Prince Charles

ANIME at The Prince Charles

ANNIVERSARY SCREENINGS at The Prince Charles

BEFORE THE NIGHT at Ciné Lumière

  • Includes (check venue for full listings)MEMORY BOX d. Joana Hadjithomas & Khalil Joreige, 2021 (21 JAN 19:15 + Q&A with the directors / 22 JAN 16:00 / 24 JAN 18:25); SECRETS & LIES d. Mike Leigh, 1996 + Q&A with the director (22 JAN 16:15); FLEE d. Jonas Poher Rasmussen, 2021 + Free drawing workshop with artist Caroline Burraway (22 JAN 14:00); THE LIGHTHOUSE aka Mayak d. Maria Saakyan, 2006 (23 JAN 15:45); TAMING THE GARDEN d. Salomé Jashi, 2021 + Zoom Q&A (24 JAN 18:15); THE VELVET QUEEN aka La Panthère des neiges d. Marie Amiguet & Vincent Munier, 2021 + Intro with writer Sylvain Tesson (25 JAN 18:15).

BIG SCREEN CLASSICS: THE FILMS IN TRUFFAUT’S LIFE at BFI Southbank

BLACK & WHITE MOVIES at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH d. Joel Coen, 2021 (22 JAN 12:00 / 24 JAN 20:30 / 25 JAN 12:45 & 18:15 / 26 JAN 12:00 / 27 JAN 12:30); CITY LIGHTS d. Charles Chaplin, 1931 (22 JAN 12:45); LA HAINE d. Mathieu Kassovitz, 1995 (23 JAN 18:10).

BOWIE: STARMAN & THE SILVER SCREEN at BFI Southbank 

CHER ON SCREEN at The Prince Charles

CHINESE NEW YEAR at BFI Southbank

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): AN AUTUMN’S TALE 4K d. Mabel Cheung, 1987 + Intro (25 JAN 20:15).

CONCERT FILMS at Riverside Studios

DENIS VILLENEUVE: IN REVERSE at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): DUNE d. Denis Villeneuve, 2021 (22 JAN 17:25 / 26 JAN 14:30 / 27 JAN 13:15).

THE FILMS OF PAUL THOMAS ANDERSON at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): LICORICE PIZZA 35mm d. Paul Thomas Anderson, 2021 (21 JAN to 10 FEB).

THE FILMS OF QUENTIN TARANTINO at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): RESERVOIR DOGS d. Quentin Tarantino, 1992 (21 JAN 15:45 & 18:00).

FRANÇOIS TRUFFAUT: FOR THE LOVE OF FILMS at BFI Southbank

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): The Renoir Truffaut: THE LAST METRO aka Le Dernier métro d. François Truffaut, 1980 (21 JAN 17:50 / 22 JAN 20:30 / 26 JAN 20:30); UNE BELLE FILLE COMME MOI aka A Gorgeous Kid Like Me (22 JAN 18:10); L’ENFANT SAUVAGE aka The Wild Child d. François Truffaut, 1970 (24 JAN 18:10); THE MAN WHO LOVED WOMEN aka L’ Homme qui aimait les femmes d. François Truffaut, 1977 (24 JAN 20:40); DAY FOR NIGHT aka La Nuit américaine d. François Truffaut, 1973 (25 JAN 20:45).
  • The Antoine Doinel cycle: THE 400 BLOWS 4K aka Les Quatre cents coups d. François Truffaut, 1959 (21 JAN 20:45 / 22 JAN 20:35 / 23 JAN 13:00 / 24 JAN 18:05 / 26 JAN 20:45 / 27 JAN 20:50); STOLEN KISSES 4K + ANTOINE ET COLETTE 4K + d. François Truffaut, 1962 + 1968 (23 JAN 15:30).

FRANÇOIS TRUFFAUT REVISITED at Ciné Lumière

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): THE 400 BLOWS aka Les Quatre cents coups d. François Truffaut, 1959 (22 JAN 20:45); LOVE ON THE RUN aka L’Amour en fuite d. François Truffaut, 1979 (23 JAN 14:00 / 25 JAN 18:25).

FROM THE MIND OF PAUL SCHRADERat The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): TAXI DRIVER 35mm d. Martin Scorsese, 1976 (22 JAN 20:30).

JONAS MEKAS 100! at Close-Up

MOVIE MARATHONS at The Prince Charles

NORA EPHRON at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): HEARTBURN d. Mike Nichols, 1986 (24 JAN 18:10).

STUDIO GHIBLI FOREVER at The Prince Charles

TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH at BFI Southbank

THE WORLD OF WONG KAR WAI at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for listings): 2046 4K d. Wong Kar Wai, 2004 (21 to 27 JAN various); IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE d. Wong Kar Wai, 2000 (23 JAN 18:25).

CICADA d. Matthew Fifer & Kieran Mulcare, 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. //.