SCREEN GUIDE: What’s on in London this week [22 to 28 APR 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

Book now for the next screening event supported by #ReviveTheDark, RADIANT CIRCUS’ audience-backed campaign for distinctive/DIY cinema! Sonic Cinema presents AUSTRIAN SYNAESTHETIC CINEMA at Cafe OTO (06 MAY 20:00).

Welcome to another screen week! Don’t forget to collect your free badges on your way through the foyer…

This week’s programme of indie special events and film clubs gets started with the West London Queer Project sharing THE ADVENTURES OF PRISCILLA, QUEEN OF THE DESERT at Chiswick Cinema, and Deeper Into Movies giving a free screening of Betsey Brown’s ACTORS at the recently reopened Rio Cinema (both 22 APR). Kennington Bioscope Silent Laughter Weekend takes over the weekend at The Cinema Museum (23 to 24 APR), but if tragedy is more your thing, No Bollocks Film Club presents THRONE OF BLOOD at The Castle Cinema to celebrate the day of Shakespeare’s birth (23 APR). Queer Film Club presents Katie Found’s MY FIRST SUMMER at the London LGBTQ+ Community Centre (also 23 APR). Sunday sees more spinning reels from Ciné-Real 16mm Film Club with EAST OF EDEN 16mm at The Castle, and there’s a special screening and podcast recording of SWEENEY TODD, THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET from 1936 with British movie expert Jade Evans joining the hosts as part of the Kino Quickies strand at Kino Bermondsey (both 24 APR).

Monday’s a little quieter, but the Ukraine Fundraiser screening of HOMEWARD at The Lexi deserves support, and Deeper Into Movies presents SUMMER OF SOUL at Farr’s Dalston (both 25 APR). Your choices on Tuesday include The Evolution Of Horror podcast launching their new regular film programme at Genesis Cinema with ERASERHEAD (join your hosts for drinks in the bar beforehand!), and Tufnell Park Film Club’s screening of THE KILLING OF A SACRED DEER at The Lord Palmerston (both 26 APR). 4/26 is Alien Day, celebrated with both ALIEN and ALIENS at The Prince Charles and Picturehouse Cinemas in a variety of single screenings and double bills.

On Wednesday, Charmaine Simpson of Black History Studies will be leading a discussion after Kara Lynch’s film BLACK RUSSIANS at The Lexi, and new film club Film Rage presents Maria Beatty’s SPIT AND ASHES at Babel Art House (both 27 APR). You can wrap your week with BLACK ORPHEUS at Highgate Film Society (followed the next day by an online discussion), or a free screening of SORRY TO BOTHER YOU by Left Culture Club at Aelita Books (28 APR). On the same day, BFI presents a RADIANT CIRCUS favourite, Tobe Hooper’s THE FUNHOUSE, as part of their Terror Vision strand, and there’s a lavishly produced screening of TWO NUDES BATHING by Sir John Boorman at Curzon Mayfair with a plethora of special guests (both 28 APR).

Encore screenings of CODA continue with two special events of note this week: Emilia Jones appears for a BSL interpreted Q&A at Olympic Studios (23 APR), and DeafWatch and partners present a full line up of BSL interpreted performance, Q&A and a Deaf Rave at Genesis Cinema (28 APR).

This is the week that the GENESIS 23RD BIRTHDAY celebratory season gets underway on the Mile End Road. They’re projecting a whole season of films released since 1999 – including some from 35mm – that will only cost you a cost-of-living dial-back £2.50. Some concession stand and bar prices have been discounted too… Elsewhere, BFI’s ANIME season takes to the biggest of screens with GHOST IN THE SHELL and BELLE appearing at the BFI IMAX (both 25 APR) before giving you a chance to see PATLABOR and PATLABOR 2 back at the NFT (both 28 APR). Picturehouse Crouch End joins NIGEL KNEALE: A CENTENARY CELEBRATION with an excellent day of screenings and talks (23 APR).

In this week’s new releases, Audrey Diwan’s HAPPENING, Bruce LaBruce’s SAINT-NARCISSE (which also gets a video Q&A with the director at the ICA on Friday 22 APR), and Tom Gormican’s THE UNBEARABLE WEIGHT OF MASSIVE TALENT all caught my eye. I made the error of embracing four titles that I really wanted to see last week, and only got to see one, THE NORTHMAN. So all bets are off this week…

I’ve chosen the Bird’s Eye View and UK Jewish Film collaborative screening of Joan Micklin Silver’s HESTER STREET at Curzon Mayfair (24 APR) as my Featured Attraction of the Week.

See you in the darkness, and stay safe.

Richard // RADIANT CIRCUS

#QueerHorrorNights returns with David Freyne’s THE CURED (2017) at The Castle Cinema (15 MAY 14:00) / Booking now!

HESTER STREET d. Joan Micklin Silver, 1975 + Intro by Cristina Garcia + Zoom Q&A with production designer Stuart Wurtzel, Dr. Julia Wagner & Peter Bradshaw presented by UK Jewish Film & Birds’ Eye View at Curzon Mayfair (24 APR 15:00).

“A romantic film based on Abraham Cahan’s 1896 novella Yekl: A Tale of the New York Ghetto, this is a new 4K restoration from the original negative of Joan Micklin Silver’s theatrical feature debut. Gitl (Carol Kane in her Academy Award nominated role) and her son arrive on the lower East side of New York in 1896 to join her husband Jake (Steven Keats). While Jake, who has a job in a sweatshop and an English-speaking girlfriend, has completely embraced America, Gitl clings to her old country ways. Jake is embarrassed to be seen with her as he struggles to assimilate by shedding his ethnic heritage. Gitl finds a way to become victor instead of victim.” (Birds’ Eye View)

FRIDAY 22 APR

  • ACTORS d. Betsey Brown, 2021 presented by Deeper Into Movies at Rio Cinema (22 APR 23:30 – FREE!).
  • THE ADVENTURES OF PRISCILLA, QUEEN OF THE DESERT d. Stephan Elliot, 1994 presented by West London Queer Project at Chiswick Cinema (22 APR 21:00).
  • AMAZING GRACE d. Alan Elliott, 2018 at The Garden Cinema (22 APR 20:30).
  • KNOCKABOUT d. Sammo Hung, 1979 + Short: COWBOY BEBOP d. Josh Mabie, 2021 + Computer Fighting Games & DJ presented by Drunken Scorpion at Genesis Cinema (22 APR 20:00).
  • PLAYGROUND d. Laura Wandel, 2021 + Q&A with the director at Curzon Bloomsbury (22 APR 18:20).
  • SAINT-NARCISSE d. Bruce LaBruce, 2020 + Zoom Q&A with the director at ICA (22 APR 18:30) / Also gets a regular run at the same venue until 27 APR.
  • TONIGHT’S HOMEWORK d. Ashkan Nejati & Mehran Nematollahi, 2021 + Zoom Q&A with the directors at Bertha DocHouse (22 APR 18:00).

SATURDAY 23 APR

  • CODA d. Sian Header, 2021 captioned in English + BSL interpreted Q&A with actor Emilia Jones at Olympic Studios (23 APR 20:20).
  • COMPARTMENT NO.6 d. Juho Kuosmanen, 2021 + Q&A with the director at Curzon Soho (23 APR 17:40).
  • Double-bill: Curse of the Mummies featuring DAWN OF THE MUMMY d. Frank Agrama, 1981 + THE MUMMY’S REVENGE d. Carlos Aured, 1975 presented by World Wide Weird to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support at The King & Queen (23 APR 17:00).
  • THE DUKE d. Roger Michell, 2020 at The David Lean (23 APR 14:00).
  • HANCOCK’S HALF HOUR Triple Bill + Introduction In association with The Tony Hancock Appreciation Society at Riverside Studios (23 APR 14:00).
  • THE HANDMAIDEN: DIRECTOR’S CUT d. Park Chan-Wook, 2016 at The Prince Charles (23 APR 20:30).
  • Kennington Bioscope Silent Laughter Weekend at The Cinema Museum (23 to 24 APR).
  • MY FIRST SUMMER d. Katie Found, 2020 presented by Queer Film Club at London LGBTQ+ Community Centre (23 APR 16:00 / Donation requested).
  • NIGEL KNEALE: A CENTENARY CELEBRATION a day of screenings & talks at Picturehouse Crouch End (23 APR 11:00).
  • THRONE OF BLOOD d. Akira Kurosawa, 1957 presented by No Bollocks Film Club at The Castle Cinema (23 APR 14:00).

ONLINE

  • French Impressions: Online discussion of PARIS, 13TH DISTRICT aka Les Olympiades, Paris 13e d. Jacques Audiard, 2021 with Jon Davies at Watermans (23 APR 14:30 – Watch film beforehand!).

SUNDAY 24 APR

  • THE 400 BLOWS aka Les Quatre Cents Coups d. François Truffaut, 1959 at Regent Street Cinema (24 APR 13:40 / 27 APR 17:15 / 28 APR 14:45).
  • DR. NO d. Terence Young, 1962 at Olympic Studios (24 APR 13:30).
  • EAST OF EDEN 16mm d. Elia Kazan, 1955 presented by Ciné-Real 16mm Film Club at The Castle Cinema (24 APR 14:00 / 28 APR 19:30).
  • HESTER STREET d. Joan Micklin Silver, 1975 + Intro by Cristina Garcia + Zoom Q&A with production designer Stuart Wurtzel, Dr. Julia Wagner & Peter Bradshaw presented by UK Jewish Film & Birds’ Eye View at Curzon Mayfair (24 APR 15:00).
  • HOSTILE d. Sonita Gale, 2022 + Q&A with the director at Phoenix Cinema (24 APR 15:00).
  • Kennington Bioscope Silent Laughter Weekend at The Cinema Museum (23 to 24 APR).
  • LOLA AND THE SEA aka Lola vers la mer d. Laurent Micheli, 2019 at Whirled Cinema (24 APR 17:00).
  • MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS d. Vincente Minnelli, 1944 at Riverside Studios (24 APR 14:00 / 27 APR 12:10).
  • OPERATION MINCEMEAT d. John Madden, 2022 + Q&A with Imperial War Museum Senior Curator, Dr Toby Haggith at Riverside Studios (24 APR 17:00).
  • REBEL DREAD d. William E. Badgley, 2020 at Electric Cinemas (24 APR 13:30).
  • REBELLION d. Maia Kenworthy & Elena Sánchez Bellot, 2021 + Intro/Q&A presented by Extinction Rebellion Brent at The Lexi Cinema (24 APR 15:00).
  • SILENT RUNNING d. Douglas Trumbull, 1972 at The Prince Charles (24 APR 18:05 / 27 APR 15:40).
  • SWEENEY TODD, THE DEMON BARBER OF FLEET STREET d. George King, 1936 + Q&A with Jade Evans + Podcast recording by Kino Quickies at Kino Bermondsey (24 APR 13:30).
  • Two Films by Latin American Women in London short film programme presented by Latinidad LDN at Peckhamplex (24 APR 16:00).

MONDAY 25 APR

TALKS etc.

TUESDAY 26 APR

  • ALI & AVA d. Clio Barnard, 2021 at The David Lean (26 APR 19:30).
  • CODA d. Sian Heder, 2021 at The David Lean (26 APR 14:30).
  • CRIES & WHISPERS aka Viskningar och rop d. Ingmar Bergman, 1972 at Phoenix Cinema (26 APR 18:00).
  • ERASERHEAD d. David Lynch, 1977 + Pre-screening drinks + Intro by The Evolution Of Horror podcast at Genesis Cinema (26 APR 19:30).
  • GASLIGHT d. George Cukor, 1944 at The Garden Cinema (25 APR 18:00 / 26 APR 20:45).
  • INTO ETERNITY d. Michael Madsen, 2010 presented in-venue & on-line by Sands Films Cinema Club at Sans Films Studios (26 APR 20:00 / Donation requested!).
  • THE KILLING OF A SACRED DEER d. Yorgos Lanthimos, 2017 presented by Tufnell Park Film Club at The Lord Palmerston (26 APR 20:00).
  • MEMORIA d. Apichatpong Weerasethakul, 2021 at Close-Up Centre (26 APR 20:00).
  • WEST SIDE STORY d. Steven Spielberg, 2021 at Whirled Cinema (26 APR 20:00 / 27 APR 20:00 / 01 MAY 17:00).
  • YOUR MUM AND DAD d. Klaartje Quirijns, 2019 + Q&A with the director at Curzon Soho (26 APR 18:20).

ALIEN DAY

WEDNESDAY 27 APR

  • THE 400 BLOWS aka Les Quatre Cents Coups d. François Truffaut, 1959 at Regent Street Cinema (27 APR 17:15 / 28 APR 14:45).
  • BLACK RUSSIANS d. Kara Lynch, 2001 + Discussion with Charmaine Simpson presented by Black History Studies at The Lexi Cinema (27 APR 17:45).
  • CASABLANCA BEATS d. Nabil Ayouch, 2021 + Panel discussion at Curzon Hoxton (27 APR 18:20).
  • CITY OF GOD d. Fernando Meirelles, 2002 at Olympic Studios (27 APR 20:40).
  • GREAT FREEDOM d. Sebastian Meise, 2021 at Goethe-Institut London (27 APR 19:00).
  • MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS d. Vincente Minnelli, 1944 at Riverside Studios (27 APR 12:10).
  • THE PHANTOM OF THE OPEN d. Craig Roberts, 2021 at The David Lean (27 APR 19:30 / 28 APR 14:30 & 19:30).
  • SILENT RUNNING d. Douglas Trumbull, 1972 at The Prince Charles (27 APR 15:40).
  • SPIT AND ASHES d. Maria Beatty, 2019 presented by Film Rage at Babel Art House (27 APR 19:00).
  • WEST SIDE STORY d. Steven Spielberg, 2021 at Whirled Cinema (27 APR 20:00 / 01 MAY 17:00).

THURSDAY 28 APR

  • THE 400 BLOWS aka Les Quatre Cents Coups d. François Truffaut, 1959 at Regent Street Cinema (28 APR 14:45).
  • BLACK ORPHEUS d. Marcel Camus, 1959 presented by Highgate Film Society at Highgate Literary & Scientific Institution (28 APR 20:00) / Followed by an online discussion (29 APR 17:00).
  • CODA d. Sian Header, 2021 captioned in English + Live performance + BSL interpreted Q&A with Priscilla Igwe & guest speakers + Deaf Rave presented by DeafWatch & 888 Film Club at Genesis Cinema (28 APR 18:00).
  • EAST OF EDEN 16mm d. Elia Kazan, 1955 presented by Ciné-Real 16mm Film Club at The Castle Cinema (28 APR 19:30).
  • Terror Vision: THE FUNHOUSE d. Tobe Hooper, 1981 at BFI Southbank (28 APR 21:00).
  • MAMBO MAN d. Edesio Alejandro & Mo Fini, 2020 + Live music + Q&A with Mo Fini at The Ritzy (28 APR 18:30).
  • THE PHANTOM OF THE OPEN d. Craig Roberts, 2021 at The David Lean (28 APR 14:30 & 19:30).
  • SORRY TO BOTHER YOU d. Boots Riley, 2018 presented by Left Culture Club at Aelita Books (28 APR 19:00 – FREE!).
  • TWO NUDES BATHING By Sir John Boorman + Live medieval music from Juliette Caton, Angeline Ball & Jocelyn West + Extended Q&A with actor Charley Boorman, Seamus Deasy (director of photography) & David Wachs (producer) at Curzon Mayfair (28 APR 18:15).
  • Visual Viscera: Embodied Subjectives short film programme selected by Associate Artist Abbas Zahedi at Barbican (28 APR 18:30).
  • YOJI YAMADA’S SAMURAI TRILOGY at The Calder Bookshop & Theatre SE1 (28 APR 19:00 – Donation requested!).

35MM PRESENTATIONS at The Prince Charles

70MM PRESENTATIONS at The Prince Charles

007 SEASON at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): FOR YOUR EYES ONLY d. John Glen, 1981 (23 APR 15:10 4K / 28 APR 15:15 4K).

ANIME at BFI Southbank

ANIME at The Prince Charles

BARBRA STREISAND STRAND [A STREIS-STRAND, IF YOU WILL] at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): FUNNY GIRL 35mm d. William Wyler, 1968 (27 APR 20:05).

BEST OF CÉSAR at Ciné Lumière

BIG SCREEN CLASSICS: A QUESTION OF FAITH at BFI Southbank

BLACK & WHITE MOVIES at The Prince Charles

CELEBRATING MARLON BRANDO at The Garden Cinema

CLOSE-UP ON JOHN CASSAVETES at Close-Up

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): A WOMAN UNDER THE INFLUENCE d. John Cassavetes, 1974 (22 APR 20:00); SHADOWS d. John Cassavetes, 1959 (23 APR 18:15); OPENING NIGHT d. John Cassavetes, 1977 (23 APR 20:00); FACES d. John Cassavetes, 1968 (24 APR 17:45).

ESSENTIAL CINEMA at Close-Up

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): 8½ d. Federico Fellini, 1963 (28 APR 20:00).

GENESIS 23RD BIRTHDAY at Genesis Cinema

THE GOLDEN AGE OF FRENCH CINEMA at The Garden Cinema

IN FOCUS: ROSINE MBAKAM at ICA

JOACHIM TRIER’S OSLO TRILOGY at ICA 

JOACHIM TRIER’S OSLO TRILOGY at The Prince Charles 

LETTERBOXD HIGH RISERS at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): DEEP COVER 35mm d. Bill Duke, 1992 (22 APR 18:00).

LIV ULLMANN: FACE TO FACE at BFI Southbank

NIGHTMARES AND DAYDREAMS: A CENTENARY CELEBRATION OF SCREENWRITER NIGEL KNEALE at BFI Southbank

PAUL VERHOEVEN 35MM LATE NIGHTS at Everyman Screen On The Green

  • Includes (check venue for listings): SHOWGIRLS 35mm d. Paul Verhoeven, 1995 (23 APR 22:30 / 27 APR 10:30).

PRE-CODE HOLLYWOOD at The Prince Charles 

  • Includes (check venue for listings): SCARFACE d. Howard Hawks, 1932 (22 APR 13:15 4K / 27 APR 18:00).

SCREWBALL COMEDY at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): HIS GIRL FRIDAY d. Howard Hawks, 1940 (23 APR 12:45).

SEASCAPES: OUR OCEANS ON SCREEN at Ciné Lumière

  • Includes (check venue for listings): LE GRAND BLEU d. Luc Besson, 1988 (24 APR 14:00 / 27 APR 19:30); MURINA d. Antoneta Alamat Kusijanović, 2021 (25 APR 20:15).

STANLEY KUBRICK ON FILM at The Prince Charles

THREE BY SATYAJIT RAY at The Prince Charles 

  • Includes (check venue for listings): THE MUSIC ROOM aka Jalsaghar d. Satyajit Ray, 1958 (28 APR 18:15).

HAPPENING dir. Audrey Diwan, 2021:

SAINT-NARCISSE dir. Bruce LaBruce, 2020:

  • Various venues, inc: ICA

THE UNBEARABLE WEIGHT OF MASSIVE TALENT dir. Tom Gormican, 2021:

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. //.