This is a film still from TRAILERS dir Jasmine Hirst, 2006, part of The Celluloid Body - Women’s Artist Films at the Limit at Whitechapel Gallery (30 MAR 2023).

SCREEN GUIDE: What’s on in London this week [24 to 30 MAR 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

BAR TRASH presents… TRASH OR TREASURE? Resurrecting “The Worst Films of All Time” – BOOKING NOW!

Welcome to another screen week!

There are some great looking special events from indie exhibitors this week. Head down to The Cinema Museum on Friday for a gloopy creature double feature from The Gothique Film Society, X THE UNKNOWN + CALTIKI, THE IMMORTAL MONSTER (24 MAR). On Saturday, local community film club Talkies premiere their Short Film Commissions, or you could see Paul Heintz introduce his fascinating film CHARACTER c/o Storming Heaven at Close-Up (both 25 MAR).

On Sunday, Women & Cocaine continue their exemplary programming with Tod Browning’s FREAKS at The Cinema Museum, whilst film expert Michael Brooke gives another of his regular Polish Film Talks before THEIR BODIES aka Na Twoim Miejscu at Watermans. I’ll be screening juvenile delinquent melodrama HIGH SCHOOL CONFIDENTIAL! over brunch at Rule Zero before heading across town to see the LSO provide a live score for THINGS TO COME at Barbican (all 26 MAR). Just remember that the clocks go forward…

Trans-majority film club Transmissions wraps their collab with guest curator Nat Funni on Monday with BUT I’M A CHEERLEADER at Dalston Superstore, whilst there’s a special screening of THE COW WHO SANG A SONG INTO THE FUTURE  at Rich Mix (both 27 MAR). On Tuesday, Tufnell Park Film Club presents BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID at The Lord Palmerston, and Wimbledon Film Club presents THE DOO DAH MAN at Curzon Wimbledon (both 28 MAR). On the same day, New East Cinema continues their commitment to Ukrainian cinema with a sold out screening of Mantas Kvedaravičius’s final work, MARIUPOLIS 2 (do check because occasional returns have been popping up).

Wednesday is another busy day, but I like the look of Habitats & Heritage’s presentation of THE LADY KILLERS at Grove Gardens Chapel, or Kennington Bioscope’s packed programme for THE LOVE EXPERT 35mm at The Cinema Museum. I’ll be popping up again for the conclusion of my TRASH OR TREASURE? bar season at Genesis Cinema with the “worst film of all time”, aka Ed Wood’s PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE (all 29 MAR). Then, Thursday is a strong day for women filmmakers with Mary Harron’s AMERICAN PSYCHO 35mm at Genesis Cinema, Alice Neel: Portraiture on Film at Barbican, Lola Quivoron’s RODEO + Q&A at Curzon Soho, and a Trans Day Of Visibility short film showcase from TCC at Strongroom Bar (all 30 MAR).

As BFI Flare (15 to 26 MAR) draws to an end, BFI Southbank returns to its conventional programme, launching a number of new rep seasons, including: GINGER ROGERS: ALL THAT SASS, NORTHERN VOICES, OUTSIDERS AND EXILES: THE FILMS OF JERZY SKOLIMOWSKI  and the return of their BIG SCREEN CLASSICS. Elsewhere, The Garden Cinema celebrates their 1 YEAR ANNIVERSARY and there’s a special series of off-site screenings for SERPENTINE CINEMA: MENELAOS KARRAMAGHIOLIS at both Close-Up and Ciné Lumière.

Film festival openings include the always-fascinating Essay Film Festival (25 to 31 MAR) at Birkbeck Cinema and ICA, and TNB Xpo 2023, a celebration of Black talent in both film and TV (29 to 31 MAR). Hong Kong Film Festival (18 to 31 MAR), Human Rights Watch Film Festival (16 to 26 MAR), and WatchAUT 2023 (23 to 26 MAR) continue their strong programmes across the week.

New releases this week include Léa Mysius’ THE FIVE DEVILS, Rodrigo Sorogoyen’s THE BEASTS and Brandon Cronenberg’s INFINITY POOL. Head to the GRIND SHOW section of this week’s guide for full film and venue listings.

Finally, I’ve chosen The Celluloid Body: Women’s Artist Films at the Limit curated with and presented by Agnès Houghton-Boyle at Whitechapel Gallery as my Featured Attraction of the Week (30 MAR).

See you in the darkness, and stay safe.

Richard // RADIANT CIRCUS

PS – Please note, there are limited listings from Picturehouse Cinemas this week as their website just isn’t my friend…

The Celluloid Body: Women’s Artist Films at the Limit curated with & presented by Agnès Houghton-Boyle at Whitechapel Gallery (30 MAR 19:00).

“Exploring some of the darkest and most intimate aspects of the human experience, this programme presents the work, very rarely screened in the UK, of the New York Underground chicks: Jasmine Hirst, Anne Hanavan and M.M. Serra, alongside the hand-made films of counter-current voice, Nazli Dinçel. Disparate in approach, these short experimental films share as their subject the body in all its pleasure and pain.” (Whitechapel Gallery)

FRIDAY 24 MAR

  • 1976 dir. Manuela Martelli, 2022 + Q&A with the director at ICA (24 MAR 18:30).
  • AMÉLIE aka Le fabuleux destin d’Amélie Poulain d. Jean-Pierre Jeunet, 2001 presented by Deptford Cinema at Telegraph Hill Centre (24 MAR 14:00) / Part of Telegraph Hill Festival.
  • THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN d. Martin McDonagh, 2022 presented by Deptford Cinema at Telegraph Hill Centre (24 MAR 19:30) / Part of Telegraph Hill Festival.
  • DERSU UZALA d. Akira Kurosawa, 1975 at Rushkin House (24 MAR 19:30).
  • Musical Fridays: WEST SIDE STORY d. Robert Wise, 1961 at The Garden Cinema (24 MAR 20:15).
  • Double Feature: X THE UNKNOWN + CALTIKI, THE IMMORTAL MONSTER d. Leslie Norman & Joseph Losey, 1956 + Riccardo Freda & Mario Bava, 1959, presented by The Gothique Film Society at The Cinema Museum (24 MAR 19:00).

SATURDAY 25 MAR

  • CHARACTER d. Paul Heintz, 2021 + Intro by the director & discussion with some of film’s participants & crew, presented by Storming Heaven at Close-Up (25 MAR 20:15).
  • UK Premiere: MERCY LAND d. Simon Rickards, 2023 + Q&A at The David Lean Cinema (25 MAR 19:00).
  • Talkies Short Film Commissions Premiere at St John’s Hall (25 MAR 19:30).
  • THE WATER RATS d. Jillian Edelstein & Greig Coetzee at The Lexi Cinema (25 MAR 16:00).

SUNDAY 26 MAR

MONDAY 27 MAR

  • BUT I’M A CHEERLEADER d. Jamie Babbit, 1999 curated by Nat Funni, presented by Transmissions at Dalston Superstore (27 MAR 19:00).
  • THE COW WHO SANG A SONG INTO THE FUTURE d. Francisca Alegría, 2022 + Panel with Kate Metcalf (co-director of Women’s Environmental Network), Sofia Serbin de Skalon (founder of the Argentine Film Festival), & curator Caroline Wilson at Rich Mix (27 MAR 18:00).
  • Monday Classic Matinée: GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES d. Howard Hawks, 1953 at Regent Street Cinema (27 MAR 13:00).
  • VALERIE AND HER WEEK OF WONDERS aka Valerie a týden divu d. Jaromil Jires, 1970 presented by Deeper Into Movies at Farr’s Dalston (27 MAR 19:30).
  • THE WOMAN KING d. Gina Prince-Bythewood, 2022 at Whirled Cinema (27 MAR 20:00 / 28 MAR 20:00 / 29 MAR 20:00 / 02 APR 17:00).
  • Unlikley Lives: WOMEN BEHND THE WHEEL d. Catherine Haigh and Hannah Congdon, 2022 + Q&A with the directors at The Lexi Cinema (27 MAR 18:20).

TUESDAY 28 MAR

  • THE AGE OF INNOCENCE: 30th Anniversary 4K Restoration d. Martin Scorsese, 1993 at The Garden Cinema (28 MAR 17:35 / 30 MAR 20:15).
  • BULLITT d. Peter Yates, 1968 at Olympic Studios (28 MAR 20:00).
  • BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID d. Roy George Hill, 1969 presented by Tufnell Park Film Club at The Lord Palmerston (28 MAR 20:00).
  • THE DOO DAH MAN d. Claude Green, 2015 presented by Wimbledon Film Club at Curzon Wimbledon (28 MAR 20:30).
  • FASHION REIMAGINED d. Becky Hutner, 2022 + Clothes swap, presented by Loanhood at Genesis Cinema (28 MAR 18:45).
  • Short: THE FOREVER LOVE d. Lily Harte & Sour Neon, 2023 short film premiere at The Glory (28 MAR 19:00).
  • JOYLAND d. Saim Sadiq, 2022 at The David Lean (28 MAR 19:30).
  • MARIUPOLIS 2 d. Mantas Kvedaravičius & Hanna Bilobrova, 2022 + Q&A with producer Uljana Kim and editor Dounia Sichov, hosted by Kateryna Khinkulova, presented by New East Cinema at Barbican (28 MAR 18:00).
  • THE ORGANISER aka I Compagni d. Mario Monicelli, 1963 presented in-venue and online by Sands Films Cinema Club at Sands Films Studios (28 MAR 20:00).
  • SPACE IS THE PLACE d. John Coney, 1974 presented by Mondo Nights at Biddle Bros (28 MAR 20:00).
  • Preview: TETRIS d. Jon S. Baird, 2023 at Everyman Cinemas (28 MAR various).
  • THE WOMAN KING d. Gina Prince-Bythewood, 2022 at Whirled Cinema (28 MAR 20:00 / 29 MAR 20:00 / 02 APR 17:00).

WEDNESDAY 29 MAR

THURSDAY 30 MAR

16MM SCREENINGS at The Castle Cinema

35MM PRESENTATIONS at The Prince Charles

70MM PRESENTATIONS at The Prince Charles

IMAX PRESENTATIONS at BFI IMAX

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 4 d. Chad Stahelski, 2023 (23 to 30 MAR).
  • ANIME: WEATHERING WITH YOU d. Makoto Shinkai, 2019 + Intro by Michael Leader & Jake Cunningham, co-hosts of Ghibliotheque podcast (26 MAR 11:45).

1 YEAR ANNIVERSARY at The Garden Cinema

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

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): TRISTANA d. Luis Buñuel, 1970 (28 MAR 12:45).

ANIME at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): AKIRA d. Katsuhiro Ôtomo, 1988 (24 MAR 21:00 / 25 MAR 15:45 / 26 MAR 15:45 / 27 MAR 21:00 / 28 MAR 13:00 / 29 MAR 15;45 / 30 MAR 12:45); YOUR NAME d. Makoto Shinkai, 2016 (29 MAR 17:45).

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

BIG SCREEN CLASSICS: FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION… at BFI Southbank

BRING ME THE FILMS OF SAM PECKINPAH at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): STRAW DOGS 35mm d. Sam Peckinpah, 1971 (24 MAR 15:15 / 26 MAR 20:50 / 30 MAR 12:30).

CHINESE CINEMA PROJECT at The Garden Cinema

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

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): DUNE d. Denis Villeneuve, 2021 (26 MAR 12:00 – 4K / 30 MAR 15:05 – 4K); NOSFERATU d. F.W. Murnau, 1922 + Live score by Hugo Max (26 MAR 18:00).

CLASSICS at Genesis Cinema

  • Includes (check venue for listings): SUNSET BOULEVARD d. Billy Wilder, 1950 (26 MAR 15:15).

COEN BROTHERS ON 35MM at Everyman Screen On The Green

DISNEY MATINEES at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): FANTASIA 35mm d. Various, 1940 (28 MAR 17:35).

ESSENTIAL CINEMA at Close-Up Film Centre

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): 8½ d. Federico Fellini, 1963 (24 MAR 20:15); RADIO ON + DISCONTENT d. Chris Petit, 1979 + 2023, fundraiser screening (25 MAR 18:15).

FRANCOPHONE WEST AFRICAN CINEMA at The Garden Cinema

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): THE WIND d. Souleymane Cissé, 1982 (26 MAR 17:00); ATLANTICS d. Mati Diop, 2019 (27 MAR 15:00); YEELEN d. Souleymane Cissé, 1987 (30 MAR 18:00 + Intro/discussion with Marie Rodet).

GINGER ROGERS: ALL THAT SASS at BFI Southbank

THE IMAGE SPEAKS: A KAREL REISZ RETROSPECTIVE at Chiswick Cinema

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): MORGAN: A SUITABLE CASE FOR TREATMENT d. Karel Reisz, 1966 + Q&A with Stephen Frears & Phillip Bergson (26 MAR 17:00 / 27 MAR 20:00 – No Q&A).

MOIS DE LA FRANCOPHONIE 2023 at Ciné Lumière

MOVIE MARATHONS at The Prince Charles

NORTHERN VOICES at BFI Southbank

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): IN CELEBRATION d. Lindsay Anderson, 1975 (27 MAR 20:30); NORTHERN SOUL d. Elaine Constantine, 2014 (30 MAR 18:15).

OBSESSIONS at Bertha DocHouse

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): GEOGRAPHIES OF SOLITUDE d. Jacquelyn Mills, 2022 (26 MAR 14:00 / 28 MAR 18:20 / 30 MAR 16:20).

OUTSIDERS AND EXILES: THE FILMS OF JERZY SKOLIMOWSKI at BFI Southbank

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): THE SHOUT d. Jerzy Skolimowski, 1978 + Intro by the director (28 MAR 20:45); WALKOVER d. Jerzy Skolimowski, 1965 + Q&A with the director (29 MAR 18:20); MOONLIGHTING d. Jerzy Skolimowski, 1982 + Intro by the director (29 MAR 20:45).
  • Talks etc: Jerzy Skolimowski in Conversation (28 MAR 18:30).

SERPENTINE CINEMA: MENELAOS KARRAMAGHIOLIS at Close-Up & Ciné Lumière

THROWBACK SEASON at Everyman Cinemas

  • Includes (check venue for listings): SHAUN OF THE DEAD d. Edgar Wright, 2004 (26 MAR various).

THE WORLD OF WONG KAR WAI at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for listings): DAYS OF BEING WILD d. Wong Kar Wai, 1990 (24 MAR 16:15 / 26 MAR 20:40 – 4K / 29 MAR 12:45 – 4K); IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE d. Wong Kar Wai, 2000 (25 MAR 14:30 – 4K / 30 MAR 18:15 – 4K); CHUNGKING EXPRESS d. Wong Kar Wai, 1994 (27 MAR 20:45 – 4K); FALLEN ANGELS d. Wong Kar Wai, 1995 (28 MAR 15:00).

WUXIA SELECTROSPECTIVE at The Prince Charles

THE BEASTS aka As bestas dir. Rodrigo Sorogoyen, 2022

THE FIVE DEVILS aka Les cinq diables dir. Léa Mysius, 2022

INFINITY POOL dir. Brandon Cronenberg, 2023

Also 24 to 30 MAR (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. //.