This is a film still from JUBILEE dir Derek Jarman, 1978 , screening at Rio Cinema (02 JUNE 2022).

SCREEN GUIDE: What’s on in London this week [27 MAY to 02 JUN 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

#QueerHorrorNights continue with David Cronenberg’s THE FLY (1986) at The Castle Cinema (Friday 24 JUNE 19:00): booking now!

Welcome to another screen week! 

Stow Film Lounge opens up your new screen week with Kenneth Branagh’s BELFAST at Creative Works, whilst Rare Cinema Europe does what it says on the tin with a screening of LIFE IS A DOG aka Život je pes at The Cinema Museum. Terror Vision continues at BFI with Abel Ferrara’s MS .45 (aka Angel of Vengeance) and one of two chances this week to join Rebel Reel Cine Club starts with a 25th Anniversary late night screening of GUMMO at Rio Cinema (all 27 MAY).

Saturday invites you over the threshold of the weekend to encounter Hammer Horror’s DRACULA at Grove Gardens Chapel, or you could catch one of several screenings this week by the fabulous folk at Doc’N Roll with IN A SILENT WAY at The Castle Cinema. Wonder Reels – proponents of live music and film events at The Cinema Museum – pair Pasolini’s TEOREMA from 35mm with artist Marta Salogni who “duets with tape machines, using them as instruments to weave intricate mazes of tape loops and echoes through the manipulation of both live and recorded sounds”, which sounds pretty amazing… (all 28 MAY).

On Sunday, there’s a special Tribute to Verity Lambert at Riverside Studios, Ciné-Real 16mm Film Club concludes their trio of screenings of BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY’S from 16mm at The Castle Cinema, The Vito Project LGBTQ+ Film Club continues their Re-Opening the Celluloid Closet programme with COMPULSION from 35mm at The Cinema Museum, and Queer Film Club at London LGBTQ+ Community Centre presents one of this week’s two screenings of Cheryl Dunye’s THE WATERMELON WOMAN.

Monday used to be the quietest of screen days, but this week we get COME AND SEE aka Idi i smotri from Deeper Into Movies at Farr’s Dalston, a ‘Gaspar Noé presents’ screening of TOKYO STORY at Picturehouse, and another excellent Ukraine fundraiser from King’s College London, Un/Building: Short Films & Architecture in Ukraine. Of course, NEVER TOO YOUNG TO DIE from Crap Film Club featuring The Celluloid Sorceress is entirely irresistible (all 30 MAY).

Wimbledon Film Club gives you good reason to ‘go West’ on Tuesday with a special screening of hugely popular ‘one take wonder’ BOILING POINT including a Q&A with producers Bart Ruspoli & Hester Ruoff at Curzon Wimbledon. Mondo Nights have teamed up with Hackney Cop Watch to present William Friedkin’s CRUISING which will be preceded by a ‘Know Your Rights’ training session at Biddle Bros, and Tufnell Park Film Club pay their respects to Ray Liotta with GOODFELLAS at The Lord Palmerston (all 31 MAY).

Wednesday gives you in-person encounter directors of genre cinema, including a preview screening of DASHCAM presented by Evolution of Horror at Genesis (currently looking sold out!), and a double bill of SPRING + THE ENDLESS featuring an intro/Q&A with directors Justin Benson & Aaron Moorhead at The Prince Charles. Doc’N Roll have another event at The Castle with KAREN DALTON: IN MY OWN TIME, and it’s great to see more regular film programming returning to Tate Modern with the UK premiere of Karimah Ashadu’s PLATEAU. This is also your second chance this week to see THE WATERMELON WOMAN, this time as part of the Pink Palace programme at Rio Cinema in their basement bar (all 01 JUN).

Thursday wraps your week with a free screening of THE 39 STEPS at Fontaine’s, and a special presentation of FLASH GORDON including a live Smersh Pod recording at Phoenix Cinema. I don’t normally cover family-focused screenings on these pages, but a quick ‘hat tip’ to Black History Walks at Phoenix Cinema for their African Superheroes Day of animation & discussion (all 02 JUN). There’s also a rather significant national celebration straddling your extended Bank Holiday weekend, but more of that in a bit…

It’s a crossover week when rep programming steps boldly into a new month, leading to refreshed programmes and new seasons. An A-Z of this week’s new arrivals includes the following: the concluding part of ICA’s CATALAN CINEMA NOW! trilogy, looking at IDENTITIES; CELEBRATING FILM NOIR at The Garden Cinema; CHISWICK PRIDE at Chiswick Cinema; COLLECTIVE MOBILISATION also at ICA; JOURNEYS ACROSS AFRO-FUTURISM at Barbican; JUDY GARLAND: A STAR IS REBORN at BFI; and OF SIN & SALVATION: THE CINEMA OF ROBERT BRESSON and companion season BIG SCREEN CLASSICS: AFTER BRESSON… also at BFI. We’ll cover the full month in our next epic roundup, coming soon…

I think it’s a quiet week for festivals, although sometimes it’s hard to tell… That just means you’ve got even more reason to check out the spellbinding programme at Queer East Film Festival before they’re gone for another year (venues across London until 29 MAY).

In this week’s new releases, revivals and restorations, I’ve taken a shine to new title LUZZU from Alex Camilleri, and freshly polished 4K versions of Mike Hodges’ GET CARTER and Alfred Hitchcock’s PSYCHO (which includes 13 seconds of footage cut by censors after the film’s initial theatrical release*).

I’ve chosen Rebel Reel Cine Club’s Alternative Jubilee at Rio Cinema as my Featured Attraction of the Week. Obviously this is entirely in-keeping with a DIY guide about alternative screen culture, but also Jarman x Jordan.

See you in the darkness, and stay safe.

Richard // RADIANT CIRCUS

*If you like the look of PSYCHO, you should definitely discover what Norman did next…

#QueerHorrorNights continue with a double bill of PSYCHO II & PSYCHO III at The Cinema Museum (Sunday 24 JULY 18:30): booking now!

The Alternative Jubilee featuring Pre-show DJ Martin Green + JUBILEE d. Derek Jarman, 1978 + Shorts presented by Rebel Reel Cine Club at Rio Cinema (02 JUN 17:00 + 18:00).

“Derek Jarman’s JUBILEE, the 1978 cult punk film that portrayed the physical and moral decay of London, set at the time of the Queen’s 1977 Silver Jubilee.

“With Martin Green DJing before and a very special pre-screening show in tribute to the iconic Jordan, our true Britannia!”

“JUBILEE was one of the first films to screen at the newly opened Rio in 1979, the UK’s first community run cinema founded by a disparate group of local East End punks, feminists, dreamers and queers, an anti-establishment utopian space which it remains to this day.”

FRIDAY 27 MAY

SATURDAY 28 MAY

  • DRACULA d. Terence Fisher, 1958 presented by Habitats & Heritage at Grove Gardens Chapel TW10 (28 MAY 20:00).
  • IN A SILENT WAY d. Gwenaël Breës, 2021 + Recorded Q&A presented by Doc’N Roll at The Castle Cinema (28 MAY 16:15).
  • LUZZU dir Alex Camilleri, 2021 + Q&A with the director at Picturehouse Cinemas (28 MAY various).
  • RESISTANCES: WORDS AND ART FOR FIGHTING POLITICAL DEFAMATION + Debate with Jean Wyllys, Marcia Tiburi, Wagner Schwartz & Debora Diniz, moderated by Victor Fraga from DMovies at Rich Mix (28 MAY 15:00).
  • TEOREMA 35mm d. Pier Paolo Pasolini, 1968 + Live music by Marta Salogni presented by Wonder Reels at The Cinema Museum (28 MAY 19:30).
  • VAMPYR d. Carl Theodor Dreyer, 1932 at ICA (28 MAY 14:45 / 29 MAY 14:45 / 31 MAY 17:00 / 01 JUN 16:45).

SUNDAY 29 MAY

  • ALL MY FRIENDS HATE ME d. Andrew Gaynord, 2021 + Q&A with actor/writer Tom Stourton & writer/producer Tom Palmer at Picturehouse Cinemas (29 MAY various).
  • A Tribute to Verity Lambert: SHOULDER TO SHOULDER (Episode 1) + Q&A with Dame Siân Phillips, Patricia Quinn, Carole Ann Ford & Waris Hussein in association with The Doctor Who Appreciation Society at Riverside Studios (29 MAY 14:00).
  • BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY’S 16mm d. Blake Edwards, 1961 presented by Ciné-Real 16mm Film Club at The Castle Cinema (29 MAY 14:00). 
  • COMPULSION 35mm d. Richard Fleischer, 1959 + Discussion presented by The Vito Project LGBTQ+ Film Club at The Cinema Museum (29 MAY 18:00).
  • THE COUP D’ÉTAT FACTORY d. Victor Fraga & Valnei Nunes, 2021 + Discussion with Baroness Christine Blower & guests at BFI Southbank (29 MAY 14:00).
  • THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY d. Sergio Leone, 1966 at Picturehouse Cinemas (29 MAY various).
  • Islands of Fire: The Cinema of Vittorio De Seta short film programme + Intro by Ehsan Khoshbakht presented by Never On Sunday at Close-up Film Centre (29 MAY 20:15).
  • LOVE IN A BRIGHT LANDSCAPE d. Jonathan Alley, 2021 presented by Doc’N Roll at The Castle Cinema (29 MAY 17:30).
  • NO TURNING BACK d. Nicolette Bucknor, 2022 + Intro by the director at The Prince Charles (29 MAY 17:30).
  • RŪRANGI d. Max Currie, 2020 at Whirled Cinema (29 MAY 17:00).
  • VAMPYR d. Carl Theodor Dreyer, 1932 at ICA (29 MAY 14:45 / 31 MAY 17:00 / 01 JUN 16:45).
  • THE WATERMELON WOMAN d. Cheryl Dunye, 1997 presented by Queer Film Club at London LGBTQ+ Community Centre (29 MAY 18:00 – Donation requested!).
  • YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE d. Lewis Gilbert, 1967 at Olympic Studios (29 MAY 12:15).

MONDAY 30 MAY

TUESDAY 31 MAY

  • BENEDETTA d. Paul Verhoeven, 2021 at The David Lean (31 MAY 19:30).
  • BERGMAN ISLAND d. Mia Hansen-Løve, 2022 previews at Picturehouse Cinemas (31 MAY various).
  • BLACK POND d. Sarah Jessica Rinland, 2018 + Book launch at The Garden Cinema & Tender Books (31 MAY 16:30).
  • BOILING POINT d. Philip Barantini, 2021 + Q&A with producers Bart Ruspoli & Hester Ruoff presented by Wimbledon Film Club at Curzon Wimbledon (31 MAY 20:30).
  • BON VOYAGE d. Garegin Papoyan, 2020 presented by Kino Klassika at Ciné Lumière (31 MAY 20:30).
  • We Stand with Ukraine: BARZAKH d. Mantas Kvedaravicius, 2011 tribute to Mantas Kvedaravicius at Ciné Lumière (31 MAY 18:30).
  • CRUISING d. William Friedkin, 1980 + Know Your Rights training session presented by Mondo Nights to raise funds for Hackney Cop Watch at Biddle Bros (31 MAY 20:30).
  • GOODFELLAS d. Martin Scorsese, 1990 in tribute to Ray Liotta presented by Tufnell Park Film Club at The Lord Palmerston (31 MAY 19:45).
  • Projecting The Archive: IDOL OF PARIS 35mm d. Leslie Arliss, 1948 + Intro by Josephine Botting, BFI Curator (31 MAY 18:15).
  • THE LADY VANISHES d. Alfred Hitchcock, 1938 presented by The Palace Club at The Castle Cinema (31 MAY 15:45).
  • LISE dir Eivind Holmboe, 2021 + Q&A with Lise Davidsen & Huw Humphreys at Barbican (31 MAY 18:30).
  • MAJOR BARBARA d. Gabriel Pascal, 1941 presented in-venue & online by Sands Films Cinema Club at Sands Films Studios (31 MAY 20:00).
  • THE OUTFIT d. Graham Moore, 2022 at The David Lean (31 MAY 14:30 / 01 JUN 14:30 & 19:30).
  • PARALLEL MOTHERS d. Pedro Almodóvar, 2021 at Whirled Cinema (31 MAY 20:00 / 01 JUN 20:00 / 05 JUN 17:00).
  • THE SEVEN-UPS d. Philip D’Antoni, 1973 at The Prince Charles (31 MAY 18:25).
  • VAMPYR d. Carl Theodor Dreyer, 1932 at ICA (31 MAY 17:00 / 01 JUN 16:45).

WEDNESDAY 01 JUN

THURSDAY 02 JUN

  • THE 39 STEPS d. Alfred Hitchcock, 1935 presented by Hitchcock Film Club at Fontaine’s Bar (02 JUN 20:00 – FREE!).
  • The Alternative Jubilee inc Pre-show DJ + JUBILEE d. Derek Jarman, 1978 + Shorts presented by Rebel Reel Cine Club at Rio Cinema (02 JUN 18:00).
  • FLASH GORDON d. Mike Hodges, 1980 + Live Smersh Pod with at Phoenix Cinema (02 JUN 20:00).
  • MAY YOU STAY FOREVER YOUNG d. Rex Rex & Sam Lam, 2021 at Genesis Cinema (02 JUN 20:45).
  • PLAYGROUND d. Laura Wandel, 2021 at Genesis Cinema (02 JUN 18:30).
  • SUMMER OF SOUL d. Questlove, 2021 presented by Whirled Docs at Whirled Cinema (02 JUN 20:00).

35MM PRESENTATIONS at The Prince Charles

007 SEASON at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): LICENCE TO KILL d. John Glen, 1989 (28 MAY 15:05 – 4K + Q&A with Stunt Coordinator Paul Weston for the Really007 podcast / 02 JUN 15:05).

AKIRA KUROSAWA at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): YOJIMBO aka Yôjinbô d. Akira Kurosawa, 1961 (29 MAY 14:45).

ALFRED HITCHCOCK IN 4K at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): VERTIGO 4K d. Alfred Hitchcock, 1958 (27 MAY 20:45 – 4K / 01 JUN 15:05 – 4K).

ANIME at BFI Southbank

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

BEST OF CÉSAR at Ciné Lumière

BIG SCREEN CLASSICS: A QUESTION OF FAITH at BFI Southbank

BIG SCREEN CLASSICS: AFTER BRESSON… at BFI Southbank

BLACK & WHITE MOVIES at The Prince Charles

CATALAN CINEMA NOW! IDENTITIES at ICA

CELEBRATING FILM NOIR at The Garden Cinema

CELEBRATING SIDNEY POITIER at The Garden Cinema 

CHISWICK PRIDE at Chiswick Cinema

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): PRIDE d. Matthew Warchus, 2014 (01 JUN 20:30).

COLLECTIVE MOBILISATION at ICA

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): AMOR FATI d. Cláudia Varejão, 2020 + Intro (02 JUN 18:30).

CRUEL FLESH: FILMS OF THE NEW FRENCH EXTREMITY at BFI Southbank

CULTITUDE at Catford Mews

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): THE WARRIORS dir Walter Hill, 1979 (27 MAY 21:00 / 01 JUN 21:00).

#EXPLOREFRANCE – CÔTE D’AZUR at Ciné Lumière

ESSENTIAL CINEMA at Close-Up

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): SALESMAN d. David Maysles, Albert Maysles & Charlotte Zwerin, 1969 (28 MAY 18:30); BEAU TRAVAIL d. Claire Denis, 1999 (28 MAY 20:15); MULTIPLE MANIACS d. John Waters, 1970 (29 MAY 18:30); BASTARDS d. Claire Denis, 2013 (02 JUN 20:15).

JOURNEYS ACROSS AFRO-FUTURISM at Barbican

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): SPACE IS THE PLACE d. John Coney, 1974 + Short: HERE IS THE IMAGINATION OF THE BLACK RADICAL d. Rhea Storr, 2021 (02 JUN 18:30).

JUDY GARLAND: A STAR IS REBORN at BFI Southbank

THE GOLDEN AGE OF FRENCH CINEMA at The Garden Cinema

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): LA RÈGLE DU JEU d. Jean Renoir, 1939 (29 MAY 12:25).

MOVIE MARATHONS at The Prince Charles

NICHOLAS CAGE 35MM at Everyman Screen On The Green

  • Includes (check venue for listings): THE ROCK 35mm d. Michael Bay, 1996 (28 MAY 23:00 / 01 JUN 10:30).

OF SIN & SALVATION: THE CINEMA OF ROBERT BRESSON at BFI Southbank

PRE-CODE HOLLYWOOD at The Prince Charles 

  • Includes (check venue for listings): A STAR IS BORN d. William A. Wellman, 1937 (28 MAY 12:30).

RETURN OF THE OUTSIDER: THE FILMS OF MIKE HODGES at BFI Southbank

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): NEW TEMPO d. Mike Hodges, 1967 (29 MAY 11:50); I’LL SLEEP WHEN I’M DEAD d. Mike Hodges, 2003 (30 MAY 17:50).
  • Re-releases: GET CARTER 4K Restoration d. Mike Hodges, 1971 (27 MAY to 09 JUN); GET CARTER d. Mike Hodges, 1971 + Intro by Douglas Weir, BFI Technical Delivery Manager & actor Petra Markham (30 MAY 18:00).

SCI-FI MOVIES at The Prince Charles

SEASCAPES: OUR OCEANS ON SCREEN at Ciné Lumière

  • Includes (check venue for listings): THE LITTLE MERMAID d. John Musker & Ron Clements, 1989 (30 MAY 16:00).

STANLEY KUBRICK ON FILM at The Prince Charles

THE WORLD OF WONG KAR WAI at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for listings): CHUNGKING EXPRESS d. Wong Kar Wai, 1994 (27 MAY 15:45 – 4K / 28 MAY 19:00 – 4K / 29 MAY – 12:00 / 30 MAY 15:35 – 4K / 31 MAY 12:45 & 18:05 – 4K / 01 JUN 12:40 / 02 JUN 18:05); DAYS OF BEING WILD d. Wong Kar Wai, 1990 (30 MAY 18:15 / 31 MAY 16:00 / 02 JUN 12:30).

ROOFTOP FILM CLUB at Bussey Building, Peckham

ROOFTOP FILM CLUB at Roof East, Stratford

GET CARTER dir. Mike Hodges, 1971:

LUZZU dir. Alex Camilleri, 2021:

PSYCHO dir. Alfred Hitchcock, 1960:

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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. //.