SCREEN GUIDE: What’s on in London this week [28 JAN to 03 FEB 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

From 27 JAN, face coverings are no longer a legal requirement in England in shops, restaurants and public transport but are still required by TFL. Screen venues too continue to operate their own individual rules, but the number of socially distanced screenings is on the decline, and the frequency of screenings is on the up (for example, the Rio is now offering a more extensive daily programme than in recent months). For what it’s worth, I’ve gotten used to my fabric face hugger, and after my own recent brush with Omicron, will be keeping my mask on for the time being (when I’m not consuming something from the concession stand of course…). 

In other venue news, The Prince Charles has installed a shiny new 4K projector in their downstairs bowl and will be screening crystal clear images in this space. We’ve adjusted our format listings accordingly (see SEASONS for full listings) and look forward to sampling their wondrous moving pictures soon.

In film clubs, sadly, Talkies Community Cinema’s 200th screening – due to be THE BLUES BROTHERS with a live band – has been postponed (was 29 JAN). Let’s hope their projection bulbs are re-lit soon. Looking to the rest of the week ahead, The Gothique Film Society kicks everything off with a double bill of adaptations of Nikolai Gogol’s short story Viy at The Cinema Museum, including Maria Bava’s “liberal” version BLACK SUNDAY, starring the immortal Barbara Steele, and Konstantin Ershov and Georgiy Kropachyov’s more “faithful” version, VIY (both 28 JAN). Newham Community Cinema celebrates Chinese New Year with a free screening of SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS on the same day (28 JAN).

Chinese New Year celebrations continue the next day at Genesis Cinema with a double bill of Stephen Chow’s A CHINESE ODYSSEY presented by Focus Hong Kong (29 JAN). Irish Film London start their St. Brigid’s Day celebrations the same weekend with events at both Kiln Cinema (HERE BEFORE, 29 JAN) and Rio Cinema (MAEVE, 30 JAN). You could also spend your Saturday with our friends at The Twelve30 Collective for Perry Henzell’s THE HARDER THEY COME at Riverside, or take another horror deep dive for the re-arranged World Wide Weird All-Dayer 4! featuring that hitherto elusive North Korean kaiju, PULGASARI (both 29 JAN)

On Sunday, Ciné-Real 16mm Film Club looks to be sold out for their final screening of Peter Bogdanovich’s PAPER MOON at The Castle (30 JAN), but there’s still room at time of posting for Only True Cinema‘s screening of THE STREET at Whirled Cinema (also 30 JAN). Never on Sunday is a new series of screenings of “rare classics, archive masterpieces, obscure delights and forgotten gems” curated by Ehsan Khoshbakht and taking place the last Sunday of each month at Close-Up. The series starts with Mikko Niskanen’s 1966 film UNDER YOUR SKIN from 35mm in collab with Finnish Institute in London and Finland’s National Audiovisual Institute (also 30 JAN).

Deeper Into Movies have one of their ‘double Mondays’ with AMERICAN MOVIE at Moth Club and LAST NIGHT IN SOHO at Farr’s Dalston (both 31 JAN). Tuesday sees Tufnell Park Film Club screening Jim Sheridan’s THE BOXER  at The Lord Palmerston, and Sands Films Cinema Club presenting James Ivory’s SHAKESPEARE WALLAH online and in their venue (both 01 FEB). Kennington Bioscope gives you great midweek cinema with a 35mm BFI Archive Print of Michael Curtiz’ A SOUL IN TORMENT at The Cinema Museum, and Leytonstone Pop-Up Cinema celebrates LGBT History Month with THE ICE KING about out gay Olympian, John Curry (both 02 FEB). Busy Newham Community Cinema – this time in collab with Women Over 50 Film Festival – ends your week with a free LGBT History Month screening of REBEL DYKES (03 FEB), and Hitchcock Film Club gives you the master’s ‘single shot’, queer inflected psychodrama ROPE at Fontaines (also 03 FEB, also FREE!).

As this week tips into a new calendar month (full epic roundup coming soon!), we will also see some new rep seasons illuminating London’s indie screens, including THE ABC OF ASTA NIELSEN, EXPERIMENTA FOCUS: STEPHEN DWOSKIN and SEEN & HEARD at BFI. The Southbank venue also devotes their BIG SCREEN CLASSICS to LGBT History Month and shifts their focus on FRANÇOIS TRUFFAUT to examine how Hitchcock influenced his career. Also of considerable note this week is HOMELAND: FILMS BY AUSTRALIAN FIRST NATIONS DIRECTORS at Barbican and The Prince Charles takes a fresh look at the multifaceted career of MARTIN SCORSESE. Apologies to student programmer Galya Stepanova and NFTS for not spotting the ATLAS OF BELONGING season earlier, which concludes this weekend at ICA.

In new releases, Pedro Almodóvar’s latest, PARALLEL MOTHERS, is the all-conquering heroine of the indie scene, but we also love the look of restored silent epic SOUTH complete with new score by Neil Brand, and Salomé Jashi’s doc, TAMING THE GARDEN. See our GRIND SHOWS section for full venue-by-venue listings.

For my Featured Attraction of the Week I’ve chosen Irish Film London and Birds’ Eye View’s joint presentation of Pat Murphy’s 1981 film MAEVE at the Rio (30 JAN): “a powerful take on the issues of feminism and nationalism, a film rich in debate and disruption, and a landmark of 1980s independent filmmaking.”

See you in the darkness, and stay safe.

Richard // RADIANT CIRCUS

MAEVE d. Pat Murphy, 1981 + Q&A with Birds’ Eye View presented by Irish Film London at Rio Cinema for St. Brigid’s Day (30 JAN 14:30).

“Widely regarded as Ireland’s first feminist feature, it was also the first film to be cast and shot in Belfast. In the film, Maeve (Mary Jackson) returns to Belfast after being away for several years, and she stays in the family home with her sister and father. Being back in Belfast allows Maeve to comment on the state of things around her with a perspective all of her own – the Troubles, Irish nationalism and much more are dissected through her in the film.

Pat Murphy describes her film as being ‘composed of a series of episodes in conversation with each other’. Formally adventurous, it borrows from Brecht and Godard to present a modernist polemic on a difficult period of recent Irish history.” (Irish Film London)

The Q&A will include host Melanie Iredale (director, Birds Eye View) and panelists Christine Molloy (director, Desperate Optimists), Selina Robertson (researcher and curator at Club Des Femmes) and Dr Emmie McFadden (academic at Sheffield Hallam Uni, contributor to notes for MAEVE’s recent BFI DVD re-release).

FRIDAY 28 JAN

SATURDAY 29 JAN

  • A CHINESE ODYSSEY: A DOUBLE-BILL presented by Focus Hong Kong at Genesis Cinema for Chinese New Year: PANDORA’S BOX d. Jeffrey Lau, 1995 (29 JAN 14:00) + CINDERELLA d. Jeffrey Lau, 1995 (29 JAN 15:50).
  • GETTING AWAY WITH MURDER(S) d. David Wilkinson, 2021 at The David Lean (29 JAN 13:30).
  • THE HARDER THEY COME d. Perry Henzell, 1972 + Intro by The Twelve30 Collective at Riverside Studios (29 JAN 14:15).
  • HERE BEFORE d. Stacey Gregg, 2022 presented by Irish Film London at Kiln Cinema for St. Brigid’s Day (29 JAN 18:00).
  • World Wide Weird All-Dayer 4! featuring Sang-ok Shin’s PULGASARI (1985), Wei Tung’s MAGIC COP (1990), Norman J Warren’s PREY (1977) + intros, VJ set, Mystery Film & raffle at The King & Queen W1W (29 JAN 12:00 – Entry £5 raffle ticket, all proceeds to Macmillan Cancer Support).

SUNDAY 30 JAN

MONDAY 31 JAN

TUESDAY 01 FEB

  • THE BOXER d. Jim Sheridan, 1997 presented by Tufnell Park Film Club at The Lord Palmerston (01 FEB 20:00).
  • C’MON C’MON d. Mike Mills, 2021 at The David Lean Cinema (01 FEB 14:30 & 19:30).
  • SHAKESPEARE WALLAH d. James Ivory, 1965 presented in-venue and online by Sands Films Cinema Club at Sands Films Studio (01 FEB 20:00 – Donation requested).
  • THE WHITE CROW d. Ralph Fiennes, 2018 at Whirled Cinema (01 FEB 20:00 / 02 FEB 20:00 / 06 FEB 17:00).

WEDNESDAY 02 FEB

  • THE 400 BLOWS 4K Restoration aka Les Quatre cents coups d. François Truffaut, 1959 at Watermans (02 FEB 16:00).
  • A HERO d. Asghar Farhadi, 2021 at The David Lean (02 FEB 19:30 / 03 FEB 14:30 & 19:30).
  • A SOUL IN TORMENT 35mm d. Michael Curtiz, 1921 with live piano accompaniment from Costas Fotopoulos & full supporting programme presented by Kennington Bioscope at The Cinema Museum (02 FEB 19:30). 
  • AMULET d. Romola Garai, 2020 + Q&A with the director at Rio Cinema (02 FEB 18:30).
  • BATTLE ROYALE aka Batoru rowaiaru d. Kinji Fukasaku, 2000 at The Prince Charles (02 FEB 20:45).
  • THE ICE KING d. James Erskine, 2018 presented by Leytonstone Pop-Up Cinema at Leytonstone Library for LGBT History Month (02 FEB 19:45).
  • VARDA BY AGNÈS d. Agnès Varda, 2019 at Riverside Studios (02 FEB 12:30).
  • THE WHITE CROW d. Ralph Fiennes, 2018 at Whirled Cinema (02 FEB 20:00 / 06 FEB 17:00).

THURSDAY 03 FEB

  • A HERO d. Asghar Farhadi, 2021 at The David Lean (03 FEB 14:30 & 19:30).
  • A VIOLENT MAN d. Ross McCall, 2022 + Q&A with actors Craig Fairbrass & Stephen Odubola at Genesis Cinema (03 FEB 18:00).
  • BRIAN WILSON: LONG PROMISED ROAD d. Brent Wilson, 2021 at Everyman Cinemas (03 FEB various).
  • HOSTILE d. Sonita Gale, 2022 + Q&A with the director at Bertha DocHouse (03 FEB 18:20).
  • REBEL DYKES d. Harri Shanahan & Sîan A. Williams, 2021 + Short: OLDER THAN WHAT? d. Steen Starr, 2017 + Q&A presented by Newham Community Cinema & WOFFF at Stratford East Picturehouse (03 FEB 20:00 – FREE!).
  • ROPE d. Alfred Hitchcock, 1948 presented by Hitchcock Film Club at Fontaine’s (03 FEB 20:00 – FREE! Email to reserve a seat).

4K PRESENTATIONS at The Prince Charles

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’ (30 JAN 16:40).

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

007 SEASON at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): GOLDFINGER 4K d. Guy Hamilton, 1964 (29 JAN 15:30 / 03 FEB 15:30).

THE ABC OF ASTA NIELSEN at BFI Southbank

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): The ABC of Asta Nielsen lecture + discussion (03 FEB 18:20); THE ABYSS + THE ABC OF LOVE d. Urban Gad, 1910 + d. Magnus Stifter, 1916 + Intro by season curator Pamela Hutchinson & Live piano accompaniment by Stephen Horne (03 FEB 20:30).

ANNIVERSARY SCREENINGS at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): MIMIC 35mm d. Guillermo del Toro, 1997 (30 JAN 20:30); PRINCESS MONONOKE d. Hayao Miyazaki, 1997 (02 FEB 15:15).

ATLAS OF BELONGING at ICA

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

BIG SCREEN CLASSICS: LGBT HISTORY MONTH at BFI Southbank

BLACK & WHITE MOVIES at The Prince Charles

BOWIE: STARMAN & THE SILVER SCREEN at BFI Southbank 

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): ABSOLUTE BEGINNERS d. Julien Temple, 1986 (28 JAN 20:45); THE MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH 4K d. Nicolas Roeg, 1976 (30 JAN 18:10). Hooked to the Silver Screen: Bowie at the Movies: METROPOLIS d. Fritz Lang, 1927 (30 JAN 12:00 + Live piano accompaniment by Costas Fotopoulos).

BRENDAN FRASER at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): AIRHEADS d. Michael Lehmann, 1994 (31 JAN 18:15).

DENIS VILLENEUVE: IN REVERSE at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): DUNE 4K d. Denis Villeneuve, 2021 (28 JAN 17:15 / 30 JAN 20:30 / 31 JAN 14:45); ARRIVAL d. Denis Villeneuve, 2016 (03 FEB 20:45).

EXPERIMENTA FOCUS: STEPHEN DWOSKIN at BFI Southbank

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): TIMES FOR d. Stephen Dwoskin, 1970 + Discussion with actor Jenny Runacre & writer Dr Sophia Satchell-Baeza (01 FEB 18:10).

THE FILMS OF PAUL THOMAS ANDERSON at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): LICORICE PIZZA 35mm d. Paul Thomas Anderson, 2021 (until 03 MAR).

FRANÇOIS TRUFFAUT: FOR THE LOVE OF FILMS at BFI Southbank

FRANÇOIS TRUFFAUT REVISITED at Ciné Lumière

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): THE 400 BLOWS aka Les Quatre cents coups d. François Truffaut, 1959 (29 JAN 16:10); DAY FOR NIGHT aka La Nuit américaine d. François Truffaut, 1973 (30 JAN 14:00 + Extended intro by film curator Sonali Joshi / 02 FEB 15:50); L’ENFANT SAUVAGE aka The Wild Child d. François Truffaut, 1970 (30 JAN 17:20 + Intro by curator Sonali Joshi / 01 FEB 18:20).

HOMELAND: FILMS BY AUSTRALIAN FIRST NATIONS DIRECTORS at Barbican

INGMAR BERGMAN SELECTROSPECTIVE at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): A LESSON IN LOVE d. Ingmar Bergman, 1954 (30 JAN 14:25).

JONAS MEKAS 100! at Close-Up

MARTIN SCORSESE: DIRECTOR. WRITER. PRODUCER. ACTOR. at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for listings): THE SOUVENIR d. Joanna Hogg, 2019 (28 JAN 18:00 / 01 FEB 14:20 / 03 FEB 18:00).

MOVIE MARATHONS at The Prince Charles

ON SCREEN WITH MADONNA at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): DICK TRACY d. Warren Beatty, 1990 (31 JAN 20:30).

PAUL THOMAS ANDERSON 35MM LATE NIGHTS at Everyman Screen On The Green

  • Includes (check venue for listings): PUNCH-DRUNK LOVE 35mm d. Paul Thomas Anderson, 2002 (29 JAN 22:30).

SEEN & HEARD at BFI Southbank

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): THIRTEEN 35mm d. Catherine Hardwicke, 2003 (02 FEB 20:40 / 11 FEB 18:10).

STUDIO GHIBLI FOREVER at The Prince Charles

TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH at BFI Southbank

THE TWISTED TALES OF GUILLERMO DEL TORO at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for listings): MIMIC 35mm d. Guillermo del Toro, 1997 (30 JAN 20:30).

TWO BY RYÛSUKE HAMAGUCHI at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for listings): DRIVE MY CAR d. Ryûsuke Hamaguchi, 2021 (29 JAN 14:45 / 03 FEB 20:05).

THE WORLD OF WONG KAR WAI at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for listings): CHUNGKING EXPRESS d. Wong Kar Wai, 1994 (30 JAN 15:15 / 31 JAN 13:15); IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE d. Wong Kar Wai, 2000 (31 JAN 15:45 / 02 FEB 13:10 & 21:00).

PARALLEL MOTHERS aka Madres paralelas d. Pedro Almodóvar, 2021.

SOUTH: SIR ERNEST SHACKLETON’S GLORIOUS EPIC OF THE ANTARCTIC d. Frank Hurley, 1919.

TAMING THE GARDEN d. Salomé Jashi, 2021.

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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. //.