THE BALLY #119: What to see in London this week [13 to 19 AUG 2021]

Welcome to THE BALLY where we help you find what to see in London this week across DIY, indie & alternative cinema events, online, outdoors & in venues.

By RADIANT CIRCUS // Twitter @radiantcircus / Instagram @radiantcircus

Ciné-Real 16mm Film Club’s presentation of PULP FICTION from 16MM are selling fast at The Castle Cinema (we might have missed something, but an earlier date seems to have been added to meet demand!). In their usual manner, The Prince Charles delivers two day/date horror specials this week with the original FRIDAY THE 13TH on, you guest it, and Tobe Hooper’s THE TEXAS CHAIN SAW MASSACRE from 35MM on 18 AUG (the date of the supposed ‘true life’ events in the film).

As we near the middle of the month, new seasons have started to crop up. Distributors Park Circus and Cinema Rediscovered have put together a great touring package – 1971: THE YEAR HOLLYWOOD WENT INDEPENDENT – which delivers a full run of titles at ICA (see SEASONS) and some standalone screenings at Riverside Studios (see daily listings). We’re also delighted to see our friends Stow Film Lounge present a new outdoor run of their Cycle-In-Cinema which starts this week at Pimp Hall Park in Chingford with THE IRON GIANT and DONNIE DARKO (19 AUG / FREE, no booking required!).

Our festivals listings get a little fatter this week with the continuation of The Blue Tick Festival at Rio Cinema (10 to 19 AUG) and opening nights for Everyman Music Film Festival (from 17 AUG) and S.O.U.L. Fest (18 to 22 AUG).

In new releases, THE COURIER screens pretty much everywhere, followed by I’M YOUR MAN and WILDLAND, but we think BLOW IT TO BITS which has an exclusive showing at ICA looks just as worthy of your attention. Then, that rarest of screen attractions, CODA, which deals with teenage Child Of Deaf Adults Ruby’s ambitions to make it as a singer and features Emilia Jones as Ruby and Marlee Matlin and Troy Kotsur as her parents. The Castle Cinema gives the film suitable royal treatment with two special screenings (13 and 15 AUG – see daily listings). Finally, we’ve listed several screenings of Kotaro Tamura’s JOSEE, THE TIGER AND THE FISH simply because we don’t get many new animation releases beyond the multiplex mainstream.

Our Featured Attraction of the Week is always the event we’d most like to be at (if we could only pick just one…). This week, that honour goes to THOSE THAT, AT A DISTANCE, RESEMBLE ANOTHER, Jessica Sarah Rinland’s 2019 debut feature which screens with a Q&A with the director and Richard Sabin, Natural History Museum Curator of Mammals at ICA (14 AUG 18:30).

See you in the darkness,

Richard // RADIANT CIRCUS

PS – Before we go, a few quiet words about events we’ve had a hand in. First up, our subscribers at Patreon are sponsoring Zodiac Film Club’s presentation of IN THE CUT at Mama Shelter as part of our Revive The Dark initiative (07 SEP 18:30+). Then RADIANT CIRCUS will be launching our new series of networking events for anyone who creates indie screen culture in London, WunderKammer Live at Filly Brook (17 SEP 18:30+). Finally, BITE ME! is a queer horror double bill we’re presenting with our pals at Last Frame Film Club (19 SEP 16:00+). Hopefully see you all at all of them!

THOSE THAT, AT A DISTANCE, RESEMBLE ANOTHER d. Jessica Sarah Rinland, 2019 + Q&A with the director & Natural History Museum Curator of Mammals, Richard Sabin at ICA (14 AUG 18:30).

• “The ICA presents the debut feature by Argentinian-British artist-filmmaker Jessica Sarah Rinland, a meditative contemplation on conservation, preservation and authenticity through a singular prism: the gradual fabrication of a replica elephant’s tusk. Rinland offsets the sterility of the multiple laboratory settings with a sumptuous colour palette (filmed on Super 16mm), hypnotically capturing a series of hands as they undertake a series of delicate tasks with care and precision in a process that falls midway between science and art.”

Cycle-In-Cinema presented by Stow Film Lounge

• Includes (check promoter for full listings): THE IRON GIANT d. Brad Bird, 1999 at Pimp Hall Park, Chingford E4 (19 AUG 15:30+ – FREE!/No booking required); DONNIE DARKO d. Richard Kelly, 2001 at Pimp Hall Park, Chingford E4 (19 AUG 18:30+ – FREE!/No booking required).

• The Blue Tick Festival (10 to 19 AUG).
• Everyman Music Film Festival (from 17 AUG).
• S.O.U.L. Fest (18 to 22 AUG).

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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. //.