THE BALLY #156: What to see in London this week [03 to 09 JUN 2022]

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

#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!

Before we get going, I’ve just published our latest epic roundup of London’s rep seasons and film festivals for the month. Be sure to check it out. 

Underway this week, BFI Southbank’s headline season is one OF SIN & SALVATION: THE CINEMA OF ROBERT BRESSON, ably supported by their Big Screen Classics strand that examines the many filmmakers influenced by the French master, AFTER BRESSON…. Their other new season screening this week is JUDY GARLAND: A STAR IS REBORN.

The Garden Cinema – rapidly becoming a reliable source of in-depth film seasons – continues their celebration of onscreen legends with ANNA MAGNANI, this time in collaboration with CinemaItaliaUK, and then turns their attention to the dark side of human nature with a season of FILM NOIR. COLLECTIVE MOBILISATION continues a collaboration between ICA and Portuguese production companies, TERRATREME and Uma Pedra no Sapato, whilst JOURNEYS ACROSS AFRO-FUTURISM looks at how this intersectional aesthetic is manifest on film at Barbican.

Everyman Screen On The Green continues their late night run of 35mm screenings on Saturdays (repeated early on Wednesday mornings!) with 80S CINEMA ON 35MM, whilst the Picturehouse chain continues their season dedicated to the scores of MORRICONE.

The summer is always a quieter time for film festivals, but appropriately enough the big opening this week goes to Sundance Film Festival: London (09 to 12 JUN) at Picturehouse Central.

In this week’s special events, The Laurel & Hardy Society returns to The Cinema Museum with the next of their quarterly meetings on Saturday (04 JUN), whilst Sappho’s Cinema and Lesflicks continue their excellent celebration of lesbian cinema with Peter Strickland’s THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY featuring a Q&A with actor Chiara D’Anna on Sunday at the same venue (05 JUN). On Monday, Lesbians & Gays Support the Miners will help raise funds for Outside Project with a special screening of PRIDE at Rio Cinema, and Deeper into Moviesshows the rarely screened TV doc LONG LIVE THE NEW FLESH: THE FILMS OF DAVID CRONENBERG at Farr’s Dalston (both 06 JUN).

Tuesday brings you Film Talks Live: IT GOES WITHOUT SAYING, an evening of ‘expanded cinema and sonics’ at Cafe Oto, and Tufnell Park Film Club’s presentation of THE FORTUNE COOKIE at The Lord Palmerston (both 07). Wednesday includes a return of the excellent Experimenta Mixtape evenings at BFI, and The People’s Film Clubstages another fundraiser for Ukraine with Elie Grappe’s OLGA at The Garden Cinema (both 08 JUN). Ending the week, I like the look of Animation Brüt at Close-Up (09 JUN 20:15), and there’s a chance to learn mixology from one of the hosts of my BAR TRASH summer residency with a Tom Cruise Cocktail Masterclass with Bobby + COCKTAIL at Genesis Cinema Bar Paragon (09 JUN 19:00).

I’ve chosen three features directed by (various!) women as my highlights of this week’s new releases: Mia Hansen-Løve’s BERGMAN ISLAND, THE CAMERA IS OURS: BRITAIN’S WOMEN DOCUMENTARY featuring work by Marion Grierson, Ruby Grierson, Brigid ‘Budge’ Cooper, Kay Mander & Sarah Erulkar, and Paola Calvo & Patrick Jasim’s LUCHADORAS. Scroll down for all the details of these and other new releases.

This week, a special mention goes to the various screenings of Audrey Diwan’s HAPPENING that are raising funds for the Abortion Support Network that helps people obtain access to safe abortions in countries and states where access is restricted (see listings for venues). My Featured Attraction of the Week goes to Oliver Dickens for THE ASTHENIC SYNDROME at Rio Cinema (07 JUN), the first of his two screenings of films by Kira Muratova to raise funds for Ukraine.

See you in the darkness, and stay safe.

Richard // RADIANT CIRCUS

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

THE ASTHENIC SYNDROME dir Kira Muratova, 1989 + Intro by Dr Elena Gorfinkel presented by Oliver Dickens at Rio Cinema (07 JUNE 18:15).

“A distraught widow who has just buried her husband is about to destroy everything and everybody, but mainly herself. An exhausted man tries to find an escape from his daily chaos and routine in perpetual sleep. While their paths don’t really cross, the film implies they both suffer from the titular syndrome—a weakness, enervation, fatigue that is equally concrete and allegorical.”

“Muratova’s most celebrated film, the epic THE ASTHENIC SYNDROME was winner of the Silver Bear at the 1990 Berlinale and brought her international acclaim. The film has been called a magnificent fresco and an apocalypse. Muratova created vivid images of desperate characters determined to endure, capturing and divining the state of the USSR on the eve of its collapse. A searing portrait of individual malaise and collective apathy, with polyphonic elements and absurdist tableaus, the film stuns the viewer with shock therapy, destroying every illusion.” – Elena Gorfinkel

Followed by: THE LONG FAREWELL dir Kira Muratova, 1971 + Intro by Dr Elena Gorfinkel at Ciné Lumière (14 JUN 18:30).

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FRIDAY

MAMMA ROMA d. Pier Paolo Pasolini, 1962 at The Garden Cinema (03 JUN 20:30) / Part of CELEBRATING ANNA MAGNANI.

SATURDAY

GAY PURR-EE d. Abe Levitow, 1962 at BFI Southbank (04 JUN 12:00) / Part of JUDY GARLAND: A STAR IS REBORN.

SUNDAY

THE DUKE OF BURGUNDY d. Peter Strickland, 2014 + Talk/Q&A with Chiara D’Anna presented by Sappho’s Cinema & Lesflicks at The Cinema Museum (05 JUN 15:30).

MONDAY

Projecting the Archive: KING OF THE DAMNED 35mm d. Walter Forde, 1935 + Intro by film historian Jonathan Rigby at BFI Southbank (06 JUN 18:20).

TUESDAY

THE ASTHENIC SYNDROME d. Kira Muratova, 1989 + Intro by Dr Elena Gorfinkel presented by Oliver Dickens at Rio Cinema (07 JUNE 18:15).

WEDNESDAY

HAPPENING d. Audrey Diwan, 2022 raising funds for the Abortion Support Network at: Genesis Cinema (08 JUN 18:30); Picturehouse Cinemas (08 JUN various); Rio Cinema (08 JUN 18:15).

THURSDAY

Animation Brüt short film programme at Close-Up (09 JUN 20:15).

Full daily listings in this week’s SCREEN GUIDE.
MOUCHETTE 4K Restoration d. Robert Bresson, 1966.

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

More rep seasons listed in this week’s SCREEN GUIDE.

ROOFTOP FILM CLUB

MARIE ANTOINETTE dir Sofia Coppola, 2006 at Bussey Building, Peckham (05 JUN 21:15).

BERGMAN ISLAND d. Mia Hansen-Løve, 2022:

THE CAMERA IS OURS: BRITAIN’S WOMEN DOCUMENTARY MAKERS d. Marion Grierson, Ruby Grierson, Brigid ‘Budge’ Cooper, Kay Mander & Sarah Erulkar, 1935-67:

  • Various venues, inc: ICA

LUCHADORAS d. Paola Calvo & Patrick Jasim, 2021:

More new releases in this week’s SCREEN GUIDE.

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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. //.