THE BALLY #99: What to see from London this week (19 FEB 2021+)

Welcome to THE BALLY where we update you on the latest news from across London’s alternative cinema scene.

Twitter @radiantcircus | Instagram @radiantcircus

Welcome to another week of streaming news from across London’s alternative cinema scene.

In this edition of THE BALLY, we give you two (much missed!) visits to the cinema with a look at the North London streaming programmes from Phoenix Cinema and ArtHouse Crouch End. We’re currently trying to make space in our online lives for WILLY’S WONDERLAND (ArtHouse) and RECORDER: THE MARION STOKES PROJECT (Phoenix). These acts of “meaningful streaming” are a way of giving something back to venues that need your support. Also, we’re thirsty for a big dose of Nicolas Cage stupid right about now… (remember those mutant alpacas in COLOUR OUT OF SPACE?).

Elsewhere, we take a look at the 10-strong lineup for the always popular (who are we kidding, always SOLD OUT!) Human Rights Watch Film Festival. We also introduce you to two FREE sets of triplets: three brilliant preludes for the Essay Film Festival from Birkbeck Institute Of The Moving Image (BIMI), and three F-Rated French films for International Women’s Day from Institut Français.

Looking back over previous editions, South Social Film Festival continues their Nordic flavoured film seasons with a trip to Iceland for RAMS (23 FEB). Then, Other Ways To Care continues their protest programme Sick, Tired, Angry – Unite! with a streaming of Madeline Anderson’s I AM SOMEBODY plus supporting programme (24 FEB). Queer film fans get the launch of the BFI Flare programme on YouTube & Facebook (23 FEB) before Women Over Fifty Film Festival and Newham Community Cinema complete their LGBT History Month season Ladies Who Love with a streaming of THE JOURNEY (25 FEB).

Finally, a huge thank you to the reader who suggested (way back!) that we check out Sands Films Cinema Club. Their South-east London treasure trove of content continues to grow this week with a streaming of John Pilger’s THE WAR YOU DON’T SEE (23 FEB). We can’t possibly keep abreast of everything that’s streaming from London’s indie exhibitors, so please keep the suggestions coming if you feel there is an exhibitor we’re overlooking. And apologies to that Rotherhithe reader for the delay in picking up on their suggestion… we completely forgot we had a MailChimp inbox… (we blame the pandemic…).

Stay safe and strong. I’ll see you in the darkness soon.

Richard

Barker-In-Chief // RADIANT CIRCUS.

Main featured image: THE NEW CORPORATION: THE UNFORTUNATELY NECESSARY SEQUEL (d. Joel Bakan & Jennifer Abbott, 2020/Canada) part of Human Rights Watch Film Festival (18 to 26 MAR).

Iceland Cineclub: RAMS

South Social Film Festival’s Cineclub seasons continue this week with the Iceland edition: RAMS d. Grímur Hákonarson, 2015. Watch it on BFI Player then join the discussion (23 FEB 19:00). READ MORE

This is a film still from JUMP, DARLING which screens at BFI Flare (17 to 28 MAR 2021).

BFI Flare programme launch on YouTube & Facebook (23 FEB 18:00 – FREE!)

Ahead of the main stream (17 to 28 MAR 2021), BFI Flare will launch their full programme at an online event. READ MORE

Sick, Tired & Angry – Unite!

Other Ways To Care presents a streaming season of films “in solidarity with university communities fighting the hostile environment in neoliberal times” (10 FEB to 19 MAR 2021 – FREE!). Next Up: #2 Struggle – I AM SOMEBODY d. Madeline Anderson, 1970 + UNITED VOICES d. Hazel Falck 2020 (WED 24 FEB 19:30). READ MORE

Newham Community Cinema & WOFFF present THE JOURNEY

The season of four streaming events for Newham’s LGBTQI+ History Month concludes with THE JOURNEY d. Ligy J Pullappally, 2004 + HALWA d. Gayatri Bajpai, 2019 + Q&A (25 FEB 18:00 – FREE!). READ MORE

This is a film still from iHUMAN (2019) which screens at Bertha DocHouse 25 FEB 2021.

Bertha DocHouse presents iHUMAN (2019) plus Live Q&A with director Tonje Hessen Schei (25 FEB 19:00)

iHUMAN follows pioneers at the frontline of the invisible AI revolution to see how this technology is developed and implemented. READ MORE

This is a film still to promote the event SEX & SYPHILIS AT THE CINEMA (26 Feb 2021).

Birkbeck presents Sex & Syphilis At The Cinema (26 FEB 18:00 – FREE!).

Two rarely seen interwar public-health films, TRIAL FOR MARRIAGE (1936) and TEST FOR LOVE (1937) + Q&A. Both films address “the problem of venereal diseases and the important role that the new VD Service was playing in reducing disease prevalence and breaking down the social taboos.” READ MORE

A film still from Wong Kar Wai’s CHUNGKING EXPRESS.

The World of Wong Kar Wai from ICA Cinema 3 (01 – 23 FEB 2021)

A unique retrospective featuring seven new 4K restorations streams from ICA’s virtual Cinema 3 on The Mall. READ MORE

A Listening Eye – The Films of Mike Dibb (08 JAN to 26 MAR 2021)

A new season of free films & live events streaming from The Whitechapel Gallery. READ MORE


If you’re an exhibitor in Greater London, RADIANT CIRCUS offers some FREE services to help promote your screen event (when everything gets going again…).

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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. //.