DECEMBER 2021: What’s on in London this month

Explore what’s on in London this month with our regular epic roundup of repertory film seasons & festivals.

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

Christmas is popping up all over. I particularly like the look of ALT.XMAS at The Prince Charles, mainly so that I can enjoy compiling a festive listing without making endless reference to HOME ALONE et al. Having said that, their CHRISTMAS programme proper is a staple and we must give the West End indie kudos for more than thirty scheduled 35mm screenings of IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE (daily, all the way to Christmas Eve, just not 05 DEC).

In addition to their own Christmas season of BIG SCREEN CLASSICS, BFI welcomes two new extensions to their phenomenal JAPAN 2021 season this month, starting with ANOTHER GAZE featuring women-made films chosen by Daniella Shreir, editor of the feminist film journal. Then, a little later, they takeover the BFI IMAX for special presentations of SEVEN SAMURAI, AKIRA and a new 4K restoration of BATTLE ROYALE on ‘Britain’s biggest screen’ (all 09 DEC). BFI Southbank is also home to a celebration of Dirk Bogarde and BUSTING THE BIAS, a programme that looks at “breaking down barriers for Disabled talent in the creative industries”.

Other notable seasons this month include the completion of Ross McDonnell’s unique UK retrospective of the works of RYÛSUKE HAMAGUCHI at Close-Up, JEAN-PAUL BELMONDO LE MAGNIFIQUE at Ciné Lumière, and The Care-fuffle collective completing their REPEATED APPARITIONS season at The Horse Hospital (which includes a screening of Marlon Rigg’s TONGUES UNTIED). We’ve been covering the new generation of film programmers from NFTS for a while now, so it’s great to see another season come into sharp focus: Ryan Ninesling’s HUMAN RESOURCES screens at Close-Up and Genesis and is all about the “depiction of work and labour on screen”, including one of my favourite of all the Cronenbergs, POSSESSOR.

For our Featured Attraction of the Month, I’ve chosen A CLASS OF HIS OWN: THE FILMS OF JACK CLAYTON which celebrates the centenary of the visionary director’s birth at BFI Southbank. Reasons? Well, there are some cracking films in this complete season of his directorial work, including one of the finest horror films of all time, THE INNOCENTS. But mostly because you don’t get to run a circus and sideshow themed film blog without putting SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES on the front page when you get the (rare) opportunity. I haven’t seen the film in a long while, but I read Bradbury’s novel every year (or so). And I think it just gets finer.

See you in the darkness,

Richard // RADIANT CIRCUS

A CLASS OF HIS OWN: THE FILMS OF JACK CLAYTON at BFI Southbank

• “For a director of his calibre, Jack Clayton left behind a tantalisingly short filmography. The films he did make, however, rank as some of the most distinctive produced for cinema, assembled with meticulous care in collaboration with luminaries such as Harold Pinter, Truman Capote, Francis Ford Coppola and Freddie Francis. Though eclectic, each of Clayton’s nine fiction works represent a masterclass in literary adaptation, united by a set of enduring thematic preoccupations: characters haunted by their pasts, children confronting the adult world, and the hinterlands between fantasy and reality. And while ROOM AT THE TOP and THE INNOCENTS are rightly celebrated as landmarks in British filmmaking, later features such as THE PUMPKIN EATER, OUR MOTHER’S HOUSE and THE LONELY PASSION OF JUDITH HEARNE deserve equal consideration for their craft and creativity.” (Will Massa and James Bell, BFI).
• See also the Jack Clayton exhibition in the Mezzanine gallery, a collections focus in the library.

• Christmas Floating Film Festival (29 NOV to 05 DEC).
• Ealing Film Festival (04 to 05 DEC).
• Frames Of Representation (25 NOV to 04 DEC).
• French Film Festival (03 NOV to 15 DEC).
• London Film Week (06 to 12 DEC).
• London International Animation Festival (26 NOV to 05 DEC).
• London Migration Film Festival (25 NOV to 01 DEC).
• London Palestine Film Festival (19 NOV to 03 DEC).
• London Surf Film Festival (02 to 04 DEC).
• Made In Prague Festival (07 NOV to 10 DEC).
• Oska Bright Film Festival – Best of the Fest (07 DEC 18:30).
• Russian Film Week (28 NOV to 05 DEC).
• The South London Film Festival (18 DEC).
• Ukranian Film Festival (22 NOV to 06 DEC).
• We Love Anime at Picturehouse Cinemas (04 to 05 DEC).

35MM PRESENTATIONS at The Prince Charles

• Includes (check venue for full listings): IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE 35mm d. Frank Capra, 1946 (01 to 24 DEC various); A WINTER’S TALE 35mm aka Conte d’hiver d. Éric Rohmer 1992 (01 DEC 17:30); EYES WIDE SHUT 35mm d. Stanley Kubrick, 1999 (01 DEC 20:15); JINGLE ALL THE WAY 35mm d. Brian Levant, 1996 (03 DEC 21:00 / 21 DEC 18:10); THE SHOP AROUND THE CORNER 35mm d. Ernst Lubitsch, 1940 (08 DEC 13:00 / 13 DEC 15:30 / 16 DEC 18:20 / 17 DEC 15:00 / 23 DEC 15:40); CAROL 35mm d. Todd Haynes, 2015 (09 DEC 15:10 / 21 DEC 20:45); THE HOLIDAY 35mm d. Nancy Meyers, 2006 (09 DEC 20:25); BOOGIE NIGHTS 35mm d. Paul Thomas Anderson, 1997 (12 DEC 20:25); THE APARTMENT 35mm d. Billy Wilder, 1960 (14 DEC 13:15 / 22 DEC 18:00); DIE HARD 35mm d. John McTiernan, 1988 (15 DEC 20:15 / 21 DEC 15:20 / 21 DEC 15:20 / 22 DEC 21:00 / 24 DEC 18:15). YOU’VE GOT MAIL 35mm d. Nora Ephron, 1998 (16 DEC 20:45); BATMAN RETURNS 35mm d. Tim Burton, 1992 (20 DEC 20:45); MAGNOLIA 35mm d. Paul Thomas Anderson, 1999 (28 DEC 20:15); THERE WILL BE BLOOD 35mm d. Paul Thomas Anderson, 2007 (29 DEC 20:30); INHERENT VICE 35mm d. Paul Thomas Anderson, 2014 (30 DEC 20:30); PHANTOM THREAD 35mm d. Paul Thomas Anderson, 2017 (31 DEC 15:00); TRADING PLACES 35mm d. John Landis, 1983 (31 DEC 15:30); WHEN HARRY MET SALLY 35mm d. Rob Reiner, 1989 (31 DEC 18:00).

70MM PRESENTATIONS at The Prince Charles

• Includes (check venue for full listings): DIE HARD 70mm d. John McTiernan, 1988 (03 DEC 20:40 / 07 DEC 21:00 / 10 DEC 21:00 / 13 DEC 18:00).

100 YEARS: SIMONE SIGNORET, THE POLITICAL STAR – PART I at Ciné Lumière

• Includes (check venue for full listings): THE SLEEPING CAR MURDERS d. Costa-Gavras, 1965 (05 DEC 14:00 / 07 DEC 18:30); ARMY OF SHADOWS aka L’Armée des ombres d. Jean-Pierre Melville, 1960 (12 DEC 14:00 + Panel discussion with Patrick Marnham & Arnaud de la Grange / 14 DEC 19:30).

A CLASS OF HIS OWN: THE FILMS OF JACK CLAYTON at BFI Southbank

• Includes (check venue for listings): ROOM AT THE TOP 35mm d. Jack Clayton, 1959 + Intro by BFI Curator Josephine Botting at BFI Southbank (02 DEC 18:10); THE INNOCENTS d. Jack Clayton, 1961 (04 DEC 20:40 / 09 DEC 20:45 / 13 DEC 18:10 / 23 DEC 14:20 / 27 DEC 15:20 / 30 DEC 14:30 – Some 35mm); OUR MOTHER’S HOUSE 35mm d. Jack Clayton, 1967 + Intro (07 DEC 20:40); The Passions of Jack Clayton panel discussion (08 DEC 18:10); THE PUMPKIN EATER d. Jack Clayton, 1964 (08 DEC 20:40 / 28 DEC 12:15 / 30 DEC 18:10); THE LONELY PASSION OF JUDITH HEARNE d. Jack Clayton, 1987 (10 DEC 20:30 / 21 DEC 14:20 / 29 DEC 17:50); THE GREAT GATSBY d. Jack Clayton, 1974 (11 DEC 20:20 / 27 DEC 12:45); SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES 35mm d. Jack Clayton, 1983 (12 DEC 18:30 / 21 DEC 20:40); THE PUMPKIN EATER d. Jack Clayton, 1964 + Intro by Lucy Scholes (18 DEC 12:50); ROOM AT THE TOP + NAPLES IS A BATTLEFIELD d. Jack Clayton, 1959 + 1944 (18 DEC 14:10 – 35mm / 29 DEC 14:30); MEMENTO MORI + THE BESPOKE OVERCOAT d. Jack Clayton, 1992 + 1955 (19 DEC 18:00); OUR MOTHER’S HOUSE 35mm d. Jack Clayton. 1967 (20 DEC 18:15); ROOM AT THE TOP d. Jack Clayton, 1959 (22 DEC 18:10).

ALL WE WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS… at Picturehouse Cinemas

• Includes (check venue for full listings): THE SHOP AROUND THE CORNER d. Ernst Lubitsch, 1940 (03 to 09 DEC); A CHRISTMAS CAROL d. Jacqui Morris, 2020 (03 to 09 DEC); THE LORD OF THE RINGS TRILOGY: 20TH ANNIVERSARY d. Peter Jackson, 2001, 2002 & 2003 (05 DEC); HOPE d. Maria Sødahl, 2019 (07 DEC); HOME ALONE d. Chris Columbus, 1990 (12 DEC); SCROOGED d. Richard Donner, 1988 (13 DEC); TANGERINE d. Sean Baker, 2015 (14 DEC); IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE d. Frank Capra, 1946 (17 to 24 DEC); GREMLINS d. Joe Dante, 1984 + Quiz (19 DEC); THE HOLIDAY d. Nancy Meyers, 2006 + Intro by Jude Law presented by The Holiday Season podcast (19 DEC); THE MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL d. Brian Henson, 1992 (19 DEC); DIE HARD d. John McTiernan, 1988 (20 & 23 DEC); PARALLEL MOTHERS aka Madres paralelas d. Pedro Almodóvar, 2021 (26 DEC); PIRATES d. Reggie Yates, 2021 + Recorded intro by the cast (31 DEC); THE SOUVENIR: PART II d. Joanna Hogg, 2021 (01 JAN 2022).

ALT. XMAS at The Prince Charles

• Includes (check venue for listings): ROCKY IV: ROCKY VS DRAGO [Ultimate Director’s Cut] d. Sylvester Stallone, 1985 (until 22 DEC various); EYES WIDE SHUT 35mm d. Stanley Kubrick, 1999 (01 DEC 20:15); MEAN GIRLS 35mm d. Mark Waters, 2003 presented by Unicorn Nights (01 DEC 20:30); THE SILENT PARTNER d. Daryl Duke, 1978 (02 DEC 18:30); PADDINGTON d. Paul King, 2014 (05 DEC 13:15 / 17 DEC 13:00 / 22 DEC 16:00); TANGERINE d. Sean Baker, 2015 (08 DEC 20:30); CAROL 35mm d. Todd Haynes, 2015 (09 DEC 15:10 / 21 DEC 20:45); IN BRUGES d. Martin McDonagh, 2008 (10 DEC 18:05); BRAZIL d. Terry Gilliam, 1985 (11 DEC 12:40 / 13 DEC 12:30); LITTLE WOMEN d. Greta Gerwig, 2019 (12 DEC 20:15 / 20 DEC 12:45); EDWARD SCISSORHANDS d. Tim Burton, 1990 (14 DEC 18:10); BLACK CHRISTMAS d. Bob Clark, 1974 (14 DEC 21:00); AMERICAN PSYCHO d. Mary Harron, 2000 (16 DEC 20:30 / 21 DEC 13:00); YOU’VE GOT MAIL 35mm d. Nora Ephron, 1998 (16 DEC 20:45); BATMAN RETURNS 35mm d. Tim Burton, 1992 (20 DEC 20:45).

ANNIVERSARY SCREENINGS at The Prince Charles

• Includes (check venue for full listings): JINGLE ALL THE WAY 35mm d. Brian Levant, 1996 (03 DEC 21:00 / 21 DEC 18:10).

BIG SCREEN CLASSICS: CHRISTMAS ON SCREEN at BFI Southbank

• Includes (check venue for full listings): THE APARTMENT 4K d. Billy Wilder, 1960 + Recorded intro by Tara Judah (01 DEC 18:00); REMEMBER THE NIGHT d. Mitchell Leisen, 1940 (02 DEC 14:30 / 27 DEC 13:00 / 30 DEC 18:00); THE SHOP AROUND THE CORNER d. Ernst Lubitsch, 1940 (03 to 23 DEC); THE SHOP AROUND THE CORNER d. Ernst Lubitsch, 1940 + Recorded intro by Geoff Andrew, Programmer-at-Large (03 DEC 18:10); MEET ME IN ST LOUIS d. Vincente Minnelli, 1944 (03 DEC 20:45 / 19 DEC 12:20 / 22 DEC 18:00 / 28 DEC 12:20); MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET 4K d. George Seaton, 1947 (04 DEC 15:50 / 11 DEC 18:00 / 17 DEC 14:30); A CHRISTMAS TALE 35mm aka Un Conte de Noël d. Arnaud Desplechin, 2008 (05 DEC 17:50 / 28 DEC 15:15); SCROOGE (aka A Christmas Carol) d. Brian Desmond Hurst, 1951 (06 DEC 18:30 / 16 DEC 21:00 / 17 DEC 18:20 / 18 DEC 18:10 / 19 DEC 15:40 / 20 DEC 18:10 / 21 DEC 14:30); TIM BURTON’S THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS d. Henry Selick, 1993 (07 DEC 18:30 / 11 DEC 16:00 / 21 DEC 21:00 / 23 DEC 20:45); GREMLINS 4K d. Joe Dante, 1984 + Intro by Justin Johnson, Lead Programmer (08 DEC 17:50); BAD SANTA d. Terry Zwigoff, 2003 (10 DEC 20:45 / 13 DEC 20:50 / 17 DEC 21:00); IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE 4K d. Frank Capra, 1946 (12 DEC 15:40 / 18 DEC 20:30 / 19 DEC 15:10 / 20 DEC 20:30 / 21 DEC 18:00 / 22 DEC 14:30 / 23 DEC 14:30 & 18:00); THE APARTMENT 4K d. Billy Wilder, 1960 (13 DEC 14:30 / 22 DEC 20:40 / 28 DEC 18:10 / 30 DEC 20:30); TOKYO GODFATHERS aka Tokyo goddofazazu d. Satoshi Kon, 2003 (14 DEC 20:45 / 20 DEC 20:45); CAROL d. Todd Haynes, 2015 (15 DEC 17:50 / 27 DEC 18:00 / 30 DEC 14:20); GREMLINS 4K d. Joe Dante, 1984 (18 DEC 20:45 / 22 DEC 20:45 / 29 DEC 20:50).

BOGARDE AT 100 at BFI Southbank

• Includes (check venue for listings): HUNTED (aka The Stranger in Between) 35mm d. Charles Crichton, 1952 + Intro by BFI Curator Josephine Botting (07 DEC 18:20); OUR MOTHER’S HOUSE 35mm d. Jack Clayton, 1967 + Intro (07 DEC 20:40); THE SERVANT: 4K RESTORATION d. Joseph Losey, 1963 (09 DEC 18:15 / 16 DEC 20:45 / 28 DEC 18:30 / 29 DEC 17:55); I COULD GO ON SINGING 35mm d. Ronald Neame, 1963 + Intro by BFI Curator Josephine Botting (16 DEC 18:15); OUR MOTHER’S HOUSE 35mm d. Jack Clayton. 1967 (20 DEC 18:15).

BUSTING THE BIAS at BFI Southbank

• Includes (check venue for listings): Press Reset on Ableism & pre-recorded keynote by Andrew Miller MBE (03 DEC 12:45); APPROACHING SHADOWS d. TAPE Community Film and Music, 2021 UK Premiere + Panel discussion with the directors (03 DEC 15:00); LOVE d. Jane Ashmore, 2021 + Q&A (04 DEC 13:30); IT’S PERSONAL d. Kyla Harris & Lou Macnamara, 2021 + Q&A (04 DEC 15:15); TALKING BODIES: A Rehearsed Reading + Q&A (05 DEC 14:00); AIMEE VICTORIA + THE MULTI d. Chrystee Pharris, 2021 + d. Mikail Chowdhury & Storm Smith, 2021 (05 DEC 16:00).

CHRISTMAS at Catford Mews

• Includes (check venue for listings): HOME ALONE d. Chris Columbus, 1990 (11 DEC 15:00 / 12 DEC 13:30); DIE HARD d. John McTiernan, 1988 (13 DEC 20:30 / 15 DEC 17:45 / 17 DEC 20:30); ELF d. Jon Favreau, 2003 (18 DEC 11:30 / 19 DEC 15:00); IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE d. Frank Capra, 1946 (21 DEC 11:00 / 22 DEC 14:00 / 23 DEC 20:00 / 24 DEC 17:00).

CHRISTMAS at Chiswick Cinema

• Includes (check venue for listings): ELF d. Jon Favreau, 2003 (05 DEC 15:00); HOME ALONE d. Chris Columbus, 1990 (12 DEC 15:00); IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE d. Frank Capra, 1946 (18 DEC 15:00 / 21 DEC 18:00 / 23 DEC 15:00); FROZEN: SING-A-LONG d. Chris Buck & Jennifer Lee, 2013 (19 DEC 14:30); DIE HARD d. John McTiernan, 1988 (26 DEC 18:00).

CHRISTMAS at Genesis Cinema

• Includes (check venue for listings): TOKYO GODFATHERS d. Satoshi Kon, 2004 (14 DEC 21:10); CAROL d. Todd Haynes, 2015 (15 DEC 21:00); DIE HARD d. John McTiernan, 1988 presented by Truman’s (16 DEC 21:00 – FREE pint of beer or cider); HOME ALONE d. Chris Columbus, 1990 (18 DEC 15:20); IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE d. Frank Capra, 1946 (19 DEC 14:30); THE MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL d. Brian Henson, 1992 (19 DEC 15:00).

CHRISTMAS at The Prince Charles

• Includes (check venue for full listings): IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE 35mm d. Frank Capra, 1946 (01 to 24 DEC various); TOKYO GODFATHERS d. Kon Satoshi, 2004 (02 DEC 18:15 – SUB); HOME ALONE d. Chris Columbus, 1990 (03 DEC 12:45 / 05 DEC 15:50 / 12 DEC 12:30 / 15 DEC 18:00 / 21 DEC 18:15 / 23 DEC 13:00 / 24 DEC 15:45); ELF d. Jon Favreau, 2003 (03 DEC 15:30 / 04 DEC 16:00 / 09 DEC 18:00 / 12 DEC 14:55 / 13 DEC 18:15 / 14 DEC 12:50 / 17 DEC 12:45 / 19 DEC 12:30 / 21 DEC 15:35 / 22 DEC 13:30 / 23 DEC 18:15 / 24 DEC 13:15); THE MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL d. Brian Henson, 1992 (03 to 24 DEC various Sing Along/Santa – check venue for details); JINGLE ALL THE WAY 35mm d. Brian Levant, 1996 (03 DEC 21:00 / 21 DEC 18:10); THE LORD OF THE RINGS TRILOGY – EXTENDED EDITIONS d. Peter Jackson, 2001, 2002 & 2003 (04 DEC 21:00 / 11 DEC 21:30 / 18 DEC 21:00); TIM BURTON’S THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS d. Henry Selick, 1993 (05 DEC 18:20 / 10 DEC 13:00 / 15 DEC 18:15 / 20 DEC 18:30); LOVE ACTUALLY d. Richard Curtis, 2003 (05 DEC 20:30 / 07 DEC 20:55 / 11 DEC 18:35 / 12 DEC 20:30 / 14 DEC 20:35 / 17 DEC 20:45 + Santa! / 19 DEC 20:30 / 23 DEC 20:15 + Santa!); HOME ALONE & HOME ALONE 2 d. Chris Columbus, 1990 & 1992 (06 DEC 18:15); THE SHOP AROUND THE CORNER 35mm d. Ernst Lubitsch, 1940 (08 DEC 13:00 / 13 DEC 15:30 / 16 DEC 18:20 / 17 DEC 15:00 / 23 DEC 15:40); RARE EXPORTS d. Jalmari Helander, 2010 (08 DEC 18:20); GREMLINS d. Joe Dante, 1984 (08 DEC 20:45); CAROL 35mm d. Todd Haynes, 2015 (09 DEC 15:10 / 21 DEC 20:45); THE HOLIDAY 35mm d. Nancy Meyers, 2006 (09 DEC 20:25); NATIONAL LAMPOON’S CHRISTMAS VACATION d. Jeremiah S. Chechik, 1989 (10 DEC 13:15 / 15 DEC 15:40 / 17 DEC 21:00); SCROOGED d. Richard Donner, 1988 (10 DEC 20:40 / 19 DEC 20:45); CHRISTMAS PYJAMA PARTY 5 Films, 1 Ticket! (11 DEC 21:45 / 18 DEC 21:30); THE APARTMENT 35mm d. Billy Wilder, 1960 (14 DEC 13:15 / 22 DEC 18:00); ANNA AND THE APOCALYPSE d. John McPhail, 2017 (16 DEC 15:45); WHITE CHRISTMAS d. Michael Curtiz, 1954 (18 DEC 13:05 / 20 DEC 15:45); THE NIGHT BEFORE d. Jonathan Levine, 2015 (22 DEC 18:15); TRADING PLACES 35mm d. John Landis, 1983 (31 DEC 15:30).
• See also: ALT. XMAS at The Prince Charles.

CHRISTMAS MOVIE NIGHTS at Rivoli Ballroom

• Includes (check venue for full listings): HOME ALONE 2: LOST IN NEW YORK d. Chris Columbus, 1992 (16 DEC 16:30); LOVE ACTUALLY d. Richard Curtis, 2003 (16 DEC 20:00); ELF d. Jon Favreau, 2003 (17 DEC 16:30); DIE HARD d. John McTiernan, 1988 (17 DEC 20:00).

CHRISTMAS ON 35MM at Everyman Screen On The Green

• Includes (check venue for full listings): BAD SANTA 35mm d. Terry Zwigoff, 2003 (04 DEC 22:30); GREMLINS 35mm d. Joe Dante, 1984 (11 DEC 22:30); IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE 35mm d. Frank Capra, 1946 (18 DEC 22:30).

CLOSE-UP ON RYÛSUKE HAMAGUCHI at Close-Up

• Includes (check venue for full listings): WHEEL OF FORTUNE & FANTASY d. Ryûsuke Hamaguchi, 2021 (04 DEC 20:15); DRIVE MY CAR d. Ryûsuke Hamaguchi, 2021 (05 DEC 19:00).

CULT CLASSIC FILM POP UP at Design District

• Includes (check venue for full listings): FANTASTIC MR. FOX d. Wes Anderson, 2009 (04 DEC 14:00); EDWARD SCISSORHANDS d. Tim Burton, 1990 (05 DEC 18:30); HOME ALONE d. Chris Columbus, 1990 (11 DEC 14:00); PAN’S LABYRINTH aka El laberinto del fauno d. Guillermo del Toro, 2006 (11 DEC 18:30); FROZEN d. Chris Buck & Jennifer Lee, 2013 (12 DEC 14:00); MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET (12 DEC 18:30); TIM BURTON’S THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS d. Henry Selick, 1993 (18 DEC 14:00); LOVE ACTUALLY d. Richard Curtis, 2003 (18 DEC 18:30); ELF d. Jon Favreau, 2003 (19 DEC 14:00); IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE d. Frank Capra, 1946 (19 DEC 18:30).

CULTPIX SEASON at Everyman Cinemas

• Includes (check venue for full listings): SILENT NIGHT, BLOODY NIGHT d. Theodore Gershuny, 1972 + Intro by Kim Newman (07 DEC 20:30 – Everyman Broadgate / 10 DEC 23:00 – Screen On The Green).

THE EDGE OF BELIEF at Close-Up

• Includes (check venue for listings): THIS IS NOT A BURIAL, IT’S A RESURRECTION d. Lemohang Jeremiah Mosese, 2019 + Short: SPIRITS & ROCKS: AN AZORIAN MYTH d. Aylin Gökmen, 2020 (10 DEC 20:15); Short Films Part 1 + Part 2 (12 DEC 18:00); THE ILLINOIS PARABLES + SENSEMAYÁ d. Deborah Stratman, 2016 + Colectivo Los Ingrávidos, 2021 (15 DEC 20:15); STE. ANNE d. Rhayne Vermette, 2021 (16 DEC 20:15).
• Curated by Emily Wright. Presented in partnership with the National Film & Television School.

EXPERIENCE THE FLAVOURS OF JAPAN at Picturehouse Cinemas

• Includes (check venue for full listings): GODZILLA:4K RESTORATION aka Gojira d. Ishirô Honda, 1954 (05, 08 & 09 DEC).

EYES ON SPIES at Ciné Lumière

• Includes (check venue for full listings): LE PROFESSIONNEL d. Georges Lautner, 1981 (06 DEC 18:15 / 12 DEC 16:30); THE SPY WHO CAME IN FROM THE COLD 35mm d. Martin Ritt, 1965 (11 DEC 17:00); ARMY OF SHADOWS aka L’Armée des ombres d. Jean-Pierre Melville, 1960 (12 DEC 14:00 + Panel discussion with Patrick Marnham & Arnaud de la Grange / 14 DEC 19:30).

THE FILMS OF ÉRIC ROHMER at The Prince Charles

• Includes (check venue for full listings): A WINTER’S TALE 35mm aka Conte d’hiver d. Éric Rohmer 1992 (01 DEC 17:30).

THE FILMS OF PAUL THOMAS ANDERSON at The Prince Charles

• Includes (check venue for full listings): BOOGIE NIGHTS 35mm d. Paul Thomas Anderson, 1997 (12 DEC 20:25); MAGNOLIA 35mm d. Paul Thomas Anderson, 1999 (28 DEC 20:15); THERE WILL BE BLOOD 35mm d. Paul Thomas Anderson, 2007 (29 DEC 20:30); INHERENT VICE 35mm d. Paul Thomas Anderson, 2014 (30 DEC 20:30); PHANTOM THREAD 35mm d. Paul Thomas Anderson, 2017 (31 DEC 15:00).

HUMAN RESOURCES at Close-Up & Genesis Cinema

• Includes (check venue for listings): ARAYA d. Margot Benacerraf, 1959 at Close-Up (03 DEC 20:15); BLUE COLLAR d. Paul Schrader, 1978 + Panel discussion at Genesis Cinema (08 DEC 18:10); LA PROMESSE 35mm d. Jean-Pierre Dardenne & Luc Dardenne, 1996 at Genesis Cinema (09 DEC 21:00); POSSESSOR d. Brandon Cronenberg, 2020 at Genesis Cinema (14 DEC 18:20).
• Curated by Ryan Ninesling. Presented in partnership with the National Film & Television School.

IN FOCUS: RADU JUDE at ICA

• Includes (check venue for full listings): BAD LUCK BANGING OR LOONY PORN d. Radu Jude, 2021 (until 09 DEC various).

JAPAN 2021 at BFI Southbank

• Includes (check venue for full listings): AFTER LIFE aka Wandafuru raifu d. Hirokazu Kore-eda, 1998 (01 DEC 20:30 / 10 DEC 20:40 / 13 DEC 20:40 / 29 DEC 14:20); IN THE REALM OF THE SENSES 35mm aka Ai no corrida d. Nagisa Ôshima, 1976 (01 DEC 20:50 / 11 DEC 20:45 / 22 DEC 18:20); FUNERAL PARADE OF ROSES aka Bara no sôretsu d. Toshio Matsumoto, 1969 + Recorded intro by Professor Mitsuyo Wada-Marciano (02 DEC 18:00); The Shifting Spaces of Modern Japanese Cinema panel discussion (02 DEC 20:40); WOMAN OF THE DUNES aka Suna no Onna d. Hiroshi Teshigahara, 1964 + Intro by Espen Bale, BFI National Archive (03 DEC 18:00); TOKYO DRIFTER aka Tôkyô nagaremono d. Seijun Suzuki, 1966 (03 DEC 20:50 / 23 DEC 18:30); BLACK RAIN 35mm aka Kuroi ame d. Shôhei Imamura, 1989 (04 DEC 17:50 / 28 DEC 18:15); STRAITS OF HUNGER (aka A Fugitive from the Past) 35mm aka Kiga kaikyô d. Tomu Uchida, 1965 (05 DEC 16:30 / 18 DEC 14:30); WOMAN OF THE LAKE 35mm aka Onna no mizûmi d. Kijû Yoshida, 1966 (06 DEC 18:00 / 15 DEC 20:50); SILENCE HAS NO WINGS 35mm aka Tobenai chinmoku d. Kazuo Kuroki, 1966 (06 DEC 20:55 / 15 DEC 18:00); THE LONG DARKNESS 35mm aka Shinobugawa d. Kei Kumai, 1972 (08 DEC 20:40 / 19 DEC 12:40); PALE FLOWER 35mm aka Kawaita hana d. Masahiro Shinoda, 1964 (09 DEC 18:00 / 19 DEC 18:20); DEATH BY HANGING 35mm aka Kôshikei d. Nagisa Ôshima, 1968 (10 DEC 17:50 / 17 DEC 18:00); MUDDY RIVER 35mm aka Doro no kawa d. Kôhei Oguri, 1981 + Intro by season co-programmer Alexander Jacoby (12 DEC 11:50); THE DEMON 35mm aka Kichiku d. Yoshitarô Nomura, 1978 + Intro by season co-programmer Alexander Jacoby (12 DEC 14:50); THE MAN WHO STOLE THE SUN 35mm aka Taiyô wo nusunda otoko d. Kazuhiko Hasegawa, 1979 (12 DEC 18:00 / 16 DEC 20:10); TAMPOPO 4K d. Jûzô Itami, 1985 + Intro by Catherine Wheatley (13 DEC 18:00); FUNERAL PARADE OF ROSES aka Bara no sôretsu d. Toshio Matsumoto, 1969 (14 DEC 14:30 / 27 DEC 15:50); TAMPOPO 4K d. Jûzô Itami, 1985 (17 DEC 20:45 / 28 DEC 15:10); THE EMPEROR’S NAKED ARMY MARCHES ON aka Yuki Yukite, Shingun d. Kazuo Hara, 1987 (18 DEC 11:40 / 27 DEC 18:20); WOMAN OF THE DUNES aka Suna no Onna d. Hiroshi Teshigahara, 1964 (18 DEC 17:30); MOVING aka Ohikkoshi d. Shinji Sômai, 1993 (18 DEC 20:35 / 29 DEC 20:30); THE DEMON 35mm aka Kichiku d. Yoshitarô Nomura, 1978 (19 DEC 16:00); FIRE FESTIVAL 35mm aka Himatsuri d. Mitsuo Yanagimachi, 1984 (20 DEC 17:50 / 27 DEC 13:20); SUZAKU 35mm aka Moe No Suzaku d. Naomi Kawase, 1997 (21 DEC 17:45 / 30 DEC 21:00); SHALL WE DANCE? 35mm aka Shall we dansu? d. Masayuki Suo, 1996 (21 DEC 20:30 / 30 DEC 17:40); LOVE LETTER d. Shunji Iwai, 1995 (22 DEC 20:50 / 28 DEC 12:10); MUDDY RIVER 35mm aka Doro no kawa d. Kôhei Oguri, 1981 (23 DEC 20:40).

JAPAN 2021 at BFI IMAX

• Includes (check venue for full listings): SEVEN SAMURAI aka Shichinin no Samurai d. Akira Kurosawa, 1954 (09 DEC 13:30); AKIRA d. Katsuhiro Ôtomo, 1988 (09 DEC 18:00); BATTLE ROYALE: 4K RESTORATION d. Kinji Fukasaku, 2000 (09 DEC 20:45).

JAPAN 2021: ANOTHER GAZE at BFI Southbank

• Includes (check venue for full listings): SKY, WIND, FIRE, WATER, EARTH + BIRTH/MOTHER aka Kya ka ra ba a + Tarachime d. Naomi Kawase, 2001 + 2006 (01 DEC 18:15 / 15 DEC 20:45); 0.5MM aka 0.5 miri d. Momoko Andô, 2014 (04 DEC 18:30 / 27 DEC 16:30); DEAR PYONGYANG d. Yang Yong-hi, 2005 + Recorded intro by the director (11 DEC 20:40 / 23 DEC 18:10); THE FAR ROAD aka Toi ippon no michi d. Sachiko Hidari, 1978 Restoration premiere + Recorded intro by Professor Ayako Saito (14 DEC 20:40 / 28 DEC 15:00); Experimenta presents: A selection of video & film works by experimental filmmaker Mako Idemitsu + Intro by Another Gaze’s Daniella Shreir (15 DEC 18:10).

JEAN-PAUL BELMONDO LE MAGNIFIQUE at Ciné Lumière

• Includes (check venue for full listings): PIERROT LE FOU d. Jean-Luc Godard, 1965 (06 DEC 20:20 / 15 DEC 18:10 / 19 DEC 17:40); LE PROFESSIONNEL d. Georges Lautner, 1981 (06 DEC 18:15 / 12 DEC 16:30); LE DOULOS d. Jean-Pierre Melville, 1962 (13 DEC 20:20 / 19 DEC 16:35); L’HOMME DE RIO d. Philippe de Broca, 1964 (13 DEC 20:00); BORSALINO: 4K RESTORATION d. Jacques Deray, 1970 (13 DEC 17:50 / 19 DEC 14:00).

MOVIE MARATHONS at The Prince Charles

• Includes (check venue for listings): THE LORD OF THE RINGS TRILOGY – EXTENDED EDITIONS d. Peter Jackson, 2001, 2002 & 2003 (04 DEC 21:00 / 11 DEC 21:30 / 18 DEC 21:00); HORROR MOVIE MARATHON 5 Films, 1 Ticket! (04 DEC 21:30); HOME ALONE & HOME ALONE 2 d. Chris Columbus, 1990 & 1992 (06 DEC 18:15); CHRISTMAS PYJAMA PARTY 5 Films, 1 Ticket! (11 DEC 21:45 / 18 DEC 21:30).

THE PRECIOUS THINGS at BFI Southbank

• Includes (check venue for listings): 1970s Odd Pop & Rare Rock (11 DEC 15:00); An Evening with Vincent Price: VINCENT PRICE IS IN THE COUNTRY d. Bryan Izzard, 1971 (11 DEC 17:50); Neil Innes and Terry Jones: EAST OF THE MOON + Intro by producer Joy Whitby (17 DEC 18:10); Christmas Specials of Yesteryear (18 DEC 18:20).

REPEATED APPARITIONS at The Horse Hospital

• Includes (check venue for listings): TONGUES UNTIED d. Marlon Riggs, 1989 + Experimental collective reading moderated by Collective Çukurcuma (09 DEC 19:00); Shorts Programme + Live-writing performance from Mengqi He (16 DEC 19:00).
• Presented by The Care-fuffle Collective.

THIS IS WHAT A FAMILY LOOKS LIKE at Rio, ActOne & Picturehouse Central

• Includes (check venues for listings): GRAVE OF THE FIREFLIES aka Hotaru no haka d. Isao Takahata, 1988 + Draw-a-long workshop with artist Ellen Li at Rio Cinema (11 DEC / Workshop – 15:00 / Film – 15:30); LIKE FATHER, LIKE SON aka Soshite chichi ni naru d. Hirokazu Kore-eda, 2013 + Risograph printing workshop with The Print Collective at ActOne Cinema (12 DEC /Workshop – 12:45 / Film – 13:30); CLOSE-KNIT aka Karera ga honki de amu toki wa d. Naoko Ogigami, 2017 + Intro by Stranded Dyeworks & post-screening knit-in at Picturehouse Central (19 DEC 14:00).
• Programmed by MilkTea Films.

THE WORLD OF WONG KAR WAI at The Prince Charles

• Includes (check venue for listings): CHUNGKING EXPRESS d. Wong Kar Wai, 1994 (01 DEC 12:05 / 02 DEC 21:00 / 06 DEC 12:35 & 21:00); FALLEN ANGELS d. Wong Kar Wai, 1995 (01 DEC 18:10 / 02 DEC 13:00).

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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. //.