NOVEMBER 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

There’s a distinct theme to this month’s repertory programming which really centres around the cinema – and broader screen culture – of Japan. BFI continues their own epic season JAPAN 2021 adding in a number of excellent panel discussions and free online events to escort you onto the 10m platform to take that deeper dive (I particularly like the look of Female Archetypes in Classical Japanese Cinema (11 NOV 18:10) and Japanese Film Posters: An Illustrated Talk by Hidenori Okada (19 NOV 13:00 – FREE online)). Then, Close-Up Film Centre really comes into their own with CLOSE-UP ON RYÛSUKE HAMAGUCHI and special guest programmes from Day For Night (URBAN, NATURAL, HUMAN) and Wavelength Docs (CINEMA OF THE SELF). The Prince Charles resumes their STUDIO GHIBLI season (check with the venue if dubbed versions are more your thing…) and let’s not forget the conclusion of an excellent season of free docs at Japan House, TOKYO 1964: DESIGNING TOMORROW.

In festivals, there probably couldn’t be anything more topical right now than Ocean Film Festival (16 to 24 NOV) which repeats over several nights at Conway Hall. The returns of French Film Festival (03 NOV to 15 DEC), London Korean Film Festival (04 to 19 NOV), London Palestine Film Festival (19 NOV to 03 DEC) and Russian Film Week give you a chance to tour the world whilst minimising your carbon footprint. In a similar vein, SouthSocial Film Festival continues their globe-trotting series of events, this time partnering up with various embassies and institutes to bring you the London Baltic Film Festival (27 to 28 NOV) featuring films from Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Specialist festivals will continue to broaden out your cultural perspective, with new arrivals this month including UK Jewish Film Festival (04 to 18 NOV), Fringe! Queer Film & Arts Fest (09 to 14 NOV), EFG London Jazz Festival (12 to 21 NOV), and Frames Of Representation (25 NOV to 04 DEC) which showcases ‘the cinema of the real’.

For our Featured Attraction of the Month, I’ve chosen Wavelength Doc’s CINEMA OF THE SELF: PERSONAL DOCUMENTARY IN JAPAN at Close-Up for several reasons. Mainly because it focuses on a sub-genre I’m entirely unfamiliar with – “self-documentary, personal documentary or ‘I-film'” – but also because I feel small scale indie venues like Close-Up and specialist indie programmers like Wavelength deserve all the love we can give them in these challenging times. Wavelength have previously programmed much of their work at Deptford Cinema, an award-winning volunteer venue that continues to search for a new home in South London. A reminder, if any were needed, of how fragile our film culture can be.

See you in the darkness,

Richard // RADIANT CIRCUS

PS – Last month I invited your support for Jane Giles’ kickstarter to complete her film doc, SCALA CLUB CINEMA. I’m delighted to say the target of £25k was thoroughly smashed (reaching a grand total of £40k!). This month I’m asking you to show your support for The Cinema Museum who are close to smashing their target of 60k signatories on a petition to show the owners/developers of their site how valuable their work is. Act now if you can: the petition gets handed in 05 NOV.

CINEMA OF THE SELF at Close-Up Film Centre.

CINEMA OF THE SELF: PERSONAL DOCUMENTARY IN JAPAN at Close-Up (13 to 14 NOV)

  • Programmed by Sunil Chauhan of Wavelength Docs: “This programme places its focus on one of the most disarming strands of Japan’s non-fiction cinema. Variously termed self-documentary, personal documentary or “I-film” (a cousin to the I-novel in Japanese literature), this form of auto-documentary-making began when Japanese filmmakers in the early 70s began to make films that pointed the camera either at themselves, or those closest to them. Distributing and exhibiting the results outside of commercial circuits, the films could take the form of home videos, diaries, portraits, confessions, or a combination thereof. Raw, naked and intimate, both in form and content, self-documentary has often been the province of fledgling filmmakers willing to take on the challenge to put something on the line, to present their lives with an honesty as unvarnished as possible. So, while beauty, humour, lightness of the everyday are present, above all, it’s the private moments that give these films their power to surprise and move. This programme brings together some of the best of the sub-genre to come from Japan in the last 25 years.”

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’ (02 NOV 14:30 / 06 NOV 20:15 / 09 NOV 20:15 / 18 NOV 20:15 / 29 NOV 20:15).

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

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): THE CRUCIBLE aka Les Sorcières de Salem d. Raymond Rouleau, 1957 (02 NOV 17:50 / 07 NOV 13:20); THE CONFESSION aka L’Aveu d. Costa-Gavras, 1970 (21 NOV 14:45 / 23 NOV 17:45); POLICE PYTHON 357 35mm d. Alain Corneau, 1976 (28 NOV 14:00 / 30 NOV 17:10).

2007: A VINTAGE YEAR FOR CINEMA at The Prince Charles

AFRICAN ODYSSEYS: DARCUS HOWE at BFI Southbank

ANNIVERSARY SCREENINGS at The Prince Charles

ARNIE CLASSICS at The Prince Charles

BIG SCREEN CLASSICS: WATCHING THE DETECTIVES at BFI Southbank

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): BLUE VELVET 4k d. David Lynch, 1986 (02 NOV 18:00 / 13 NOV 20:45 / 21 NOV 17:40); THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS 4k d. Jonathan Demme, 1991 + Recorded intro by Professor Yvonne Tasker, author of The Silence of the Lambs: BFI Film Classics (03 NOV 19:00); HOUSE OF BAMBOO d. Samuel Fuller, 1955 (04 NOV 20:50 / 11 NOV 14:30 / 15 NOV 18:10); KISS ME DEADLY d. Robert Aldrich, 1955 (05 NOV 20:40 / 20 NOV 18:00 / 28 NOV 12:15); ZERO DARK THIRTY d. Kathryn Bigelow, 2012 (06 NOV 17:30 / 09 NOV 14:15 / 28 NOV 15:20); MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS d. Sidney Lumet, 1974 (07 NOV 18:10 / 16 NOV 14:15); INSIDE MAN d. Spike Lee, 2006 (08 NOV 20:30 / 25 NOV 14:30 / 30 NOV 20:20); THE LONG GOODBYE d. Robert Altman, 1973 + Recorded intro by Geoff Andrew, Programmer-at-Large (10 NOV 17:50); SHAFT 35mm d. Gordon Parks, 1971 (12 NOV 20:50 / 23 NOV 18:20); HEAT 4k d. Michael Mann, 1995 (13 NOV 16:30 / 15 NOV 13:40); DIRTY HARRY d. Don Siegel, 1971 (14 NOV 18:20 / 26 NOV 20:45); DEVIL IN A BLUE DRESS d. Carl Franklin, 1995 + Intro by Empire Magazine Contributing Editor Amon Warmann (17 NOV 18:00); THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS 4k d. Jonathan Demme, 1991 (18 NOV 14:40); ILLUSTRIOUS CORPSES 4k aka Cadaveri eccellenti d. Francesco Rosi, 1976 (19 NOV 20:40 / 27 NOV 18:10); CHINATOWN 4k d. Roman Polanski, 1974 (20 NOV 20:30); THE MANCHURIAN CANDIDATE d. John Frankenheimer, 1962 (21 NOV 14:50); UN FLIC d. Jean-Pierre Melville, 1972 (23 NOV 20:45 / 29 NOV 20:55); NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN 4k d. Joel & Ethan Coen, 2007 + Intro by Geoff Andrew, Programmer-at-Large (24 NOV 18:00); THE LONG GOODBYE d. Robert Altman, 1973 (27 NOV 20:40); IN THE CUT 35mm d. Jane Campion, 2003 (30 NOV 18:10).

BRIAN DE PALMA at The Prince Charles 

CINEMA OF THE SELF: PERSONAL DOCUMENTARY IN JAPAN at Close-Up

CLOSE-UP ON RYÛSUKE HAMAGUCHI at Close-Up

CRUISE CONTROL at Picturehouse Finsbury Park

CULTPIX SEASON at Everyman Cinemas

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): ANITA: SWEDISH NYMPHET d. Torgny Wickman, 1973 + Intro by Christina Lindberg (16 NOV 20:30 – Everyman Broadgate / 19 NOV 23:00 – Everyman Screen On The Green).

DAVID CRONENBERG at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): CRASH d. David Cronenberg, 1996 (01 NOV 20:45).

EDGAR WRIGHT’S LONDON AFTER DARK at BFI Southbank

ESSENTIAL CINEMA at Close-Up

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): TAIPEI STORY d. Edward Yang, 1985 (05 NOV 20:15); A BRIGHTER SUMMER DAY d. Edward Yang, 1991 (06 NOV 15:15 / 07 NOV 15:00); YI YI d. Edward Yang, 2000 (06 NOV 19:30 / 07 NOV 19:15).

EXPERIENCE THE FLAVOURS OF JAPAN at Picturehouse Cinemas

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): YOJIMBO d. Akira Kurosawa, 1961 (04 NOV various); EARLY SUMMER aka Bakushû d. Yasujirô Ozu, 1951 (07 NOV various); THE FLAVOUR OF GREEN TEA OVER RICE aka Ochazuke no aji d. Yasujirô Ozu, 1952 (14 NOV various / 17 NOV various); THRONE OF BLOOD aka Kumonosu-jô d. Akira Kurosawa, 1957 (21 NOV various / 25 NOV various); TOKYO STORY aka Tôkyô monogatari d. Yasujirô Ozu, 1953 (26 NOV various / 28 NOV various).

EYES ON SPIES at Ciné Lumière

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): OSS 117: FROM AFRICA WITH LOVE aka OSS 117: Alerte rouge en Afrique noire d. Nicolas Bedos, 2021 (07 NOV 20:20 / 10 NOV 20:35 / 13 NOV 16:00); SPIONE d. Fritz Lang, 1928 (14 NOV 14:00).

FILM COLLECTIVES & POLITICAL LIBERATION IN THE UK (1963–2020) at The Castle Cinema 

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): NIGHTCLEANERS d. Berwick Street Collective, 1975 + COUNCIL HOUSING IN BETHNAL GREEN d. Joan Littlewood, 1963 (07 NOV 16:30); BHANGARA JIG d. Pratibha Parmar, 1990, WHO TAKES THE RAP: IMMIGRATION d. Women + The Law Collective, 1986, YOU’ll NEVER WALK ALONE d. WiTCH, 1984 + BITTER WAGES d. The Woman and Work Hazards Group, 1984 (20 NOV 16:00); COOL CLUB DANCERS d. Joan Littlewood, 1963, COLLECTIVE HUM d. Black Obsidian Sound System, 2019, AUDRE LORDE IN CONVERSATION WITH… d. Late Start Film & Video Collective, 1985, HOW DOES AN INVISIBLE BOY DISAPPEAR d. Rehana Zaman, Liverpool Black Women Filmmakers, 2018, + DREAMING RIVERS d. Judah (Martina) Attile, Sankofa Film & Video Collective, 1988 (27 NOV 16:00).
  • Programmed by The Habibi Collective.

THE FILMS OF DAVID LYNCH at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): MULHOLLAND DR. 35mm d. David Lynch, 2001 (09 NOV 20:30).

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

THE FILMS OF QUENTIN TARANTINO at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): PULP FICTION 35mm d. Quentin Tarantino, 1994 (20 NOV 20:15).

HORROCTOBER at The Prince Charles

IN FOCUS: RADU JUDE at ICA

JAPAN 2021 at BFI Southbank

JEAN-PAUL BELMONDO LE MAGNIFIQUE at Ciné Lumière

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): L’HOMME DE RIO aka That Man from Rio d. Philippe de Broca, 1964 (01 NOV 18:35 / 25 NOV 20:30); BREATHLESS aka A bout de souffle d. Jean-Luc Godard, 1959 (06 NOV 16:10 / 10 NOV 15:45); PIERROT LE FOU d. Jean-Luc Godard, 1965 (25 NOV 18:15 / 27 NOV 16:00 / 06 DEC 20:20).

MIKE LEIGH at BFI Southbank 

  • Includes (check venue for listings): HOME SWEET HOME d. Mike Leigh, 1982 + Q&A with the director (01 NOV 17:50); HIGH HOPES d. Mike Leigh, 1998 + Q&A with the director, Ruth Sheen & Phil Davis (02 NOV 18:45); ALL OR NOTHING 4k d. Mike Leigh, 2002 (03 NOV 20:30 / 10 NOV 20:30); LIFE IS SWEET d. Mike Leigh, 1990 (04 NOV 18:15 / 23 NOV 20:50); CAREER GIRLS d. Mike Leigh, 1997 (05 NOV 20:50 / 12 NOV 18:15); HOME SWEET HOME d. Mike Leigh, 1982 (06 NOV 11:45); SECRETS & LIES d. Mike Leigh, 1996 + Q&A with the director (06 NOV 19:00); HIGH HOPES d. Mike Leigh, 1998 (11 NOV 18:00 / 20 NOV 20:30); MEANTIME d. Mike Leigh, 1983 (11 NOV 20:45); VERA DRAKE d. Mike Leigh, 2004 (12 NOV 20:40); NAKED 4k d. Mike Leigh, 1993 + Q&A with the director, David Thewlis & Lesley Sharp (13 NOV 17:20); ABIGAIL’S PARTY d. Mike Leigh, 1977 + Q&A with the director (14 NOV 12:00); TOPSY-TURVEY d. Mike Leigh, 1999 + Q&A with Mike Leigh & Jim Broadbent (14 NOV 17:30); HAPPY-GO-LUCKY 35mm d. Mike Leigh, 2008 (15 NOV 20:40);ANOTHER YEAR d. Mike Leigh, 2010 + Q&A with the director, Ruth Sheen & Lesley Manville (19 NOV 17:30); FOUR DAYS IN JULY d. Mike Leigh, 1985 + Q&A with the director & Bríd Brennan (20 NOV 11:50); PETERLOO d. Mike Leigh, 2018 + Q&A with the director & cinematographer Dick Pope (20 NOV 16:20); MR. TURNER d. Mike Leigh, 2014 + Q&A with the director, Marion Bailey & Dorothy Atkinson (21 NOV 13:10); ALL OR NOTHING 4k d. Mike Leigh, 2002 + Q&A with Q&A with the director, Lesley Manville & Marion Bailey (21 NOV 17:10); CAREER GIRLS d. Mike Leigh, 1997 + Q&A with the director (23 NOV 18:00); FOUR DAYS IN JULY d. Mike Leigh, 1985 (24 NOV 14:15); VERA DRAKE d. Mike Leigh, 2004 + Q&A with the director, Imelda Staunton & Phil Davis (26 NOV 17:40); SECRETS & LIES d. Mike Leigh, 1996 (27 NOV 15:00); MR. TURNER d. Mike Leigh, 2014 (27 NOV 17:30); TOPSY-TURVEY d. Mike Leigh, 1999 (28 NOV 17:40); PETERLOO d. Mike Leigh, 2018 (29 NOV 17:40); ANOTHER YEAR d. Mike Leigh, 2010 (29 NOV 20:30); GROWN-UPS d. Mike Leigh, 1980 (30 NOV 14:15).

MIKE LEIGH’S CHOICES at BFI Southbank

MISSING BELIEVED WIPED at BFI Southbank

MOVIE MARATHONS at The Prince Charles

STEPHEN KING at The Prince Charles

STUDIO GHIBLI at The Prince Charles

TALES OF TOMORROW: SCI-FI SELECTIONS at The Prince Charles

TEEN MOVIES at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): BACK TO THE FUTURE d. Robert Zemeckis, 1985 (07 NOV 12:45 / 11 NOV 15:30).

THAT’S KINO, BABY! at The Prince Charles

TOKYO 1964: DESIGNING TOMORROW at Japan House London 

TWISTED FOLK: THE BEST FOLK HORROR FILMS FROM THE LAST DECADE at Catford Mews

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): THE VVITCH d. Robert Eggers, 2015 (06 NOV 20:30 / 08 NOV 20:30 / 10 NOV 20:30).

URBAN, NATURAL, HUMAN: EXPLORING JAPAN ON SCREEN at Close-Up

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): BOOK-PAPER-SCISSORS d. Nanako Hirose, 2019 + Intro by Sonali Joshi (12 NOV 20:15); ASCENT d. Fiona Tan, 2016 + Intro by Sonali Joshi (13 NOV 20:15); THE INLAND SEA + Short d. Lucille Carra, 1991 (14 NOV 20:15).
  • Programmed by Day for Night.

WEREWOLF FILMS at The Prince Charles

WIM WENDERS ON 35MM at The Prince Charles

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): WINGS OF DESIRE 35mm aka Der Himmel über Berlin d. Wim Wenders, 1987 (03 NOV 18:00).

WONG KAR WAI at BFI Southbank

  • Includes (check venue for full listings): IN THE MOOD FOR LOVE 4K aka Fa yeung nin wah d. Wong Kar Wai, 2000 (02 NOV 20:50).

THE WORLD OF WONG KAR WAI at The Prince Charles

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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. //.