This film was chosen as Films of Resistance's pick for the Lebanese season, to highlight the way Lebanese and Palestinian communities are interconnected. It will be preceded by an introduction by Dr Kareem Estefan.

In this award-winning documentary, directors Masri and Chamoun focus on the women who played a crucial role in fighting the Israeli invasion of southern Lebanon. Preserving their stories on camera, Wild Flowers: Women of South Lebanon is a poignant documentary about courage, resistance, and hope.

Mai Masri is one of the pioneers of Palestinian documentary, with most of her work focusing on the linked histories of Lebanon and Palestine. Her films have been screened internationally and won over 90 awards. She is mostly recognised for her poetic and humanistic approach, centering women and children in her stories. Mai worked closely with her late husband Lebanese filmmaker Jean Chamoun and earned international acclaim with her films, including Children of Fire, Woman for Her Time, Children of Shatila, and Beirut Diaries.

Films of Resistance are a collective offering a decentralised screening and fundraising resource. All funds raised through their screenings are reinvested into Palestinian filmmaking and cultural centres in Palestine.

The ticket price will include a cup of Palestinian sage tea.

UK Premiere of 4K Restoration. The screening on 6 May will be introduced by the season curator Millie Zhou.

One of the most acclaimed, though underseen films of the Hong Kong New Wave, Allen Fong’s Ah Ying is an almost documentary-like work which takes a more realistic and intimate approach than many of the more genre-based or experimental offerings of the movement. The winner of multiple awards and nominations at the Hong Kong Film Awards and the Berlin International Film Festival, Ah Ying uses real life for its inspiration, portraying authentic living conditions and flourishing film scene in Hong Kong in the early 1980s.

Based on the autobiographical story of lead actress Hui So-Ying, the film follows Ah Ying, who yearns to be an actress, but is stuck working at her parents’ wet market fish stall while living in a cramped apartment in a rundown housing estate. Taking a job at the Film Culture Centre in return for being allowed to sit in on acting classes, she strikes up a friendship with her Chinese-American teacher, who takes an interest in her life and becomes determined that they should make a film together. 

This screening is in partnership with the Chinese Cinema Project and Focus Hong Kong. In Cantonese with English subtitles.

The film is set in Southern Lebanon, July 2006, during what is known as Israel’s “Second Lebanon War", a month of fighting characterised mostly by Israeli aerial bombardment of Lebanon, and rocket attacks from the Shia militia Hizballah on northern Israel in response.

During a 24h ceasefire, Marwan heads out in search of his father who refused to leave his Southern village and leaves his wife Rana preparing alone their immigration to Canada. Marwan finds no traces of his father and the ceasefire is quickly broken, forcing him to take shelter in Najib’s house, his father’s friend. Marwan finds himself trapped under the rain of bombs with Najib and a group of elders, friends of his father. Tension rises inside and outside of the house. Suddenly, a group of Israeli soldiers enter the first floor...

Ghossein worked around his tight budget but having all the action take place over three days, in one location, with a creative and imaginative use of sound design. The Arabic title of the film is "the wall of sound". We never see the Israeli soldiers, we only hear snippets of conversation and creaking floorboards. A tense and well-crafted thriller, the film paints an engaging and humanising portrait of the people of Southern Lebanon, especially in light of the current situation.

The film won three awards, (Audience, Jury and technical prize) at the Venice Film Festival International Critics' Week.

The screening on 9 April will be preceded by an introduction to give some context to the story.

The screening on 30 June will be a members' event. Keep an eye out for our announcement.

OTHERFIELD presents a screening of Almost Heaven, Carol Salter's 2017 tender and reflective portrait of Ying Ling, a young woman training to become a mortician at one of China’s largest funeral homes, was awarded Best Documentary at the 2017 British Independent Film Awards.

Despite being away from home for the first time, and her fear of ghosts and dead bodies, Ying Ling learns the spa rituals; cleaning and massaging corpses while grieving families look on. She finds solace in her macabre role through playful banter with another young mortician, and together, they spend their time off talking about their hopes, fears and plans for the future. As one of many rural-to-urban teenagers working to support her family, Ying Ling must immerse herself in the surreal and grinding world of China’s industrialisation of mortality.

With intimate access and moments of black humour, Almost Heaven follows Ying Ling as she learns about life while surrounded by death.

“An insightful pleasure” - Sight & Sound

★★★★  “Salter’s well-observed portrait.” - The Sunday Times

 ★★★★ “Potent filmmaking” - Time Out

“A vibrant, human story” - Hollywood Reporter

Best Documentary, British Independent Film Awards 2017

Best Documentary nominee, Berlinale 2017

Crystal Bear nominee, Berlinale 2017

Carol Salter

Carol Salter is an award-winning documentary filmmaker with a background in fine art.

Her critically acclaimed feature ALMOST HEAVEN, is a tender portrait of a young teenager, training to become a mortician in China. It won Best Documentary at the British Independent Film Awards 2017 and was double-nominated for the Glashütte Original Documentary Award and a Crystal Bear at Berlin International Film Festival 2017.

Her previous films have been screened internationally. UNEARTHING THE PEN (2011), a young Ugandan boy’s struggle for the right to an education, picked up 10 Awards including Best Documentary at Encounters, the Al Jazeera Golden Award and Aesthetica Film Festival Best Film. MAYOMI (2009) about a Sri Lankan woman’s attempt to put her life back together after the Tsunami, also won several awards and was screened internationally.

A graduate of the National Film and TV School, Carol has worked as a director, a self-shooter, and film editor.  Her films are intimate stories about the individual, exploring the wider social and political issues of the human condition.

Otherfield

Launched in 2011 and dedicated to re-imagining the possibilities of nonfiction filmmaking, Otherfield is a grassroots gathering of non-fiction filmmakers and film lovers who have come together to create a space where we can discuss, share and support one another through the creative processes, ethics, politics and well being needed in our field of making, away from industry pressure. Our aim is to empower through dialogue and bring together filmmakers from all walks of life to listen, learn and grow in an environment which is fun, safe and away from the big smoke.

Tickets are on sale for this year’s edition which will be taking place from 1 – 3 August 2025 at Laughton Lodge, East Sussex.

Ticket link: https://www.otherfield.uk/

The screening on 3 May will be introduced by Tony Rayns.

Feature debut from Eddie Fong with fiercely feminist and erotic New Wave take on the classical Chinese historical drama. Produced by the Shaw Brothers, the film is a provocative exploration of passion and oppression, which won awards for its gorgeous art direction and a slew of nominations for its score and cast.

Yu Xuanji, a freethinking young scholar, becomes a Taoist priestess to avoid the traditional roles designated to her as a woman by the society during the Tang Dynasty. However, while this allows Yu to continue her studies and to achieve fame as a poet, her affairs with a wandering swordsman and her maid gradually lead her to scandal and self-destruction. Turning the usual gender roles on their heads, the film is powerful tale of desire and rebellion that plays out against a backdrop of sensual visual poetry. 

This screening is in partnership with the Chinese Cinema Project and Focus Hong Kong. Courtesy of Celestial Pictures Limited. In Cantonese with Chinese and English subtitles.

Our screening on Friday 23 May will be introduced by MINT Film Festival co-director Dr. Carol Rennie. The screening on 27 May will be introduced by MINT co-curator Wenqi Zhang.

Chinese writer-director Lou Ye (Summer Palace, Suzhou River) recalls the COVID lockdown via a hybrid of documentary, web videos, and fragments from his past films, spinning a powerful docufiction out of a nation’s collective trauma.

In 2019, filmmaker Mao Xiaorui and his team discover fascinating old footage from a project abandoned 10 years earlier. This unfinished work (reminiscent of Lou’s acclaimed Spring Fever) brings back nostalgic images of the past. Hoping to realise a project dear to him, Xiaorui reunites his original crew to complete it. But their efforts are disrupted by the onset of COVID-19 in Wuhan, forcing the group into lockdown.

The Garden Cinema View:

Lou Ye’s latest is slippery, ever shapeshifting, meta-docufiction that refracts a variety of early pandemic experiences. Initially an entirely believable depiction of a filmmaker’s attempt to recover and restart his lost film (mirroring Lou’s own motives almost exactly), before morphing into a kind of post-apocalyptic thriller as Wuhan locks down at frightening speed. Ultimately An Unfinished Film weaves in real-life media to present a very moving return to some emotional high and low points of that time. Whilst destined to never finish his intended film, Lou demonstrate how art can be so effective as an emotional memory container and generator for shared moments of trauma.

Mint in Cinemas: The UK Release of An Unfinished Film by Lou Ye is a women-led Chinese cinema release project, presented by MINT Chinese Film Festival (MINT CFF) with the support of the BFI, awarding funds from the National Lottery.

Follow MINT CFF on:

 Instagram: @mintchinesefilmfestival

 Xiaohongshu: @薄荷紫华语电影节

For more info, please visit their website:

 www.unicornscreening.com  

Introduction by festival director Marketa Uhlirova & fashion curator Isabella Coraça.

Inspired by the dialectical montage of Soviet cinema, this programme stages a visceral collision between two opposing views of fashion: as sublime allure, and as a global industry rooted in extraction and violence. Featuring a sequence of short films produced between 1910 and 1950, Animal Matters juxtaposes glamorous garments and accessories crafted from skins, furs and feathers with newsreels exposing the hunting and processing of animal materials, also including human hair. This deliberate contrast, designed to unsettle, forces fashion’s disconnected narratives to sit side by side, illuminating what is typically obscured. The programme culminates in a lighter note with the recently restored film The Dancing Fleece, a charming ballet-fashion film commissioned by the British wool industry in 1950.

The silent shorts will be accompanied with live music by Stephen Horne

Content warning: This content includes images of dead animals and scenes involving animal skins, which may be distressing for some viewers.

The New Fashion: Rattlesnake Skin Footwear (La Nueva Moda: Calzado de Piel del Serpiente de Cascabel)

USA, 1918. Dir. Unknown (Gaumont America), 45sec

The Snake Leather Industry (De Slangenlederindustrie)

The Netherlands, 1925. Dir. Unknown (Pathé Amsterdam), 4min44sec

A Fitting at the Furrier Henri Vergne by Miss Varesca (Un Essayage Chez le Fourreur Henri Vergne par Mlle. Varesca)

France, 1913. Dir. Unknown, 40sec

Clothing Factory, Česká Kamenice (Ošacovací závody, Česká Kamenice)

Czechia, 1928. Dir. Unknown, 6min (clips)

Untitled

France, c.1915. Dir. Unknown, 2min1sec

Paris Fashions: Hats of the House of Francine Arnould

France, 1912. Dir. Unknown, 1min17sec (clip)

Paris Fashions: Latest Creations in Hair Dressing

France, c.1912. Dir. Unknown, 13secs (clip)

Hunting for Egret Feathers in Africa (Chasse a l'aigrette en Afrique)

France, 1911. Dir. Alfred Machin (Pathé), 5min17sec

Untitled (Birds of Paradise)

France, c.1925. Dir. Unknown (Pathé), 8min22sec

Hair and Frills (Cheveux et Chichis)

France, 1911. Dir. Unknown (Pathé), 4min30sec

The Dancing Fleece

UK, 1950. Dir. Frederick Wilson, 20min

Newly restored in 4K from 35mm nitrate Technicolor film elements preserved by the BFI National Archive

A delightful blend of promotional film and avant-garde dance, this vivid Technicolor production celebrates British wool manufacturing through every stage of its journey. Commissioned by the National Wool Textile Export Corporation and costumed by Norman Hartnell – then a rising star in British couture – the film juxtaposes meticulous, tactile close-ups of wool yarns and fabrics with Lotte Reiniger’s animations and expressive dance choreographies (including a sheep ballet). The film’s dreamlike, quasi-surrealist aesthetic unfolds through scenes where mannequins are ritualistically dressed. Various sequences highlight wool’s transformation: shearing, spinning, dyeing, and weaving, culminating in a glamorous fashion show finale.

With thanks to the BFI National Archive.

All That Is Solid: the third Animate OPEN sets out to celebrate, subvert and confound expectations of what animation can be.

The fifteen short films, selected from an international open call, are from Austria, Belgium, England, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Scotland, South Korea, the USA and Wales. They explore subjects that range from intimate, personal stories to wider geopolitical events, including the COVID-19 pandemic, the invasion of Ukraine, and the climate crisis. They consider the places we call home, and our need to connect with other humans, animals and nature. The diverse animation techniques represented include photo cut-out, Risograph, kitchen lithography, timelapse, charcoal, pinscreen, 3D, stop motion, and hand-drawn on paper.

Running Order:

High Street Repeat, Laurie Hill and Osbert Parker, 4 mins 25 secs, 2023, UK

In The Garden: Giggles In The Greenery, Dominica Harrison, 4 mins 34 secs, 2024, UK

Silent Panorama, Nicolas Piret, 5 mins 9 secs, 2024, Belgium

NATURA 2040, Hantao Li, 11 mins 5 secs, 2024, UK

TWENTYTИƎWT, Max Hattler, 7 mins, 2023, Hong Kong        

Dull Spots of Greenish Colours, Sasha Svirsky, 10 mins 32 secs, 2024, Germany

Raining through my bones,Meghana Bisineer, 5 mins, 2022, USA

Noggin, Case Jernigan, 7 mins 10 secs, 2024, USA

Liminal Roots, Aliyah Harfoot, 4 mins 20 secs, 2024, UK

Contradiction of Emptiness, Irina Rubina, 3 mins 6 secs, 2024, Germany        

FLORE, Emily Sasmor, 2 mins 12 secs, 2022, USA

Pigeon Holding, Olivia Dugdale, 1 min 41 secs, 2023, UK

I Am a Horse, Chaerin Im, 7 mins 58 secs, 2022, South Korea

Adulting, James Duesing, 8 mins 10 secs, 2024, USA

Mokosh, Anna Dudko, 4 mins 45 secs, 2023, Austria

Animate champions experimentation in animation. Our mission is to engage the public with the creativity and craft of the artform. We do this through supporting artists to create thought provoking projects, engaging with audiences across digital and physical contexts, and promoting critical debate.

animateprojects.org

Some of the films deal with issues that may be sensitive or distressing to some viewers.

Content includes:

Depictions of emotional distress, intense situations, nudity, racism, and COVID-19 lockdown; discussion of trauma, mental health, depression, anxiety, war, torture, death, illness, sex, animal injury and the Ukraine invasion.

Some films include flashing images or stroboscopic effects, intense soundtracks, sudden loud sounds and startling visual effects.

Viewer discretion is advised.

Arze will be premiering in the UK on 13 June here at the Garden Cinema. The screening will be followed by a zoom Q&A with director Mira Shaib, hosted by the Arab Film Club's Sarah Agha.

In Mira Shaib's debut feature, struggling single mum Arzé runs a small fatayer business from her home. As demand picks up, she buys her son a scooter. However, when the scooter is stolen, Arzé, frustrated by the lack of police action, takes matters into her own hands and journeys across Beirut to retrieve it, dragging her son Kinan along with her, navigating the city’s web of sectarianism - constantly adapting her attire and accent as she visits in turn a Sunni restaurateur, a Maronite business, a Palestinian camp, a Shia barber...

Although lighthearted and laugh-out-loud funny in parts, Arze is richly textured film, uncannily revealing the many layers of Beirut's very specific cultural tapistry. The film has proven a real festival hit with Lebanese and international audiences alike, and was Lebanon’s submission for the 2025 Academy Awards.

To celebrate the launch of their new book Intimate Animation, Skwigly Editor in Chief Ben Mitchell and Dr. Laura-Beth Cowley have curated a programme of animated films that explore the sensitive, sensual - and sometimes saucy - side of animation. Based on the long-running Skwigly podcast of the same name, Intimate Animation tours the landscape of contemporary animated films that deal with themes of love, intimacy, relationships, anatomy and sexuality – and the incredible artists behind them. Following the screening there will be a panel discussion with participating filmmakers hosted by Chris Shepherd. Books will be available for purchase at an exclusive Bar Shorts discount. Films so far included in the programme are....

Le Clitoris (Dir. Lori Malépart-Traversy), Canada, 2016, 3:17

Hold Me (Ca Caw Ca Caw) (Dir. Renee Zhan), USA, 2016, 11:25

Venus (Dir. Tor Fruergaard), Denmark, 2010, 8:10

Salmon Men (Dir. Veronica L. Montaño, Manuela Leuenberger, Joel Hofmann), 2020, Switzerland, 6:06

Private Parts (Dir. Anna Ginsburg), UK, 2015, 3:34

Natural Disaster (Dir. Joseph Wallace), UK, 2014, 4:47

SUMMER'S PUKE IS WINTER'S DELIGHT, (Dir. Sawako Kabuki), Japan, 2016, 2:59

I'll Be Your Kettle (Dir. Tobias Rud), Denmark, 2021, 9:24

Soft Animals (Dir. Renee Zhan), UK, 2021, 3:35

A Love/Hate Relationship (Dir. Anna Ginsburg), UK, 2020, 1:08

Manivald (Dir. Chintis Lundgren), Croatia, 2017, 12:57

Master Blaster (Dir. Sawako Kabuki), Japan, 2015, 4:00

Northern China, 1999. The grisly discovery of several corpses is made in a small town. A bloody incident during the attempt to capture the alleged murderer leaves two police officers dead and another badly injured. The surviving officer Zhang Zili is suspended from duty; he takes a job as a security guard at a factory. Five years later, another series of mysterious murders occurs. Aided by a former colleague, Zhang decides to investigate under his own initiative.

Diao Yinan's Golden Bear winning third feature is a noirish thriller in drained colours which, whilst playfully alluding to the genre, also invites us into the lives of very ordinary people

In 1960, a young Irish woman named Edna O’Brien wrote a sexually frank debut novel, The Country Girls. She became a literary sensation, writing for The New Yorker, delivering provocative interviews, and authoring screenplays. Her success enraged her writer husband and made her a pariah in her

native Ireland, where her books were banned and burned. She would make her home in London, where she conducted numerous love affairs, hosted star-studded parties, and made and lost a fortune.

In July 2024, Edna passed away and this film provides a final testimony from her, aged 93, as she reflects upon her extraordinary life for filmmaker Sinéad O’Shea’s camera.

Granting the director access to her personal journals - read aloud in the film by the Oscar nominated Irish actress Jessie Buckley - and with additional perspectives offered from Gabriel Byrne, Walter Mosley and an array of renowned writers, Edna does not shy from any subject.

The Garden Cinema View:

This illuminating documentary deploys interviews, archive footage, and readings of Edna O’Brien’s memoirs to foreground her importance to literature alongside the appalling misogyny she suffered throughout her career. Whilst a deep analysis of her writing is not central to this study, there is a firm sense of O’Brien as a hardworking, principled, and resilient artist who faced relentless personal attacks and sexism, from the media and even in her private life. The centrepiece of the film is a remarkable interview with O’Brien, conducted shortly before her death in 2024, which shows her as spikey as ever, but with renewed empathy.

The screening on 21 April will be introduced by Chris Berry (KCL).

Among the most important films to come out of the Hong Kong New Wave, Ann Hui’s devastating Boat People focuses on the experiences of refugees forced to flee their country in the aftermath of the Vietnam War.

A film with urgent contemporary resonance, Boat People sees Ann Hui documenting the hopelessness felt by many, and shows how the severity of life post-War led many people to take the dangerous decision to step into boats in hope of a better existence. For her fourth feature, which screened as part of the Official Selection at Cannes, the director takes a deeply humanistic approach to a harrowing and urgent subject.

Three years after the Communist takeover, a Japanese photojournalist (George Lam) travels to Vietnam to document the country’s seemingly triumphant rebirth. When he befriends a teenage girl (Season Ma) and her destitute family, however, he begins to discover what the government doesn’t want him to see: the brutal, often shocking reality of life in a country where political repression and poverty have forced many to resort to desperate measures in order to survive.

This screening is in partnership with the Chinese Cinema Project and Focus Hong Kong. Supported by the Hong Kong Economic Trade Office London. In Cantonese with English subtitles.

While scoring high-profile credits as a screenwriter (including The Empire Strikes Back and Raiders of the Lost Ark), Lawrence Kasdan made his directorial debut with this steamy, contemporary film noir in the tradition of Double Indemnity and other classics from the 1940s. In one of his most memorable roles, William Hurt plays a Florida lawyer unwittingly drawn into a web of deceit spun by Kathleen Turner (in her screen debut) as a married socialite who plots to kill off her husband with Hurt's assistance.

The screening on 28 June will be introduced by filmmaker and critic Jasper Sharp.

Seijun Suzuki's delirious 1967 hit-man film has drawn comparisons with contemporaries Le samouraï and Point Blank and influenced directors such as John Woo, Jim Jarmusch, and Quentin Tarantino among others.

The story of laconic yakuza Hanada (Joe Shishido), aka 'No. 3 Killer', the third rated hit-man in Japan who takes an impossible job from the mysterious, death obsessed Misako. Hanada bungles the hit and finds himself the target of his employers and a bullet ridden journey leads him to face the No. 1 Killer.

Shot in cool monochrome with beguiling visuals, Branded to Kill is an effortlessly cool crime film with a jazzy score that caused Suzuki to be fired by the studio's executives but is now rightly recognised as his masterpiece.

Alan Parker’s BAFTA-winning ganster musical Bugsy Malone might seem an unlikely idea for a film- a musical comedy set in the 1930s criminal underworld with a cast made up entirely of young teens - but it works brilliantly. 13-year-old Jodie Foster gives an incredible performance as Tallulah.

In late-20s New York, rival gangs led by Fat Sam (John Cassisi) and Dandy Dan fight to control the city. Bugsy Malone (Scott Baio) and his sweetheart Blousey dream of a new life in Hollywood but get caught in the – custard-filled – crossfire.

On Sunday mornings our Family Screenings are followed by a free activity for Children.

The screening is Pay What You Can, which means you’re free to pay as much or as little as you can afford. By paying for a ticket, you will enable us to keep offering Pay What You Can screenings to families struggling with the cost of living. Thank you

Due to popular demand, we're bringing back Caramel, as part of our Lebanese season. The film will be preceded by Dania Bdeir's short film Warsha.

Caramel is a Middle Eastern rom-com that challenges binding cultural traditions whilst celebrating female friendship.

In Beirut, five women meet up at a beauty salon, a highly colourful and sensual microcosm. Layale loves Rabih, but he is married man. Nisrine is a Muslim and she has a problem with her coming wedding: She’s no longer a virgin. Rima is tormented by her attraction to women. Jamale is refusing to grow old. Rose has sacrificed herself to look after her older sister. At the salon, men, sex and motherhood are the subjects at the heart of their intimate and liberated conversations.

Punctuated by laugh out loud moments, this hugely popular film from 2006 offers a genuinely nuanced and moving portrait of the country, with its intimate and layered depiction of both its female protagonists and the wider societal relationships they navigate, at a time of cautious optimism in the country.

Caramel will be preceded by the Oscar-nominated mesmerising Warsha, in which a Syrian migrant working as a crane operator in Beirut volunteers to cover a shift on one of the most dangerous cranes, where he is able to find his freedom.

The screening will be followed by a Q&A with the film's director Pablo Aravena, hosted by Cultural Architect Kish Kash.

Young people took to the streets with political muralism all over Chile in the late 60s, at the same time that young people in New York were starting modern graffiti, and May 68 took place in Paris. Chile Estyle is a documentary film which explores the past and present of Chile's unique street art tradition, which comes from a remix of political muralism and graffiti, and has been part of Chilean cultural and political life since the 60s. The result is a visually arresting, informative, and entertaining film.

We’re all haunted – by lost loves, past selves, secrets and societal demands. In this dynamic programme, queer characters and communities dance with the ghosts that haunt them. Should they embrace spectral coexistence or fight for an exorcised future? This collection of short films is a call to action imbued with warmth and spectacle, from the playful tone and dazzling palette of Grandma Nai Who Played Favorites, to the tender surrealism of 302 and the cheeky rebellion of If I Were a Voice. Get ready to expose the truth, reject expectations, and defend what matters the most, with rhythm and style.

Curatorial idea by Lu Etienne and Gareth Mattey, as part of Up Next: Future Film Curators Lab 2024/25

Grandma Nai Who Played Favorites

Grandma Nai sneaks away from the peaceful afterlife after overhearing that her queer grandson is getting engaged to a woman.

Dir. Chheangkea | Cambodia, France, USA | 2025 | 19min

Thunder Bird

The reigning Mother of Myanmar’s Thunder Bird dance troupe reflects on her journey.

Dir. Yadanar Oo | Myanmar | 2025 | 16min

Farewell, Saranghae, Farewell

Hitomi's peaceful life is shaken when her girlfriend Naho's dream of becoming a K-Pop idol comes true.

Dir. Sunhye Hong | South Korea, Japan | 2024 | 26min

302

An officer cadet declares his homosexuality to the Singaporean army.

Dir. Leon Cheo | Singapore | 2024 | 16min

If I Were A Voice

Suspended from the choir, Ralph must figure out how to expose his corrupt school.

Dir. Denbert Tiamson | Philippines | 2024 | 20min

To launch our new Select Japan screening strand, we're paying tribute to the late filmmaker Masahiro Shinoda, who passed away in March, with his masterpiece, the flamboyently theatrical and subversively Brechtian Double Suicide.

Many films have drawn from classic Japanese theatrical forms, but none with such shocking cinematic effect as Masahiro Shinoda's Double Suicide. In this striking adaptation of a Bunraku puppet play (featuring the music of famed composer Toru Takemitsu), a paper merchant sacrifices family, fortune, and ultimately life for his erotic obsession with a sex worker.

Masahiro Shinoda was one of the last living links to both the Golden Age of Japanese cinema of the 1950s and the Japanese New Wave period of the 1960s. His films include Pale Flower  and Assassination (both 1964), the first adaptation of Shusaku Endo's Silence in 1971, and his glorious documentary of the 1972 Sapporo Winter Olympics.    

This screening will be introduced by Select Japan curator George Crosthwait.

Entertaining Mr Sloane will be introduced by Brigitte Mayr and Michael Omasta from Synema Vienna.

Based on Joe Orton's stage play of the same title - which was labelled the dirtiest show in town - this screen adaptation tells the offbeat story of a brother and sister who take in a lodger and using blackmail, persuade him to join them in a perculiar ménage à trois.

Wolf Suschitsky considered Entertaining Mr Sloane as one of the funniest films he ever had the pleasure of working on, and rated the cast as among the best of what England had to offer.

Winner of Best Animated Feature at the 2025 Academy Awards.

When a flood washes its home away, a solitary cat must seek refuge with a motley crew of animals (including a dog, a capybara, a lemur and a secretarybird), who gradually learn to get along in this endearing, Oscar-winning animation.

Gints Zilbalodis cements his position as a visionary director with this captivating, dialogue-free escapade, whose ambition and scope is breathtaking.

On Sunday mornings our Family Screenings are followed by a free activity for Children.

The screening is Pay What You Can, which means you’re free to pay as much or as little as you can afford. By paying for a ticket, you will enable us to keep offering Pay What You Can screenings to families struggling with the cost of living. Thank you

Please note, screenings taking place in our new Screen 3 will not yet have step-free access whilst we wait for our platform lift to be installed.

Get Carter will be introduced by Brigitte Mayr and Michael Omasta from Synema Vienna, and is preceded by the short documentary, Wolfgang Suschitzky - Photographer and Cameraman.

Legendary British star Michael Caine is Jack Carter, the London gangland enforcer who returns to his hometown of Newcastle to avenge his brother’s untimely death. Rarely has the criminal underworld been so realistically portrayed than in this 1971 masterpiece. Shot on location, Wolf Suschitzky's camera work bares unflinching witness to the bleakness of 1970s Newcastle and unremittingly depicts an atmosphere of decay and despair. Unsurprisingly, Get Carter's style influenced many gangster films to come but few come close to matching this classic.

Wolfgang Suschitzky - Photographer and Cameraman (Joerg Burger, 2009, 22 min)

Joerg Burger, himself a photographer and cameraman, portrays Wolf Suschitzky’s eventful professional and private life. Stories, anecdotes, and memorabilia form the basis for a dialog with the versatile cameraman, whose liveliness and mischievous humour lend this short filmic portrait its special charm. A tribute to a great, all too modest man of cinema.

In India Donaldson’s insightful, piercing debut, 17-year-old Sam (Collias) embarks on a three-day backpacking trip in the Catskills with her dad, Chris (Le Gros) and his oldest friend, Matt (McCarthy). As the two men quickly settle into a gently

quarrelsome brotherly dynamic, airing long-held grievances, Sam, wise beyond her years, attempts to mediate. But when lines are crossed and Sam’s trust is betrayed, tensions reach a fever pitch, as Sam struggles with her dad’s emotional limitations and experiences the universal moment when the parental bond is tested.

The Garden Cinema View:

The spirit of Kelly Reichardt soars over this soothing yet disturbing trek through the woods. In particular, the hiking mysteries of Old Joy, as well as a Reichardtian camera which is always drawn to insects, foliage, and other quiet scenes of nature. Deborah Granik’s Leave no Trace is another (albeit more intense) touchpoint, as Good One also uses the wilderness as a canvas to explore a father-daughter relationship. It’s a lovely debut feature, and although the stakes are low, this allows small moments to ripple undisturbed.

Gutsy Film Festival celebrates the bold and original work of filmmakers living with hidden disabilities and chronic illnesses. This specially curated programme features a diverse mix of short films spanning a variety of genres. The 60-minute screening will begin with a brief introduction from festival founder Amy Sargeant, sharing the inspiration behind Gutsy and introducing the films. Join us afterwards for drinks in the bar - can't wait to see you there!

Gutsy is a film festival celebrating the work of filmmakers living with hidden disabilities and chronic illnesses. It’s a supportive, inclusive space to showcase creativity, share stories, and connect with others.

The film will be preceded by Al Ittisal (The Call), a short film by Sabine Kahwaji, who will be introducing the screening. 

Serge and his girlfriend Leila arrive late at his parents’ big Easter lunch with the wider family. The electricity has been cut, and tensions are already simmering before coming to a head  when matriarch Josephine realises $12,000 of her savings have disappeared.

Amdist the mouth-watering zooms on the kebbe, fatayer, and tabbouleh, biting remarks and sarcastic swipes always on the verge of snowballing into full-blown political and religious arguments, and dysfunctional-family meltdown, in a manner reminiscent of many a French dyfunctional dinner films (Un Air de Famille comes to mind). The handheld camera never leaves the confines of the flat, as tensions ramp up, the acerbic dialogue - at times hilarious - and Lucien Bourjeily's sharply-observed portrayal packing so much about everything the country has been grappling with over the last few decades.

Emmy-nominated writer and director Lucien Bourjeily is known for both his films and theatre productions. Although his work has travelled internationally, it has sometimes been subject to political censorship.

The film won the Special Jury Prize at the Dubai International Film Festival, the "Special Jury Prize" and "Ensemble Cast" awards at the Festival des cinémas arabes, and was nominated for the Jordan Ressler award at the 2018 Miami International Film Festival, the Critics' Choice Award at the 2018 Hamburg Film Festival and the Best World Fiction film award at the 2018 LA Film Festival.

The screening on 25 June will be preceded by a oud performance by Kareem Samara, and followed by a Q&A with director Lucien Bourjeily.

The screening on 19 June will be preceded by a short and transporative set by oud player Kareem Samara, and will be followed by a Q&A with Lucien Bourjeily hosted by actress and Arab Film Club founder Sarah Agha.

Serge and his girlfriend Leila arrive late at his parents’ big Easter lunch with the wider family. The electricity has been cut, and tensions are already simmering before coming to a head  when matriarch Josephine realises $12,000 of her savings have disappeared.

Amdist the mouth-watering zooms on the kebbe, fatayer, and tabbouleh, biting remarks and sarcastic swipes always on the verge of snowballing into full-blown political and religious arguments, and dysfunctional-family meltdown, in a manner reminiscent of many a French dyfunctional dinner films (Un Air de Famille comes to mind). The handheld camera never leaves the confines of the flat, as tensions ramp up, the acerbic dialogue - at times hilarious - and Lucien Bourjeily's sharply-observed portrayal packing so much about everything the country has been grappling with over the last few decades.

Emmy-nominated writer and director Lucien Bourjeily is known for both his films and theatre productions. Although his work has travelled internationally, it has sometimes been subject to political censorship.

The film won the Special Jury Prize at the Dubai International Film Festival, the "Special Jury Prize" and "Ensemble Cast" awards at the Festival des cinémas arabes, and was nominated for the Jordan Ressler award at the 2018 Miami International Film Festival, the Critics' Choice Award at the 2018 Hamburg Film Festival and the Best World Fiction film award at the 2018 LA Film Festival.

The event is taking place in partnership with the Arab Film Club.  

There will be another matinee screening of the film on 27 June.

18-year-old Totone spends most of his time drinking beer and partying in the Jura region with his group of friends until reality catches up with him when he has to take care of his 7-year-old sister and find a way to make a living. He sets out to make the best Comté cheese in the region in an attempt to win the gold medal at the agricultural competition and 30,000 euros.

The Garden Cinema View:

Louise Courvoisier's humorous and moving debut inventively entangles the complex craft of cheesemaking in France's Comté region with the labyrinthian process of maturing adolescence. The film's greatest strength lies in its sense of place, transporting us to the area with its lush green landscapes, ancient caseiculture traditions, and intimate portrayal of working-class youth. We become thoroughly immersed in this complex craft - a process equally challenging and rewarding, subject to countless variables and uncertainties.

Holy Cow's authenticity is further enhanced by Courvoisier's decision to employ her own family in set design and soundtrack creation, alongside her cast of first-time, untrained local actors. The story revolves around the testosterone driven and hard-headed Totore (an excellent Clément Faveau), who is gradually redeemed by allowing softness to penetrate his defences. Against a backdrop of the old ways, this untamed and charismatic protagonist simultaneously frustrates us and earns our respect.

While honouring the tradition of French social realism, Courvoisier refreshes the genre by finding poetry in this rural labour, while never romanticising its hardships and characters.

The screening on 27 April will be introduced by Dr Ruby Cheung (University of Southampton).

One of the most acclaimed works by Yim Ho, a leading figure of the Hong Kong New Wave, Homecoming is a thoughtful and moving reflection of an increasingly anxious time when the future of the then-colony was being negotiated as part of the Sino-British Joint Declaration, signed in 1984. Winner of six awards at the Hong Kong Film Awards, including Best Film and Best Director, the film was the first Hong Kong production to be shot entirely on location in the Mainland, giving many audiences their first glimpse of a China which had been closed to the outside world.

The film follows Shan Shan, a young businesswoman who returns to her small village in Guangdong in southern China after becoming exhausted by the pressure and materialistic life in Hong Kong. There she reunites with her childhood friend Ah Zhen, whose life is the opposite of hers, happily married and the headmistress of the local school, though the bond they shared in the past has changed due to the cultural gap that has arisen between them over the years. Exploring the real and imagined differences between the capitalist rat-race of modern Hong Kong and the peaceful and romantic nostalgia of Shan Shan’s Chinese roots, Yim Ho seeks to also find commonality and connection, looking to a shared past as well as an uncertain future.

This screening is in partnership with the Chinese Cinema Project and Focus Hong Kong. Supported by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office London. In Mandarin, Teochew and Cantonese with English subtitles.

In a deserted Macedonian village, Hatidze, a 50-something woman, trudges up a hillside to check her bee colonies nestled in the rocks. Serenading them with a secret chant, she gently manoeuvers the honeycomb without netting or gloves. Back at her homestead, Hatidze tends to her handmade hives and her bedridden mother, occasionally heading to the capital to market her wares. One day, an itinerant family installs itself next door, and Hatidze’s peaceful kingdom gives way to roaring engines, seven shrieking children, and 150 cows.

Honeyland is part cautionary tale, part intimate and compelling journey into nomadic beekeeping, told with breathtaking cinematography.

The film was nominated for Best Documentary at the 2020 Academy Awards and Independent Spirit Awards, and won the Special Jury Award for Impact for Change at the Sundance Film Festival.

The film is screening as part of our Planting Seeds season, which explores issues around nature and environmental activism. The screening on 4 May is part of a members' event that will include honey tasting.

Join us for a screening of Jim Jarmusch’s Mystery Train to celebrate the release of Jules O’Dwyer’s Hotels, the second instalment in Cutaways, a series of pocket-sized books co-edited by Erika Balsom and Genevieve Yue. Each Cutaways volume offers a journey through the history of cinema guided by a single motif or formal device. In Hotels, O’Dwyer unfolds how spaces of temporary dwelling are more than a mere backdrop to a film’s action: they actively scaffold the formal, aesthetic, and narrative possibilities of cinema. Among the eclectic array of films discussed is Jarmusch’s moody triptych Mystery Train, in which a hotel in downtown Memphis provides a common space and time for otherwise disconnected, wayward characters and gives rise to a reflection on race, labour, and belonging in America.

About the film:

Aloof teenage Japanese tourists, a frazzled Italian widow, and a disgruntled British immigrant all converge in the city of dreams - which, in Mystery Train, from Jim Jarmusch, is Memphis. Made with its director’s customary precision and wit, this triptych of stories pays playful tribute to the home of Stax Records, Sun Studio, Graceland, Carl Perkins, and, of course, the King, who presides over the film like a spirit. Mystery Train is one of Jarmusch’s very best movies, a boozy and beautiful pilgrimage to an iconic American ghost town and a paean to the music it gave the world.

Followed by a q&a with author Jules O'Dwyer (University of Cambridge) chaired by Erika Balsom (KCL). Hotels will be available to purchase before and after the screening.

Invisibility has often been a key survival technique for queer individuals, allowing them to blend seamlessly into a straight world by day, and build underground communities by night. But in an age when queer representation is increasingly spotlighted in the media, is all this visibility good visibility? From times when we need to make our voices heard, to moments when we choose to escape into metaphors and opacity, these short films examine the multifaceted and contradictory notion of queer visibility.

Curatorial idea by Emily Jisoo Bowles.

Listen to Your Love for Me

A Chinese immigrant in Paris clashes with his French boyfriend over immigration politics.

Dir. Kai Xu | China, France | 2025 | 23min

Three

A mother attempts to hide her daughter’s secrets from her new friends.

Dir. Amie Song | USA | 2024 | 15min

The Parisian in Bali Village

A Chinese girl’s obsession with Paris drives her parents crazy.

Dir. Bingxing Cen | China | 2023 | 15min

The Performance

A chorister at a church must make a difficult choice.

Dir. Claire Zhou | Netherlands | 2023 | 20min

Chaehwa

A mysterious child who needs sunlight to survive shows up at a school.

Dir. Hong Seung-gi | South Korea | 2024 | 21min

Our screening on Tuesday 5 August will be introduced by Lucy Bolton (QMUL).

A critical and commerical flop upon release in 2003, Jane Campion's giallo-infleced, erotic thriller is now considered a masterpiece of female desire and subjectivity.

Frannie (Meg Ryan) is a lonely but determined woman living alone in Manhattan, who becomes involved in a murder investigation following the gruesome slaying of a young woman in her neighbourhood. It soon appears that she may know more about the murderer than she thinks, after witnessing what could have been the prelude to the crime. Drawn to the homicide detective (Mark Ruffalo) investigating the case, she discovers the dark side of passion when she embarks on a risky and turbulent affair with him. But as the death toll rises, each victim getting closer to Frannie, she begins to wonder if her new lover is hiding a deadly secret.

Two of Hong Kong cinema’s most iconic leading men, Tony Leung and Andy Lau, face off in the breathtaking thriller that revitalised the city's twenty-first-century film industry, launched a blockbuster franchise, and inspired Martin Scorsese’s The Departed. The setup is diabolical in its simplicity: two undercover moles -a police officer (Leung) assigned to infiltrate a ruthless triad by posing as a gangster, and a gangster (Lau) who becomes a police officer in order to serve as a spy for the underworld - find themselves locked in a deadly game of cat and mouse, each racing against time to unmask the other. As the shifting loyalties, murky moral compromises, and deadly betrayals mount, Infernal Affairs raises haunting questions about what it means to live a double life, lost in a labyrinth of conflicting identities and allegiances.

The provocative Italian filmmaker Elio Petri’s most internationally acclaimed work is this remarkable, visceral, Oscar-winning thriller. Petri maintains a tricky balance between absurdity and realism in telling the Kafkaesque tale of a Roman police inspector (a commanding Gian Maria Volontè) investigating a heinous crime - which he himself committed. Both a compelling character study and a disturbing commentary on the draconian government crackdowns in Italy in the late 1960s and early 70s, Petri’s kinetic portrait of surreal bureaucracy is a perversely pleasurable rendering of controlled chaos.

This heartwarming Indian drama is about the struggles of a loving gay couple, Kartik and Aman, who live in Mumbai. Their relationship comes under strain when one of them has a fling, resulting in a domestic crisis. Meanwhile, Kartik's parents also face a personal dilemma after they have an argument. Will these two couples ever be able resolve their differences - and can their relationships stand the test of time? A follow-up film to the acclaimed Evening Shadows, Kuch Sapney Apne sensitively explores what happens when relationships are challenged by uncomfortable truths. Boasting fantastic songs by acclaimed Indian composers and singers, this insightful drama explores love’s complicated realities.

Sridhar Rangayan is an Indian producer, director, and writer. For over two decades, he has consistently strived to give a voice to social issues in India through his films, writings, and public speaking. The Pink Mirror, Yours Emotionally, 68 Pages, Purple Skies, Breaking Free, Evening Shadows and Raja Bro are at the forefront of India’s emergent queer cinema movement.

LRB Screen returns to the Garden Cinema with a new series exploring visions of London created by non-British filmmakers: films in which the city is a key player, rather than a backdrop; in which its buildings, streets, parks and rivers cast a distinctive shadow over the drama; in which a fresh encounter makes the city unfamiliar and mysterious again.

London Reviewed begins in perhaps the only way it could, with Blow-Up, Antonioni’s classic countercultural take on (mis)perception and (un)reality in the swinging 1960s. Adapted from a short story by the cult Argentinian writer Julio Cortázar and with English dialogues by the great Marxist playwright Edward Bond, the film follows a fashion photographer (Hemmings, channelling David Bailey) who thinks he might have unintentionally photographed a murder. Moving from the heart of the zeitgeist to a South London park that proves pivotal, its richness in social, cultural and architectural detail makes it one of the defining works of the decade.

Introducing the film, and discussing it afterwards with regular host Gareth Evans, will be Miles Aldridge, the acclaimed fashion photographer and artist. Born two years before the film’s release, Aldridge grew up in the heart of the cultural scene it portrays and has since created his own highly distinctive photographic signature.

One of the great works of 1930s poetic realist cinema, Le jour se lève was Marcel Carné’s fourth collaboration with screenwriter and poet Jacques Prévert. In this compelling story of obsessive sexuality and murder, the working-class François (Jean Gabin) resorts to killing in order to free the woman he loves from the controlling influence of another man.

In a career-defining performance, Alain Delon plays Jef Costello, a contract killer with samurai instincts. After carrying out a flawlessly planned hit, Jef finds himself caught between a persistent police investigator and a ruthless employer, and not even his armour of fedora and trench coat can protect him. An elegantly stylised masterpiece of cool by maverick director Jean‑Pierre Melville, Le samouraï is a razor-sharp cocktail of 1940s American gangster cinema and 1960s French pop culture - with a liberal dose of Japanese lone-warrior mythology.

The film is part of the Beirut Film Society's first edition of Lebanon Cinema Days in the UK, which shines a spotlight on the powerful voices of Lebanese cinema, presenting a curated selection of films by a new generation of filmmakers. Cinema Days is a mini programme that's part of our wider Lebanese season.

The screening will be preceded by an introduction by film director and academic Maria Abdul Karim on the emerging film scene in Lebanon.

Barefoot from Beirut, dir. by Andrew Dawaf

Far away from home, and after becoming auditorily impaired with a tinnitus as a result of the Beirut blast of August 4th, Tahara, a Lebanese immigrant in Europe, tries singing again, but homesickness overtakes her every emotion.

I Stole the Key From My Own House, dir. by Zinia Khalifeh

At 14 years old, Zinia discreetly steals the spare keys of her own house, after her parents decide to sell it subsequently to a murder of three family members. Today at 21 Zinia uses these keys as a healing tool to her and her Family.

An Album of Vows, dir. by Elio Tarabay

After taking their eternal Vows, a young lebanese priest and nun question their life descisions, until a small encounter provides them with answers.

Yaroun, dir. by Zeinab Mahfoud

Yaroun navigates the emotional journey of an immigrant caught between two worlds amidst escalating tensions in South Lebanon. We follow the protagonist as he seeks solace and refuge under the shelter of the Australian flag.

Remains, dir. Christine Abou Zein

Visually mesmerising film about the struggle of those who remain, the ones who stay stuck and are left with only memories when everything is destroyed and rebuilt.

Alitisal, dir. by Sabine Kahwaji

As a deadly explosion shatters their hometown of Beirut, three Lebanese siblings living abroad confront their mental health struggles amid uncertainty about their parents' fate.

The Sky Never Disappointed Anyone, dir. Ryan Nakhle

Mounir grapples with masculinity and societal expectations. In a surreal exploration of identity and tradition, his attempt to break free leads to a haunting confrontation with his own limitations, mirroring the myth of Icarus.

Ephemeral You, dir. by Nour Dimashkieh

Drawing upon memories, archival footage, and a hike along the seaside in Beirut, this contemplative documentary reflects upon the director’s complex relationship with her father.

Beirut Film Society is committed to using cinema as a platform for dialogue, social impact, and cultural diplomacy. One of the Beirut Film Society’s core missions is to reconnect with the Lebanese diaspora and to promote Lebanese creative expression on the international stage — fostering cultural bridges between Lebanon and the world.

Six Lebanese women, different ages, await the return of their sons, brothers, husbands or lovers, who have been missing since the Civil War. VOID depicts the events that take place on the eve of the Beirut Parliament Square sit-in, where the women petition to renew the cases of their missing men. The lives of these women revolve around waiting for the men in their lives. A wait filled with uncertainty, and hope.

Void is a rare film about the plight of the disappeared during Lebanon's Civil War that raged from 1975 to 1990, and more crucially, the aftermath and the impact on their closed ones and the wider society, which has had to grapple with this reality for the following decades. In fact, the Arabic title is "Waynon", which means "where are they?" The stories are nuanced and engaging, carefully avoiding falling into cliches, neither condemning nor lionesing the real people at the heart of this.

The film was written by Georges Khabbaz and directed by seven graduates from Notre Dame University outside of Beirut. The directors were Naji Bechara, Jad Beyrouthy, Zeina Makki, Tarek Korkomaz, Christelle Ighniades, Maria Abdel Karim and Salim Habr. Khabbaz also was the scriptwriter for Lebanon’s Oscar submission, Ghadi, and starred in 2007’s Venice and Sundance festival entry Under the Bombs. Void won the Best Screenplay award at the Malmo Arab Film Festival in Sweden and the Jury Special Prize at the Alexandria Film Festival for Mediterranean Countries.

Diamand Bou Abboud, who won a number of awards for her stellar performance, also stars in Arze, whose UK premiere is screening as part of this season.

The screening will be followed by a Q&A with writer Georges Khabbaz and director Maria Abdul Karim. Tickets will include a glass of Lebanese wine, courtesy of Lebanese Fine Wines, or a soft drink alternative.

The film is part of the Beirut Film Society's first edition of Lebanon Cinema Days in the UK, which shines a spotlight on the powerful voices of Lebanese cinema, presenting a curated selection of films by a new generation of filmmakers.

This festival is presented by Beirut Film Society, an organization committed to using cinema as a platform for dialogue, social impact, and cultural diplomacy. One of the Beirut Film Society’s core missions is to reconnect with the Lebanese diaspora and to promote Lebanese creative expression on the international stage — fostering cultural bridges between Lebanon and the world.

Contemporary shorts from an all-women line up of London-based Lebanese filmmakers.

The screening on 9 June will be followed by a Q&A with all the filmmakers, hosted by curator and producer Taghrid Choucair.

The matinee screening on 16 June will be preceded by an introduction on diaspora by Dr Kareem Estefan.

Neo Nahda, dir. by May Ziade

Mona, a young woman in London, finds archived photographs of Arab women cross-dressing in the 1920s. Somewhere between her fantasies and reality, she starts a feverish journey of uncovering lost histories and her own identity.

BFI Flare selection.

A Tempo the 3rd Act, dir. by Maria Abdel Karim

Dreams can only be fulfilled when you let go of your reality - Yet, where are you outside the dream? Nadia, a 20 year-old Lebanese girl is chasing a lost dream and desperate to discover what lies beyond the echoed music of her little village. Driven by her sense of adventure and triggered by a short argument with her parents, she leaves her town at dawn to chase her secret dream. "To Beirut".

European Film Festival ECU Paris - Best Arab Film winner

Sapporo Film Festival - Best Sound winner

Dubai Film Festival - Best Short nominee

Malmo Film Festival - Best Short nominee

The Sun Sets on Beirut, dir. by Daniela Stephan

Mounia searches for her lost cat among the ruins of the Beirut port explosion. Joined by her best friend Ghady, they navigate the remnants of their city on a quest to recover what’s been lost.

Les Nuits Méditerranéennes du Court - Grand Prix winner, Beirut Women Film Festival - Jury Special Mention, Kurzfilmtage Winterthur official selection

Three Centimeters, dir. by Lara Zeidan

Four teenage girls find their friendship put to the test while suspended high above Beirut on a Ferris wheel. As secrets are revealed and tensions rise, this claustrophobic drama culminates in an unexpected confession.

London Critics' Circle - Best British Short winner

Encounters - Chris Collins Live Action winner

London Film Week - winner

Iris Prize - winner

Submarine, dir. by Mounia Akl

Under the imminent threat of Lebanon's garbage crisis, Hala, a wild child inside of a woman, is the only one to refuse evacuation, clinging to whatever remains of home.

Atlanta Film Festival - Best Short winner

Cannes Cinefondation - Nominee

Valencia - Best Short winner

Bi Gan followed the mesmerising Kaili Blues with this noir-tinged stunner about a lost soul (Jue Huang) on a quest to find a missing woman from his past (Wei Tang, Lust, Caution). Following leads across Guizhou province, he crosses paths with a series of colorful characters, among them a prickly hairdresser played by Taiwanese superstar Sylvia Chang. When the search leads him to a dingy movie theater, the film launches into an hour-long, gravity-defying long-take which plunges its protagonist - and us - into a labyrinthine cityscape. China's biggest arthouse hit of all time, the film took in more than £30 million in its opening weekend at the domestic box office.

Screening in the 2D version.

In the summer of 2001, in a small town in the Philippines, 16-year-old Andoy searches for his long-lost father: in VHS tapes. Together with his best friend Pido, a fellow film buff, he browses the local video store and attends communal TV viewing sessions; by watching movies together, the pair cement their friendship and gain moments of respite from the harsh realities of life. But for Andoy, video also serves to fuel his sexual awakening and emerging queer desire. When he befriends charismatic hairdresser Ariel and mysterious newcomer Isidro, Andoy begins to ask himself who he wants to be. Ryan Machado’s first feature is a dreamlike coming-of-age tale that uses magic realism to depict the teenager’s journey of self-discovery. It tenderly evokes the Philippines’ bygone VHS culture which is - like Andoy’s childhood - on the brink of disappearing forever.

Tagalog, Onhan with English Subtitles

Fake it ‘til you make it. The latest gem from Amalia Ulman (El Planeta), Magic Farm takes us on a kaleidoscopic journey packed with twists and turns, cross-cultural encounters and true personalities.

When a misguided American documentary crew in search of their next viral segment ends up in the wrong town in rural Argentina, chaos ensues. As they collaborate with locals to fake a new music trend, unexpected relationships form and an unfolding health crisis becomes apparent.

Colorful and unfiltered, Magic Farm is led by a stellar ensemble including Chloë Sevigny, Alex Wolff and Simon Rex. Shot through with a vivid sense of place, this Berlinale and Sundance selection combines a surreal send-up of the media with a heartfelt exploration of humanity.

To celebrate the classic Japanese crime films in our Noir International season, we're delighted to welcome back the team from Sake Collective for a tasting session. 

Sake Collective are a London based sake shop, dedicated to creating a new community of people around sake and other traditional Japanese drinks. They have also been supplying The Garden Bar with a variety of rotating sakes.  

During the tasting, you'll not only get a chance to preview our new menu offering, but Satoshi Hirasaki from Sake Collective will be showcasing other sakes, taking us through a range of styles, while also teaching us about the history of Japan’s national beverage.

Tickets for the sake tasting are £27.50, and are restricted to 2 per member. Remember to log into your membership account before booking.

We're offering a multibuy discount for any members purchasing tickets for the sake tasting and the screening of Masahiro Shinoda’s Pale Flower that follows later in the evening: when both tickets are in the shopping basket, the ticket price for the film will automatically be reduced to just £8.00.

Our screening of Sunday 3 August will be introduced by film journalist Darren Richman.

Inspired by true events, this rain-drenched sophomore feature from the Oscar-winning filmmaker Bong Joon ho blends true-crime with social satire and comedy in typically masterful fashion.

In 1986 Gyeonggi Province, South Korea, after two women are found raped and murdered, Seoul detective Seo Tae-yoon (Kim Sang-kyung) is brought in to help local detective Park Doo-man (Song Kang-ho) with the investigation. As more bodies are found, the pair realise they have a serial killer on their hands.

Our screening on Wednesday 17 July will be introduced by John Wischmeyer (City Lit).

The brilliant breakthrough film by writer-director Neil Jordan journeys into the dark heart of the London underworld to weave a gripping, noir-infused love story. Bob Hoskins received a multitude of honors - including an Oscar nomination - for his touchingly vulnerable, not-so-tough-guy portrayal of George, recently released from prison and hired by a sinister mob boss (Michael Caine) to chauffeur call girl Simone (Cathy Tyson, in a celebrated performance) between high-paying clients. George’s fascination with the elegant, enigmatic Simone leads him on a dangerous quest through the city’s underbelly, where love is a weakness to be exploited and betrayed. Jordan’s colorful dialogue and eye for evocatively surreal details lend a dreamlike sheen to Mona Lisa, an unconventionally romantic tale of damaged people searching for tenderness in an unforgiving world.

To celebrate 80 years since the publication of the first Moomin book we present Moomins on the Riviera.

Based of Tove Jansson's beloved Moomin characters, this delightful tales follows our Finnish favourites as they set off on holiday in France. In search of adventure, the Moomins, Snorkmaiden and Little My set sail for the Riviera. But the delights of the Riviera soon threaten our beloved group’s unity as they struggle to resist temptation.

Over at the Southbank Centre you can take part in an array on Moomin activities.

On Sunday mornings our Family Screenings are followed by a free activity for Children.

The screening is Pay What You Can, which means you’re free to pay as much or as little as you can afford. By paying for a ticket, you will enable us to keep offering Pay What You Can screenings to families struggling with the cost of living. Thank you

Please note, screenings taking place in our new Screen 3 will not yet have step-free access whilst we wait for our platform lift to be installed.

Heraldo relies on crime to get by, but when a hit goes wrong, he escapes into the darkness of a roadside sex motel to hide. The eccentric owner and his restless wife let him stay as long as he helps them out, but as they spend time together, emotions begin to bubble under the surface, hidden desires emerge, and a complex dance of conflicting feelings and secret agendas begins.

The Garden Cinema View:

The publication of The Postman Always Rings Twice in 1934 did not only elevate James M. Cain to ‘serious writer’ status, but also raised the critical appreciation of the hard boiled American crime genre itself. The simple love triangle setup was always more about the telling than the plot, perhaps why film adaptations of the book have paled in comparison to those of Cain’s other great novel, Double Indemnity. The 1946 film is one of the weaker classic Hollywood noirs, despite an impressive turn from Lana Turner. Bob Rafelson brought the eroticism to the surface in his surprisingly tedious 80s version with Jack Nicholson and Jessica Lange. And auteurs as diverse as Luchino Visconti and Christian Petzold have made interesting but flawed attempts.

What is left in Cain’s story for Karim Aïnouz and Motel Destino? Ultimately, the inevitable climax stalls momentum in the third act, but not before an lurid, tropical-noir setup that feels wickedly perverse and slyly humorous. Aïnouz and cinematographer Hélène Louvart (La Chimera, The Lost Daughter) have created a hellish setting - the titular love motel. A strange, nightmare world of neon red corridors, peculiar animal intrusions, and an endless soundtrack of groans and moans. This undeniably sets Motel Destino apart from the other adaptations, even if The Postman Rings Twice still awaits a truly masterful onscreen version.    

The screening on 29 April will be introduced by Tom Cunliffe (UCL). Radiance Films, who released the film on Blu-ray, will have a pop-up stall at the screening. This is the first time the 2K restoration will be shown in a cinema in the UK.

Hong Kong New Wave pioneer Patrick Tam’s final film in the movement, and his last until After This Our Exile in 2006, My Heart is that Eternal Rose is a dark and dreamy ode to doomed love. Tam’s romantic take on the emerging heroic bloodshed genre throws impassioned melodrama into the mix, as well as plenty of action, making for an intoxicating cinematic experience.

Set against an expressionistic backdrop of nightclubs, stunningly shot by the legendary Christopher Doyle, the film stars Tony Leung, Kenny Bee, and Joey Wong as three friends caught up in the criminal underworld, whose love triangle leads to heartbreaking consequences and bloody shootouts in classic neo-noir style. Through their tragic tale, Tam explores the changing identity of a Hong Kong with one eye on an idealised past and the other on an uncertain political future, set to a glorious synth score and the music from the immortal Anita Mui.

This screening is in partnership with the Chinese Cinema Project and Focus Hong Kong. In Cantonese with English subtitles.

The screening on 1 April is in tribute of Leslie Cheung and will be introduced by Victor Fan (KCL). Radiance Films, who released the film on Blu-ray, will have a pop-up stall at the screening.

The screening on 13 April will be introduced by Tony Rayns, featuring Radiance Films Blu-ray pop-up stall as well.

Hailed as one of the very best films of the Hong Kong New Wave, Patrick Tam’s 1982 classic Nomad returns to the screen in a stunning new restoration, re-edited by Tam himself after having been heavily censored on its original release.

Starring the immortal Leslie Cheung in a breakthrough role, the film follows a group of youths in Hong Kong as they try to find their place in the world, flitting between their apartments and the beach, getting caught up in romance, politics, and gangs. At once colourful and cynical, the film is a mix of rebellion, burgeoning sexuality and culture clash, coming at a time when Hong Kong was still under British Colonial rule, though was looking both to China and Japan for its identity.

This screening is in partnership with the Chinese Cinema Project and Focus Hong Kong. Supported by the Hong Kong Economic Trade Office London. 4K restoration, in Cantonese with English subtitles.

This magical retelling of the Orpheus myth turns the lyre-playing singer of Greek legend into a famous left-bank poet in post-war Paris. Fallen out of favour and lost for poetic inspiration, Orphée becomes obsessed with a mysterious black-clad princess who first claims the life of a rival poet, and then Eurydice, his wife.

With its unforgettable imagery - the dissolving mirror through which characters pass into the next world, the leather-clad, death-dealing motorcyclists, and Cocteau’s magical special effects, Orphée is a work of haunting beauty that follows the poetic logic of a dream.

Our screening on Monday 2 June will be introduced by John Wischmeyer (City Lit).

Arguably the definitive film noir, and featuring Robert Mitchum at his best. He plays an ex-private eye trying to escape his past until former girlfriend Kathie (Jane Greer) and gangster Whit (Kirk Douglas) drag him into a world of double-crossing, revenge and murder. First-rate performances, hypnotic cinematography, and an intricate script make this a classic.

Our screening on 11 June will be introduced by freelance curator Yuriko Hamaguchi.

In this cool, seductive jewel of the Japanese New Wave, a yakuza, fresh out of prison, becomes entangled with a beautiful and enigmatic gambling addict; what at first seems a redemptive relationship ends up leading him further down the criminal path. Bewitchingly shot and edited, and laced with a fever-dream-like score by Toru Takemitsu, this gangster romance was a breakthrough for the idiosyncratic Masahiro Shinoda. The pitch-black Pale Flower is an unforgettable excursion into the underworld.

A multibuy discount applies to those attending our sake tasting as well as the screening of Pale Flower on Saturday 21 June. To activate the discount, make sure tickets for both events are in your basket. Then proceed to checkout where screening tickets will reduce to just £8.

A selection of award-winning shorts from the last few years open our Lebanese season with arresting animation, heart-warming drama, laugh out loud moments and biting dialogue.

To celebrate this rare occasion to platform the country's cinematic landscape, our friends and neighbours at Beirut Garden will be providing mezza sampler plates, which, along with a glass of Lebanese wine courtesy of Lebanese Fine Wines, will be included in your ticket.

Audience members will have a chance to purchase some of their excellent products in the pop-up shop in our bar area.

The screening will be introduced by season curator Abla Kandalaft, academic and filmmaker Jawal Awar, and co-curator Claire Nicolas.

Films:

Waves '98, dir. by Ely Dagher

A mesmerising mix of animation and live-action footage, ‘Waves ‘98’ is a moving meditation on the contradiction of feeling lost at home. 2015 Palme d'Or winner.

The Trees, dir. by Ramzy Bashour

Bashir attends his father’s funeral in rural Lebanon only to discover a pathogen infecting the trees across his village. 2021 Clermont-Ferrand Special Jury Prize winner.

Les Chenilles, dir. by Michelle & Noel Keserwany

Asma and Sarah, originally from the Levant, find themselves working in the same restaurant in France. Initially wary of each other, they gradually discover a common thread that binds them — one that dates back to when the Silk Road connected Lyon to their home countries. 2023 Golden Bear Award winner.

Sisters of the Rotation, dir. by Michel & Gaby Zarazir

At the Sisters of the Rotation’s convent, the Earth doesn’t spin by itself. Winner of the 2024 Special Jury Award at the Bucharest Short Film Festival, Special Mention at PÖFF Shorts in Tallinn, Live Action Short Jury Prize at Seattle International Film Festival.

If the Sun Drowned Into an Ocean of Clouds, dir. by Wissam Charaf

Beirut, Lebanon. On the waterfront’s construction site, security agent Raed must prevent passing-by walkers from accessing the seaside.

2024 Clermont-Ferrand Special Jury Prize winner.

To accommodate everyone, we are running the same event back to back, with the first event starting at 16:00 and the second starting at 17:00. You can book for either time slot. Please check timings carefully!

First slot

16:00 - 17:00  Lebanese wine, mezza nibbles & pop-up shopping

17:00 - 17:10  Introduction

17:10 - 18:50  Screening of Panorama: Lebanese Award Winners

Second slot

19:00 - 20:00  Lebanese wine, mezza nibbles & pop-up shopping

20:00 - 20:10  Introduction

20:10 - 21:50  Screening of Panorama: Lebanese Award Winners

We will be serving a selection of wines from Chateau Kefraya, Chateau Ksara, Chateau St Thomas, and Domaine Wardy.

We are adding Lebanese wine and mixed nuts from Al Rifai to our bar menu throughout the season.

Alessandro is an Italian writer-filmmaker making a film on the Narmada Parikrama—an age-old pilgrimage along the holy river Narmada. During the cinematic journey, Alessandro meets a village boy, Lala, who has fled home to secure dignity and land for his displaced peasant family. Lala is almost at the same age as his son Francesco, who lost his mother in the recent past. The narrative unfolds the story of two boys—one without his mother, the other without his motherland. Alessandro’s narrative takes a new turn as the river Narmada flows by.

The screening will be followed by a Q/A with Director Goutam Ghose, moderated by Dr Mukulika Banerjee. 

From Academy Award-winning filmmaker Paolo Sorrentino comes a monumental and deeply romantic story of a lifetime. Born in the Bay of Naples in 1950, Parthenope (Celeste Dalla Porta) searches for happiness over the long summers of her youth, falling in love with her home city and its many memorable characters. But when tragedy strikes, and carefree romances lose their thrill, she decides to seek a deeper sense of purpose. Featuring a captivating performance from Dalla Porta and an outstanding cast that includes Gary Oldman,Parthenope is another tale of great beauty from a master of modern cinema.

On May 3rd, we will screen Parthenope, accompanied by Neapolitan treats and live music from Valerio Piccolo — whose song E si' arrivata pure tu is featured in the film's score. See more.

Prepare to be bewitched, body and soul, all over again...

In this adaptation of Jane Austen's beloved novel, Elizabeth Bennet (Keira Knightley) lives with her mother, father, and sisters in the English countryside. As the eldest, she faces mounting pressure from her parents to marry. When the outspoken Elizabeth is introduced to the handsome and upper-class Mr Darcy (Matthew MacFadyen), sparks fly. Although there is obvious chemistry between the two, Darcy's overly reserved nature threatens the fledgling relationship.

The screening will be followed by a Q&A with writer-director Nadia Conners (US), producer Rosie Fellner (UK), with actress Lois Smith, joining on Zoom.

The Uninvited is a story about the passing of time, love, regret and aging starring Elizabeth Reaser, Walton Goggins, Pedro Pascal, Lois Smith, Eva De Dominici and Rufus Sewell.

This comedic drama centers on Rose, a former actress now living as a stay-at-home mom, who as she prepares the house to host a party for her husband’s job an elderly woman named Helen arrives, claiming she has returned home. This unexpected encounter, along with the presence of other complicated characters from her past and present, creates a night of chaos and forces Rose to confront her insecurities and reflect on her journey as a woman. The film humorously critiques Hollywood's beauty standards while celebrating the complexities of womanhood and explores the themes of motherhood, and self-discovery in Los Angeles.

Reclaim The Frame is a charity that champions marginalised perspectives in cinema, connecting with audiences and communities through special screenings and events across the UK.

Reclaim The Frame events create a space to discuss what's under the surface of each story. Sign up for their newsletter to stay up to date on all their programming.

Leni Riefenstahl is considered one of the most controversial women of the 20th century as an artist and a Nazi propagandist. Her films Triumph of the Will and Olympia stand for perfectly staged body worship and the celebration of the superior and victorious. At the same time, these images project contempt for the imperfect and weak. Riefenstahl’s aesthetics are more present than ever today - but is that also true for their implied message? The film examines this question using documents from Riefenstahl's estate, including private films, photos, recordings and letters. It uncovers fragments of her biography and places them in an extended historical context.

The Garden Cinema View:

A fascinating study of a complex, groundbreaking, and deeply controversial filmmaker. This documentary burrows into the questions of complicity, responsibility, and the relationship between art, media, and politics that engulfed Leni Riefenstahl’s postwar life. Whilst she remains too slippery to ultimately pin down, the sense of an artist attempting to control her image and narrative emerges strongly in this film.

Riefenstahl’s own films are themselves acutely interesting and spectacular even as the act of watching them can be profoundly upsetting. So it is a shame that there is not more analysis of how this imagery proved so effective as a kind of aesthetic of fascism, and indeed how it continues to reoccur from everything from advertising to family blockbusters.  

Screening on Thursday 8 May to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day.

A landmark of Italian neorealism often cited as one of the greatest films ever made, Roberto Rossellini’s portrait of life under the Nazi Occupation remains remarkable for its sheer immediacy, tension and power.

Made in extraordinarily straitened circumstances immediately after the liberation of Rome, the film follows Manfredi (Marcello Pagliero), a partisan leader, as he attempts to evade the Gestapo by enlisting the help of Pina (Anna Magnani) fiancée of a fellow member of the underground resistance, and Don Pietro (Aldo Fabrizi), the priest due to oversee her marriage. Both Fabrizi and Magnani were well known comedic actors and perform magnificently against type. Shot both on the ravaged streets and in the studio, Rome, Open City seamlessly blends sequences reminiscent of documentary with more conventional dramatic scenes notable for their pace, precise staging and affectingly naturalistic performances. Its emotional punch remains undiminished.

First we'll have an orgy and then we'll go see Tony Bennett.

Naked meditation, primal screaming, gestalt therapy and swinging… film curator Ranjit S. Ruprai and film critic Phuong Le introduce Paul Mazursky’s classic take on privileged West-coast Americans dabbling with new age lifestyles in the era of free love. An amazing Quincy Jones soundtrack, featuring Burt Bacharach, will get you in the mood for 1969 and the dialogue by Mazursky/Tucker is an utter delight. Join us for this special screening and feel free to wear your hippy beads!

RANJIT REWINDS

This screening coincides with the first series of the podcast Ranjit Rewinds that focuses on the actor, writer and filmmaker Robert Culp. This is the film that made Robert Culp hot property in Hollywood after a career in theatre and television, but he was not able to capitalise on it and remained a star of the smaller screen. Ranjit & Phuong will discuss Culp’s wonderful performance and even more wonderful outfits before the film.

SUPAKINO:

Ranjit S. Ruprai is an independent programmer and supporter of indie cinemas, film festivals and film clubs in London. Since founding SUPAKINO, he has been presenting friendly film screenings around fun and unusual themes including Turbans Seen On Screen, Bombay Mix double-bills and Midnight Excess late-night shows. Ranjit also speaks at film conferences, guest lectures at the National Film & Television School, and was Chair of the historic Rio Cinema, Dalston. Learn more at: supakino.com

This special screening of The Colour of Pomegranates ushers in the second season of LOST ART (formerly LONDNR) magazine's pop-up film club, Secret Ceremony.

This edition is all about Tarot, bringing you aesthetic and esoteric cinema experiences curated with the deck's most feared and revered cards in mind. The Colour of Pomegranates channels the power of the first card: The Magician, actualiser of desire.

Soyat-Nova, 18th century Armenian poet and troubadour is the subject of Segei Parajanov's notorious biopic. Absent of cohesive dialogue, Soyat-Nova's life is retold as a visual poem: an experience, not just another 'watch'. Re-cut and released in 1969, a year after its debut screening,  because the Soviet-run company which commissioned the film deemed it 'inaccessible', Secret Ceremony presents The Colour of Pomegranates in its original 1968 cut, in all its complex beauty.

Think of this viewing as a visual feast that offers a glimpse into the lost mythical traditions of Persia and Armenia.

Following this one-of-a-kind screening, we will be joined by writer, curator and fashion historian Amber Butchard, fresh from the resounding success of her latest exhibition at the Design Museum. This unmissable talk will provide context to the intricately woven story of fabrics and costume in this film.

20:20: Film Starts

21.50: Film Finishes

22.00: Talk with fashion historian, Amber Butchard

22:30: End!

Dress code: think chic in neutral tones, earthy colours, browns and golds (if this doesn't appeal to you, just black or white will do!)

To stay up to date with future screenings and equally unmissable events, sign up to our newsletter here.

Secret Ceremony is a pop-up film club, created by LOST ART (formerly LONDNR) magazine, a print and digital culture publication. Secret Ceremony shows supernatural masterpieces, mind-bending surrealism, cult classics, witchy fantasies, and sumptuous forgotten gems. Hosted in visually stunning spaces, every event has its own distinctive flavour, whether it comes from exclusive talks, custom cocktails, or complimentary aura readings.

This is a fundraiser screening. It will be preceded by a small crafts and Lebanese snacks souk in the bar, and a short performance by Lebanese poet Rayanne Chami, and an introduction by curator Taghrid Choucair.

A raw and riveting documentary about Slave to Sirens, the Middle East’s first all-woman thrash metal band.

Set against the backdrop of Lebanon’s political and economic turmoil, Sirens explores what it means to be a musician in a country where censorship constantly looms. Struggling to draw local crowds and enduring relentless online abuse, the band pushes forward, undeterred. Director Rita Baghdadi deftly weaves scenes of protest with the band’s internal struggles, capturing their strength in every frame while exposing a society eager to silence them. The result is an inspirational yet deeply meditative film that serves as a fierce testament to freedom, female solidarity, and the power of our voices.

The film was part of the official selection at Sundance, CPH:DOX, Guadalajara and Thessaloniki film festivals, amongst others.

We are showing Sirens in collaboration with film programmer Caroline Cassin to raise funds for two grassroots organisations in Lebanon: Haven for Artists, a feminist, decolonial initiative supporting cultural workers, and Marsam Alhakaya, a tuition-free 2D animation programme for refugees and marginalised communities in the country.

We will be selling items by Viridiana Marin, Chachoulie by Rima, and ceramics by Amina Rawat

Event timings:

15:30-16:30 Crafts and snacks for sale in the Atrium Bar

16:30-16:45 Poetry and introduction

16:45-18:05 Screening of Sirens

The touching story of Stelios Kazantzidis, a child of a refugee family from Pontus, who managed to survive and grew up, thanks to his enormous talent, and against all social and personal difficulties. Music, love, family, friends, fishing, creativity, night bouncers, fanatics, and great conflicts, create this mosaic of his life.

Director's notes:

In this film, I aim to delve into the soul of a man who, through his songs, touched millions of others. His powerful and magical voice opened doors for him and those around him. However, family, love, disputes, and his immense popularity left little room for his own happiness. The film reveals the creation of some landmark songs for Greeks, songs still sung and danced to at gatherings. It also portrays a nation transitioning from poverty to a new, unbridled era, offering a glimpse into the roots of our modern-day evolution. Cinematically, the film is character-driven, focusing on their authenticity. As time progresses, changing decor and attire subtly depict a society filling with new materials and colors. We’ll revisit the settings of classic black and-white films and use modern cinematic techniques to portray the backstage stories of Greece's first music stars. The challenge is to reignite admiration for Stelios Kazantzidis as the hero of this cinematic journey.

- Yorgos Tsemberopoulos

A bad day gets worse for young detective Murakami when a pickpocket steals his gun on a hot, crowded bus. Desperate to right the wrong, he goes undercover, scavenging Tokyo’s sweltering streets for the stray dog whose desperation has led him to a life of crime. With each step, cop and criminal’s lives become more intertwined and the investigation becomes an examination of Murakami’s own dark side. Starring Toshiro Mifune as the rookie cop and Takashi Shimura as the seasoned detective who keeps him on the right side of the law, Stray Dog goes beyond crime thriller, probing the squalid world of postwar Japan and the nature of the criminal mind

Realizing he is not long for this world, an aging 18th century poet (Jean Marais) travels through time in search of divine wisdom. In a mysterious, possibly post-apocalyptic wasteland, he has a series of enigmatic and surreal encounters with symbolic phantoms (Roger Blin, Brigitte Bardot, Marie Déa) with whom he muses about the nature of art and his own career. Ultimately, the poet strives to achieve his own rebirth as an immortal celestial being.

Paul Verhoeven's last film produced in the Netherlands before he created his Hollywood classics Robocop and Total Recall, invites us into the twisted psyche of Gerard Reve, a troubled writer whose life becomes entangled with mysterious women, murder, and the supernatural. As Reve spirals into a world of erotic desire and deceit, he must navigate the blurred lines between reality and fantasy to uncover the truth. Indulge your senses, challenge your perceptions, and join us for The 4th Man.

Wim Wenders pays loving homage to rough-and-tumble Hollywood film noir with The American Friend, a loose adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s novel Ripley’s Game. Dennis Hopper oozes quirky menace as an amoral American art dealer who entangles a terminally ill German everyman, played by Bruno Ganz, in a seedy criminal underworld as revenge for a personal slight - but when the two become embroiled in an ever-deepening murder plot, they form an unlikely bond. Filmed on location in Hamburg and Paris, with some scenes shot in grimy, late-seventies New York City, Wenders’s international breakout is a stripped-down crime story that mixes West German and American film flavors, and it features cameos by filmmakers Jean Eustache, Samuel Fuller, and Nicholas Ray.

Alfredo Gasper, a dissatisfied Buenos Aires newspaperman (Carlos Cores), partners with Paar Liudas, a clever Hungarian refugee (Vassili Lambrinos) who needs money to bring his family to Argentina. Together they create a bogus correspondence school, exploiting the hopes of would-be journalists. As their scheme succeeds beyond their wildest dreams, a mystery woman from Liudas’ past sparks Gasper’s suspicion: his charming colleague may be playing him for a sucker. Soon Gasper finds himself plotting the perfect crime - but fate has many twists in store.

This adaptation of journalist Adolfo Jasca’s award-winning novel was acclaimed upon its release, earning top prizes in 1957 from the Argentine Film Critics Association for Best Picture, with Fernando Ayala named Best Director. American Cinematographer magazine listed Los tallos amargos #49 on its roster of the 100 Best Photographed Films of All-Time.

'Poets ... shed not only the red blood of their hearts but the white blood of their souls,' proclaimed Jean Cocteau of his groundbreaking first film - an exploration of the plight of the artist, the power of metaphor, and the relationship between art and dreams. One of cinema’s great experiments, this first installment of the Orphic Trilogy stretches the medium to its limits in an effort to capture the poet’s obsession with the struggle between the forces of life and death.

The Creative Space is a powerful 16-minute documentary that celebrates the strong community spirit at Creative Space Beirut School of Design, a non-profit fashion school offering free, structured design education to marginalised youth across Lebanon. Co-directed by Pia Brynteson, who is Content Editor at Dua Lipa’s platform Service95, and filmmaker and DOP Ramzi Hibri, the film offers an intimate look into the lives of students, alumni, tutors and founders as they navigate their creative journeys against the backdrop of a country in crisis.

Set in the wake of the 2020 Port of Beirut explosion, The Creative Space captures the ambition of a new generation of designers living in a country facing immense political, social and economic challenges. Through personal interviews and behind-the-scenes glimpses of life at the school, the film sheds light on the power of education, the urgency of creative freedom, and the fight to keep a vital initiative alive when government support for the arts remains non-existent.

The screening will take place in Screen 4, the dedicated screening space in the cinema’s Atrium Bar, and will be followed by a panel discussion with some of the young designers who feature, the school’s founders and the directors (more panelists to be announced). This event is presented as part of this year’s Shubbak Festival, which kicks off its 2025 edition with The People's Catwalk on 23rd May.

Event timings:

Arrivals + Welcome Drink: 16:30

Intro & Film: 17:00

Discussion: 17:30-18:30

Optional drinks & networking: 18:30- 19:30

The tickets are £5 and include a free soft drink, house beer or wine. Seating for this event is unallocated.

Design by Mohamed Gaber

Our screening on Thursday 26 June will be introduced by Jinhee Choi (KCL).

An eerie, foreboding hospital is the setting for this tense psychological thriller from one of the most acclaimed genre filmmakers of the South Korea Golden Age. An ambitious doctor, set to wed the hospital owner’s daughter, has designs on being chief surgeon. However, when his affair with one of the nurses puts those plans in jeopardy, he takes diabolical steps to ensure his plans aren’t thwarted. Kim Jin-gyu turns in an uncharacteristically menacing performance, while Moon Jeong-sook shines as the nurse who will not be silenced.

The Extraordinary Miss Flower brings to life the remarkable story of Geraldine Flower and the discovery of a suitcase full of passionate, heartfelt letters of love sent to her in the 60s and 70s that inspired acclaimed Icelandic singer/songwriter Emilíana Torrini to return to the studio and record an entire album of new songs.

Part film, part theatre, part fever dream, The Extraordinary Miss Flower takes the form of a series of specially designed performances of these songs by Emilíana and her band, combined with dramatic scenes and readings from the letters by well known actors and musicians (including Caroline Catz, Nick Cave, Alice Lowe and Richard Ayoade). The film captures the romance of a bygone era and Miss Flower’s extraordinary life - a life full of secrets and enduring friendships, of travel, adventure and love.

The Garden Cinema View:

The Extraordinary Miss Flower is a small art film that serves as an highly inventive alt-biopic.

Based on Emilianna Torrini’s songs, themselves inspired by mysterious love letters belonging to Geraldine Flower (or are they hidden spy codes?), the film is a fascinating fusion of live musical performance, dance, and narration. Its biggest success is the seamlessly blend of all these elements, creating an almost immersive experience that transcends traditional filmmaking. The film constantly surprises with its alluring combination of visuals, psychedelic effects, and narrative abstractions that resonate on a unconscious, rather than on an intellectual level.

The Extraordinary Miss Flower stands as a testament to the power of creativity that belies its small budget. Unafraid to take risks, it proves to be a small triumph due to its unique rhythms and original vision.

Like childhood, animation is full of wonder and simple pleasures. This carefully chosen programme for our littlest and most special audience contains 10 of the best, most recent wonderful short animated films, full of joy, from all around the world. There’ll be talking animals, seriously fun adventures and wondrous tales to spark those little imaginations.

For more information about the London International Animation Festival and our programmes please look at the website at www.liaf.org.uk

My Name is Fear

The fear that lives in your head wants to give an interview. Maybe you and Fear can become friends, or maybe there is a reason to be scared of Fear.

Germany 2021 Dir: Eliza Płocieniak-Alvarez 5 min

Swing

In a world of toys a wooden robot feels lonely. When another robot appears their relationship starts to blossom.

Spain 2022 Dir: Ignasi Tarruella 5 min

Bellysaurus

A tiny dinosaur dreams that she is a big scary dinosaur. When danger strikes, she learns it’s what’s on the inside that counts—literally.

Australia 2021 Dir: Philip Watts 8 min

Fox for Edgar

Edgar is not getting a lot of attention and affection from his parents, as they prefer spending time with their smartphones and laptops than with their son.

Germany 2021 Dir: Pauline Kortmann 8 min

Meta

Interconnection, form, function, flow: all these big ideas about change and growth sprout in playful ways when creatures shape shift and dance to the rhythm of discovery.

Germany 2022 Dir: Antje Heyn 4 min

The Adventures of Goar

An undersea explorer called Goar dives into the bottom of the sea to save her robot friend.

China 2021 Dir: Sergio Lu 6 min

Heartwood

Midge is hiking in the woods with her boring father. When she decides to leave the monotony of the hiking trail to set off on her own adventure, she makes a magical discovery.

UK 2021 Dir: Clara Schildhauer, Reyes Fernández 4 min

How Shammies Travelled

Hankie proposes to travel around the house with eyes closed. Space under the table suddenly turns into a dragon’s cave and the stairs into snowy cliffs.

Latvia 2021 Dir: Edmunds Jansons 6 min

Lost Brain

Every time Louise the crocodile sneezes, she loses part of her brain, until she cannot perform simple tasks and becomes trapped inside her own apartment.

Switzerland 2022 Dir: Isabelle Favez 6 min

The Smortlybacks Come Back!

In a barren world TamLin of the Little People travels with his herd of splendid smortlybacks in search of greener pastures.

Switzerland 2022 Dir: Ted Sieger 8 min

On Sunday mornings our Family Screenings are followed by a free activity for Children.

The screening is Pay What You Can, which means you’re free to pay as much or as little as you can afford. By paying for a ticket, you will enable us to keep offering Pay What You Can screenings to families struggling with the cost of living. Thank you

Please note, screenings taking place in our new Screen 3 will not yet have step-free access whilst we wait for our platform lift to be installed.

Thibaut is an internationally renowned conductor who travels the world. When he learns he was adopted, he discovers the existence of a younger brother, Jimmy, who works in a school cafeteria and plays the trombone in a small marching band. Everything seems to set them apart, except their love of music. Sensing his brother's exceptional talent, Thibaut decides to remedy the injustice of fate. Jimmy begins to dream of a different life....

The Garden Cinema View:

After his Godot-in-prison comedy, The Big Hit, The Marching Band confirms Emmannuel Courcol as a true believer in the transformative potential of the arts. Pitched somewhere between Brassed Off and The Chorus, this is a decent vintage of feelgood cinema, albeit one that might be too much for the fromage-intolerant. Benjamin Lavernhe and Pierre Lottin harmonise well as the unlikely brothers, and there’s a huge amount of warmth directed towards the left-behind industrial town, whose residents we might more easily associate with gilet jaunes protests or Assemblée nationale rallies.

The OffBeat Folk Film Festival Presents: Folk Traditions: Old & New

A collection of films which explore Britain’s strangest folk traditions and the heritage culture surrounding them. The weird and wonderful world that we live in - tar barrels, Obby Osses and all.

King For a Day (Barbara Santi, UK, 2023)

Awake! (Sophie Austin, UK, 2023)

Ottery (Tom Chick, UK, 2015)

Holmie Day (Brian McClave, UK, 2024)

The OffBeat Folk Film Festival is a new celebration of British folk and working-class culture through film. Building on the success of OffBeat Folk Film Club, the festival showcases boundary-pushing documentaries, narrative films, experimental works, and music videos that explore Britain’s living heritage, traditions, and underground cultures.

Taking place from 12 to 18 May across London venues—including the Mildmay Club in Newington Green and Walthamstow Trades Hall—the festival brings together archive content and contemporary storytelling, contributing to a dynamic record of British life. Alongside film screenings, audiences can expect talks, performances, and Q&As with filmmakers.

The OffBeat Folk Film Festival Presents: Narrative Shorts and Beyond

Narrative shorts that celebrate the unique character of the British Isles and the people that live on them told through weird and wonderful stories.

Sea Coal (Graham Vasey, UK, 2024)

The Corpse Road (Joseph Daly, UK, 2024)

The Grove: Reveries of a Village Ghost (Simon Nunn, UK, 2024)

The Birdwatcher (Ryan Mackfall, UK, 2024)

Out of The Peat (Tabitha Carless-Frost & Theo Rollason, UK, 2024)

Gossip (Hannah Renton, UK, 2024)

Peter (Emily May, UK, 2024)

The OffBeat Folk Film Festival is a new celebration of British folk and working-class culture through film. Building on the success of OffBeat Folk Film Club, the festival showcases boundary-pushing documentaries, narrative films, experimental works, and music videos that explore Britain’s living heritage, traditions, and underground cultures.

Taking place from 12 to 18 May across London venues—including the Mildmay Club in Newington Green and Walthamstow Trades Hall—the festival brings together archive content and contemporary storytelling, contributing to a dynamic record of British life. Alongside film screenings, audiences can expect talks, performances, and Q&As with filmmakers.

The OffBeat Folk Film Festival Presents: Short and Sweet Folk Tales

An eclectic curation of shorts showing off Britain’s strangest and most wonderful folky stories. Britain can be a very weird place and the filmmakers of these experimental shorts know that all too well.

This screening will take place in Screen 4 in the Atrium Bar. The seating is unreserved.

The OffBeat Folk Film Festival is a new celebration of British folk and working-class culture through film. Building on the success of OffBeat Folk Film Club, the festival showcases boundary-pushing documentaries, narrative films, experimental works, and music videos that explore Britain’s living heritage, traditions, and underground cultures.

Taking place from 12 to 18 May across London venues—including the Mildmay Club in Newington Green and Walthamstow Trades Hall—the festival brings together archive content and contemporary storytelling, contributing to a dynamic record of British life. Alongside film screenings, audiences can expect talks, performances, and Q&As with filmmakers.

The OffBeat Folk Film Festival Presents: Tied To The Land

A collection of short documentaries that look at the connection and complicated relationship between people and place in the British Isles. The people who live and work on it.

Living With The Cuckoo People (Nick Fallowfield-Cooper, UK, 2024)

In The Veins (UK, 2024)

Wild Folk (Laura Clark, UK, 2024)

Without Bounds to Beat (UK, 2024)

This screening will take place in Screen 4 in the Atrium Bar. The seating is unreserved.

The OffBeat Folk Film Festival is a new celebration of British folk and working-class culture through film. Building on the success of OffBeat Folk Film Club, the festival showcases boundary-pushing documentaries, narrative films, experimental works, and music videos that explore Britain’s living heritage, traditions, and underground cultures.

Taking place from 12 to 18 May across London venues—including the Mildmay Club in Newington Green and Walthamstow Trades Hall—the festival brings together archive content and contemporary storytelling, contributing to a dynamic record of British life. Alongside film screenings, audiences can expect talks, performances, and Q&As with filmmakers.

Doc'n Roll presents the UK premiere of The Science of Ghosts. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with Adrian Crowley.

Director Niall McCann’s observational drama centres on a well-known Irish musician, Adrian Crowley. While being interviewed by a film crew for his latest album, an interruption causes Adrian and the filmmaker to ponder - what would a film about his life be like? Could it ever really reflect who he is? Imagination takes him - and the audience - on a journey as he becomes a ghost visiting his own life, past and future. What emerges is a humorous and original take on the power of storytelling.

Francis Hodgson Burnett's classic novel is beautifully brought to life by director Agnieszka Holland, cinematographer Roger Deakins and executive producer Francis Ford Coppola. Mary Lennox is an orphan sent to live with her uncle at his Yorkshire mansion that is full of secrets. She is looked after by the housekeeper (Maggie Smith) and soon discovers a cousin she never knew she had and a neglected garden she is determined to bring back to life.

On Sunday mornings our Family Screenings are followed by a free activity for Children.

The screening is Pay What You Can, which means you’re free to pay as much or as little as you can afford. By paying for a ticket, you will enable us to keep offering Pay What You Can screenings to families struggling with the cost of living. Thank you

Please note, screenings taking place in our new Screen 3 will not yet have step-free access whilst we wait for our platform lift to be installed.

The Small World of Sammy Lee will be introduced by Brigitte Mayr and Michael Omasta from Synema Vienna.

Sammy Lee, compère of a shabby Soho gentlemen's club, and inveterate poker player, needs to raise dosh within five hours to pay off his gambling depth.

Wolf Suschitzky's camera closely follows Sammy's attempt to save his neck from the wrath of his bookie, through Soho, to the East End, and back. The film is not only a great black comedy but document of a London long gone.

Introduction by Isabella Coraça and live music by leading silent film accompanist Stephen Horne.

An adaptation of the Madame Butterfly story, The Toll of the Sea presents a tale of cross-racial love and loss set amidst the opulent gardens of an exoticised China. The film follows Lotus Flower (played by Anna May Wong in her first leading role), a young Chinese woman who falls in love with an American traveler. Costume and colour are used to highlight a view of East as a land of pleasure and sensuality. Lotus Flower’s vibrant silk dresses in red and green, enhanced by the ‘natural’ process of two-colour Technicolor, connect her Chinese identity and feminine beauty to the natural surroundings. In a failed attempt to assimilate, Lotus Flower shifts to muted Western fashion. Ultimately, though, clothing is unable to change who she is, and she resigns herself to her tragic fate in an exuberantly embroidered silk robe.

Content warning: includes exoticising images that may be culturally insensitive or offensive.

In a world plagued by genocides, the climate crisis, and the erasure of cultures, this short film programme explores how queer communities continue to imagine possible futures ripe with solidarity and abundance. From queer shamanism to radical care between HIV-positive bodies, ritual and performance become tools to remake the universe. Because to be queer is to refuse to comply with the world as it is, thereby hoping, dreaming, and forging worlds that are not yet born.

This screening is followed by a poetry reading by Sarah Lasoye

Curatorial idea by Arshootti and Xinyi Wang as part of Up Next: Future Film Curators Lab 2024/25

Filament Fortune

HIV-positive bodies stage a reverse-arranging of flowers.

Dir. Beau Gomez | multiple origins | 2024 | 10min

JuJu vs The Possibilities of Life, Love and Death

A chance encounter leads to a trans woman speculating on future possibilities.

Dir. Htet Aung Lwyn | Myanmar | 2024 | 15min

High Tide or Low Tide?

A closeted high schooler takes part in a poetry contest.

Dir. Gio Franco Amarillo Alpuente | Philippines | 2024 | 20min

Hide and Seek

Queer utopias are brought to life through 3D animation.

Dir. Junjie Xu | UK | 2024 | 6min

Baradiya

An indigenous trans woman grapples with becoming a Babaylan, a Filipino queer shaman.

Dir. Gab Mejia, Miko Reyes, David Loughran, Antonio Lantong Dagoc Jr. | Philippines | 2024 | 30min

Discussing the film afterwards - with host Gareth Evans - will be Preisner himself, on-screen live from Greece, with interpretation in person by the composer's own interpreter of choice, Barbara Howard.

While it is clearly evident that a fine soundtrack can redeem a terrible film from complete oblivion and lift a mediocre one to a higher rung, certain scores operate altogether differently. A great composer for the cinema not only produces music of the highest calibre; their work becomes indivisible from our experience and understanding of the film. Their music and songs inform, affect and even direct the course of the narrative and the lives of the characters. Polish composer Zbigniew Preisner is one such artist. Celebrating his 70th birthday this 20th May, Preisner has scored numerous films - by directors including Agniezka Holland, Louis Malle and Thomas Vinterberg - for more than 40 years. But it is his enduring creative relationship with the late, great Krzysztof Kieślowski that has marked him out as one of the medium's greatest. From No End to the Three Colours Trilogy, Preisner's music has crafted an unforgettable atmosphere of startling beauty, profound melancholy and compelling ambiguity. In 1991's The Double Life of Véronique, the role of Preisner's music goes further, playing a key part in the film's storyline and the protagonist's psychology.

A haunting tale of love, loss and intangible association across time and place, it weaves the stories of two young women - doubles perhaps - whose lives interweave in ways that cannot be easily defined. Hal Hinson, writing for The Washington Post, observed that "the film takes us completely into its world, and in doing so, it leaves us with the impression that our own world, once we return to it, is far richer and (more) portentous than we had imagined." That said, The less one knows in advance about this stunning work of art - immaculately filmed by Sławomir Idziak - the better, suffice to say that it launched the career of its luminous leading actor Irène Jacob, who won the Best Actress Award at Cannes in 1991 for her performance.

With thanks to Eliza Dziedzic.

This screening will be introduced by Tony Rayns.

Select Japan is excited to bring the new restoration of Akira Kurosawa’s Throne of Blood to The Garden Cinema. This astonishing film is among the the great Shakespeare adaptations, fusing Macbeth with ghostly Japanese folklore and elements of noh theatre.

One of Kurosawa's masterpieces, Throne of Blood combines beauty and terror to produce a mood of truly haunting power. Starring the irrepressible Toshiro Mifune as the doomed warlord Washizu and a wonderfully creepy Isuzu Yamada as the Lady Macbeth-inspired Asaji, the film shows Kurosawa's familiar control of atmosphere and action combined with the savagery of war.

In celebration of the Year of the Snake, this programme coils itself around the serpent as a symbol of transformation and duality. Across five short films, propriety and convention are shed like scales as characters emerge into strange new expressions of queerness. From melancholic relationship drama to monochrome queer myth, Japanese drag queens to Chinese folktales, vulnerable new skins ripple, shift, and struggle into wondrous new shapes. These stories celebrate the unending process of becoming, thereby honouring the slippery and sacred queer experience.

This screening is preceded by a drag performance by Vee Dagger

Curatorial idea by Alisa Ikenaga and Vee Dagger, as part of Up Next: Future Film Curators Lab 2024/25

Kokuhaku

An actor returns to the past to re-live his most intimate memories.

Dir. Adrià Guxens | Spain | 2024 | 10min

The Deity Yet to Be Seen

A serpent shifts between various genders and identities.

Dir. Junn Zhou | Netherlands | 2024 | 14min

J is for Just an Afternoon Thunderstorm

A casual couple’s outing, a mysterious encounter, and an afternoon thunderstorm.

Dir. Yung Hsiang Chuang | Taiwan | 2023 | 22min

Shé Snake

The top violinist of an elite London orchestra faces her demons.

Dir. Renee Zhan | UK | 2025 | 15min

The Gossips of Cicadidae

A boy falls in love with a mythological humanoid creature.

Dir. Vahn Leinard C. Pascual | Philippines | 2022 | 18min

In this irresistible blend of ethnography and poetry, artist Ulrike Ottinger meditates on the lives of those who live in Japan’s Echigo region where the snow often lies several feet deep well into May. If in the popular imagination the natural and the human are frequently thought of as binaries, here the locals have developed their own customs, deftly adjusting to their austere living conditions. With the seasons comes a slowing down of time; women spend their days weaving reems of chirimen – a plain-woven silk crêpe – which is laid out under the evening light to flatten. Through the escapades of two Kabuki performers following in the footsteps of Bokushi Suzuki, who in the mid-19th century wrote Snow Country Tales, the film marinates in the richness of a phantasmagoric, magical world.

Winner of the 2022 Sundance Grand Jury Prize, Utama frames climate change as a process of quiet devastation. Set in the arid Bolivian Altiplano, the film portrays an elderly Quechua couple, Virginio and Sisa (played by non-professional actors José Calcina and Luisa Quispe), who embody an ancestral bond to their land. We follow them through a relentless drought, which jeopardises their traditional way of life: raising llamas, presumably for wool production. While Utama scarcely depicts the processing of fibre, it emphasises the materiality of land and of traditional clothing face to face with environmental collapse and the erosion of cultural heritage. With stunning cinematography framing cracked earth and vast skies as both characters and potent metaphors for ecological fragility, Utama positions environmental harm not as a dramatic event but as a prolonged loss – of water, sustenance, and the tactile heritage embodied by indigenous crafts.

A treasure of Mexico’s cinematic golden age, this deliriously plotted blend of gritty crime film, heart-tugging maternal melodrama, and mambo musical is a dazzling showcase for iconic star Ninón Sevilla. She brings fierce charisma and fiery strength to her role as a rumbera - a female nightclub dancer - who gives up everything to raise an abandoned boy, whom she must protect from his ruthless gangster father. Directed at a dizzying pace by filmmaking titan Emilio Fernández, and shot in stylish chiaroscuro by renowned cinematographer Gabriel Figueroa amid smoky dance halls and atmospherically seedy underworld haunts, Victims of Sin is a ferociously entertaining female-powered noir pulsing with the intoxicating rhythms of some of Latin America’s most legendary musical stars.

Elizabeth Sankey is a filmmaker and musician from London. In 2019 she directed and wrote her first feature documentary, ROMANTIC COMEDY, a personal exploration of the genre. The film was shown at many prestigious festivals including IFFR, SXSW, Sheffield DocFest, CPH:DOX and AFI Docs, before being acquired for distribution by MUBI in the UK and 1091 in the US among other international sales.

In 2022 she wrote and directed a feminist TV piece about women's bodies titled BOOBS for the broadcaster Channel 4.

In 2024 she wrote, directed and edited WITCHES, a documentary produced by MUBI that used her own story of being admitted to a psychiatric ward after the birth of her son to explore the connections between perinatal mental health illness and the history and portrayal of witches in western society. The film premiered at Tribeca where it won Special Jury Mention for the Viewpoints award. At the 2024 BIFA Awards it won Best Documentary.

She has written several documentary shorts for BBC iPlayer’s Inside Cinema strand. With her band Summer Camp she has released four  albums on Moshi Moshi Records, and created the soundtrack to Charlie Shackleton’s feature debut BEYOND CLUELESS. She has also written for The Guardian, The Telegraph, The Observer, NME, Vice, and McSweeney’s Quarterly Concern.

WITCHES will be followed by a Q&A with Elizabeth Sankey. Please also join us in the cinema bar for networking prior to the screening.

Karun, a security man from southern India, is posted to Gurez, a remote village in Kashmir. There, he begins a relationship with Faheem, a young Kashmiri man. But it’s a romance that seems doomed from the start. Exploring themes of love, friendship and the impact of geopolitical conflicts on personal lives, this is a touching and sensitive drama.

The screening will be followed by a Q/A with Director Onir, moderated by Dr Ashvin Devasundaram.

This film was proposed by our member Shahrzad Fereidouni, who writes: A masterpiece of Iranian cinema. Any film by Abbas Kiarostami would be amazing!'

The first film in Abbas Kiarostami’s sublime, interlacing 'Koker Trilogy' takes a simple premise - a boy searches for the home of his classmate, whose school notebook he has accidentally taken - and transforms it into a miraculous child’s-eye adventure of the everyday. As our young hero zigzags determinedly across two towns, aided (and sometimes misdirected) by those he encounters, his quest becomes both a revealing portrait of rural Iranian society in all its richness and complexity, and a touching parable about the meaning of personal responsibility. Sensitive and profound, Where Is the Friend’s House? is shot through with all the beauty, tension, and wonder a single day can contain.

Please note, the screening on Wednesday 7 May is our free members' screening, while the one on Thursday 15 May is a regular screening, which is open to the general public.

In this trailblazing combination of animation and live-action, down-on-his-luck private eye Eddie Valiant gets hired to investigate a pattycake scandal involving Jessica Rabbit, the sultry wife of Toontown superstar, Roger Rabbit.Virtually every major cartoon character shows up in this wonderful Oscar-winning classic.

Recommended for ages 9+

On Sunday mornings our Family Screenings are followed by a free activity for Children.

The screening is Pay What You Can, which means you’re free to pay as much or as little as you can afford. By paying for a ticket, you will enable us to keep offering Pay What You Can screenings to families struggling with the cost of living. Thank you

Please note, screenings taking place in our new Screen 3 will not yet have step-free access whilst we wait for our platform lift to be installed.

This programme of short films will be introduced by Brigitte Mayr and Michael Omasta from Synema Vienna.

Wolf Suschitzky was always fond of the short form: its playfulness, and the creative freedom that comes with it. While this selection aims to illustrate the versatility of Wolf's work, it also pays tribute to Jack Chambers, father of The Garden Cinema's owner Michael Chambers, who was instrumental in securing a work-permission for Wolf and consequently saved him from incarceration on the Isle of Man as an enemy alien during the early years of WW2.

Films screening:

Cotton Come Back (Donald Alexander, 1946, 26 mins)

Chasing The Blues (Jack Chambers, 1946, 6mins)

The Bespoke Overcoat (Jack Clayton, 1955, 36 mins)

Snow (Geoffrey Jones, 1963, 8 mins)

Les Bicyclettes de Belsize (Douglas Hickox, 1968, 29 mins)

All films photographed by Wolfgang Suschitzky.

In this long-form visual essay, the freshness and innocence of youth ebb and flow to the beat of the capitalist system. Spring is the first part of Wang Bing’s immersive Youth trilogy, and it documents relationships as they fold and unfold amongst a group of young Chinese textile workers. Filming over five years in Zhili, a town located 150 kilometres from Shanghai, Wang’s empathetic camera focuses on the labourers toiling under tungsten lighting, producing brightly coloured children's clothes in factories lining the paradoxically named ‘Happiness Road’. The stamina of Spring – and all involved in it – allows for humanity to flourish in otherwise merciless industrial conditions, giving the film its unique lyricism. As J. Hoberman notes, for Wang, there is a correspondence between spring as a natural season and the idea of youth as a ‘life-season … a state of being’: in Mandarin, the words ‘youth’ and ‘spring’ are nearly synonymous. Here, geographical dispersion, financial insecurity, and family tensions run alongside the rampant seasonal demands of clothing production.