Sir Steve McQueen’s “Blitz” follows the epic journey of George (Elliott Heffernan), a 9-year-old boy in World War II London whose mother Rita (Saoirse Ronan) sends him to safety in the English countryside. George, defiant and determined to return home to his mum and his grandfather Gerald (Paul Weller) in East London, embarks on an adventure, only to find himself in immense peril, while a distraught Rita searches for her missing son.

"Its curiosity is its strongest suit, as McQueen’s script lays bare divisions that see working-class families barred from taking shelter in Tube stations, socialism taking root underground, and racism rife." Philip De Semlyen, Time Out

Please note: This work contains flashing images which may affect viewers who are susceptible to photosensitive epilepsy.

Raised in a repressive era where sexuality was taboo, sixty-somethings Ana, Patricia, and Mayela found their understanding of womanhood based on unspoken rules and implicit impositions. Now, their fearless voices are channelled into a single 65-year-old woman (Sol Carballo) in the present day. A collective outcry against taboos, their stories poetically combine to form a kaleidoscope of memories, secrets and hidden desires.

Weaving together the past and the present, this drama is centered on the experience of women and how they understand their sexuality at the different stages of their lives. From sexuality to love, and delving into education, repression, pleasure, motherhood and liberation, it tells the story of a quest to understand themselves as women in a world that limited them.

Described as the “conversation she never had with her grandmothers”, writer/director Antonella Sudasassi Furniss’ second feature film, MEMORIES OF A BURNING BODY, is a heartfelt exploration of female sexuality and an ode to women everywhere.

Costa Rica, 2024

Spanish language with English subtitles

The long-awaited return to fiction filmmaking from Academy Award-winner Andrea Arnold (American Honey, Fish Tank), BIRD is a tender, striking and extraordinarily surprising coming-of-age fable about marginalised life in the fringes of contemporary society. 12-year-old Bailey (astounding newcomer Nykiya Adams) lives with her devoted but chaotic single dad Bug (Barry Keoghan, Saltburn) and wayward brother Hunter in a squat in Gravesend, north Kent.

Approaching puberty and seeking attention and adventure, Bailey’s fractured home life is transformed when she encounters Bird (Franz Rogowski, Passages), a mysterious stranger on a journey of his own. A wondrous portrait of the transition from childhood to adolescence that remains grounded in her typically empathetic social realism, Arnold’s latest strides to the wildly poetic rhythm of her own drum.

"If ever a film puts its arm round a kid and says: ‘Don’t worry, I’ve got you’, that’s "Bird" and Bailey. She’s a character you feel Arnold would lie on railtracks to protect – and that’s a powerful, moving instinct to share." Dave Calhoun, Time Out

Anora (Mikey Madison) a young sex worker from Brooklyn, gets her chance at a Cinderella story when she meets and impulsively marries the son of an oligarch. Once the news reaches Russia, her fairytale is threatened as his parents set out for New York to get the marriage annulled.

"It is a terrific performance from Madison, who owns the screen, and Eydelshteyn’s turn as the shiftless Vanya is also very watchable. Baker’s film-making is muscular and fluent." Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian

United Nations, 1960: the Global South ignites a political earthquake, jazz musicians Abbey Lincoln and Max Roach crash the Security Council, Nikita Khrushchev bangs his shoe, and the U.S. State Department swings into action, sending jazz ambassador Louis Armstrong to Congo to deflect attention from the CIA-backed coup.

Director Johan Grimonprez captures the moment when African politics and American jazz collided in this magnificent essay film, a riveting historical rollercoaster that illuminates the political machinations behind the 1961 assassination of Congo’s leader Patrice Lumumba.

Richly illustrated by eyewitness accounts, official government memos, testimonies from mercenaries and CIA operatives, speeches from Lumumba himself, and a veritable canon of jazz icons, Soundtrack to a Coup d’Etat interrogates colonial history to tell an urgent and timely story of precedent that resonates more than ever in today’s geopolitical climate.

"It’s a remarkable film – exhaustive, informative and rigorously researched, but also crackling with energy , ideas and formal daring." Wendy Ide, Screen International

As the 20th of July marked the 50th anniversary of the partition of Cyprus, the feature documentary THE DIVIDED ISLAND brings the ‘Cyprus problem’ back into focus, revealing untold stories and unravelling the intricate history that still reverberates today. Amidst the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, the world has largely forgotten the frozen divide that has left Nicosia as Europe’s last divided capital city. As a result of the conflict in 1974, the North remains largely inhabited by Turkish Cypriots and Greek Cypriots in the South, separated by a ‘no-go zone’ area governed and patrolled by UN soldiers. After 50 years of failed negotiations the issue remains today on whether the Island will ever become re-united.

THE DIVIDED ISLAND challenges the often hostility-driven narratives perpetuated by mainstream media, offering instead a pursuit of truth through deeply personal interviews - from those whose lives, homes, and country were torn apart, to the new generation of Cypriots yearning for peaceful reconciliation.

All screenings will be followed by a recorded Q&A.with director, Cey Sesiguzel, and co-producer, Andreas Tokkallos. On Saturday 23rd and Tuesday 26th November, Cey and Andreas will host a Live Q&A.

Please note: Prompt start as no ads/trailers for all screenings.

Layla is a struggling Arab drag queen whose confident façade hides their desperate desire for love. When their performance at a belittling corporate Pride event turns into a transgressive takedown, they are surprised to catch the eye of marketing executive Max, whose attentions sweep Layla off their feet. The two start an intoxicating romance, but as Layla starts to alter who they are in order to keep Max’s interest, they both have to face uncomfortable truths.

"A Sundance-friendly indie romance rich with specificity and led by what could, and by all rights should, be a breakout role for Bilal Hasna." William Bibbiani, TheWrap

After a string of bizarre bank robberies in Southern California, with the crooks donning masks of various former presidents, a federal agent, Johnny Utah (Keanu Reeves), infiltrates the suspected gang. But this is no ordinary group of robbers. They're surfers -- led by the charismatic Bodhi (Patrick Swayze) -- who are addicted to the rush of thievery. But when Utah falls in love with a female surfer, Tyler (Lori Petty), who is close to the gang, it complicates his sense of duty.

Kathryn Bigelow's 1990s cult classic is rarely seen on the big screen, so join Bodhi and Johnny Utah once again in the search for the ultimate ride. It’s a visually dazzling (especially in the new 4K restoration) and heady ride. Don't miss this 4K restoration - it'll take you to the edge!

"The film tries to show that surfers can be feral and violent in their own way, defending their turf, but even this is a different kind of brutality. It is such a strange generic welding, and is part of what has made the film such an enduring cult gem." Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian

Pauline Black, lead singer of 2-Tone hit band The Selecter, tells her extraordinary life story in the same frank manner that helped shape her as an iconic, era-defining female musician. Pauline had a difficult upbringing and joining the 2-Tone music movement in 1979 was the perfect catalyst; enabling her to explore and express all sides of herself.

Looking back at her own ground-breaking experience in this feature documentary, Pauline traces how her legacy came about and how it is relevant to the world today, especially where society pushes the boundaries of gender, politics, race and identity.

Pauline, of mixed Nigerian and Jewish heritage, was adopted into a white family in Essex in the 50’s. Her upbringing was defined by casual racism from within her own family. Pauline went on to find her own identity in the Coventry 2-Tone music scene and The Selecter was a reflection of working-class life in Thatcher's Britain, their music as social reportage and with an ethos of anti-racism and anti-sexism.

This is a cinematic and visceral documentary mixing intimate actuality, archive and interviews and a storming soundtrack. Contributors include Arthur ‘Gaps’ Hendrickson, Don Letts, Skin, Damon Albarn, Rhoda Dakar, Lynval Golding, Mykaell Riley, Sonia Boyce and Jools Holland.

On Friday 22nd November, we are delighted to welcome Pauline Black and director, Jane Mingay, for a post screening Q&A. The Q&A will be hosted by Indra Ové.

Please note: Prompt start as no ads/trailers.

Artist Neil Harbisson wants to convince the world that technological enhancement of our senses is a force for good.

Born only being able to see in black and white, Neil yearned from a young age to experience how others feel the emotive power of colour. When he was 21 he had an ‘eyeborg’ antenna, that translates colour waves into sound frequencies, permanently implanted in his skull.

Together with childhood friend, choreographer and cyborg collaborator, Moon Ribas, Neil went on to establish the Cyborg Foundation and the Transpecies Society. These aim to promote the creation of new technological senses, give a voice to non-human identities and defend the freedom of self-design.

We are delighted to welcome director, Carey Born, for a post screening Q&A. This will be hosted by Jordan Kaltz.

Please note: Prompt start as no ads/trailers.

Jodie Comer (Killing Eve) makes her West End debut in the UK premiere of Suzie Miller’s award-winning play.

Tessa is a young, brilliant barrister. She has worked her way up from working class origins to be at the top of her game; defending; cross examining and winning. An unexpected event forces her to confront the lines where the patriarchal power of the law, burden of proof and morals diverge.

Prima Facie takes us to the heart of where emotion and experience collide with the rules of the game.

Justin Martin directs this solo tour de force, captured live from the intimate Harold Pinter Theatre in London’s West End.

Please note: PRIMA FACIE includes sensitive subject matter including reference to sex, violence and rape.

In 2018 Filmmaker Athena Mandis and Dr Petros Karatsareas created an interactive immersive experience for the Greek Cypriot community to reminisce their migration journey along the route of the 29 bus – From Camden to Enfield - part of the Being Human Festival. With the support of University of Westminister’s Impact Case Study Support Fund a film was made to document this journey.

Please note: There are 10 mins ads/trailers before this film.

The incredible true story of a man who lived for 15 months trapped inside a small room, naked, starving and alone... and completely unaware that his life was being broadcast on national TV in Japan, to over 15 million viewers a week. Before Big Brother, before The Truman Show, there was the shocking story of Nasubi.

"The Contestant is the type of documentary where you’re aware that what you’re witnessing is 100-percent true, and you still can’t quite wrap your brain around what you’re seeing." David Fear, Rolling Stone

Following the screening there will be a pre-recorded Q&A with the star of the film and real life contestant, Nasubi.

Please note: Prompt start as no ads/trailers.

CONCLAVE follows one of the world’s most secretive and ancient events – selecting the new Pope. Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) is tasked with running this covert process after the unexpected death of the beloved Pope. Once the Catholic Church’s most powerful leaders have gathered from around the world and are locked together in the Vatican halls, Lawrence uncovers a trail of deep secrets left in the dead Pope’s wake, secrets which could shake the foundations of the Church.

"Conclave is one of those rare films that respects the audience’s attention, even as it sneaks a few tricks behind their backs." Peter DeBruge, Variety

Directed by Edward Berger (All Quiet on the Western Front)

Written By Peter Straughan (Tinker Tailor Solider Spy)

Starring Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, Isabella Rossellini

In Mumbai, thoughtful Nurse Prabha’s routine is upset when she receives an unexpected gift from her estranged husband. Her younger, flightier and rebellious roommate, Anu, tries in vain to find a spot in the city to be intimate with her secret boyfriend. Their colleague Parvaty fights to stay in her home without any requisite paperwork left by her late husband. A trip to a beach town allows them each to find a space for their desires to manifest.

 

Featuring Kani Kusruti (Girls Will Be Girls) Divya Prabha (Family) and Chhaya Kadam (Sister Midnight) in the lead roles, ALL WE IMAGINE AS LIGHT was the first Indian film to be selected in Official Competition at Cannes in three decades. Payal Kapadia also made history as the first female Indian filmmaker ever to have a film in this prestigious section of the festival.

"Kapadia’s film precisely captures the realism of the particular romantic chaos native to Mumbai: a warm, heady place where desire, tradition, shame, and pride are in constant negotiation with one another." Jenna Mahale, Little White Lies

France-India-Netherlands-Luxembourg, 2024

Malayalam, Hindi with English subtitles

Merchant Ivory is a feature documentary film produced and directed by Stephen Soucy in collaboration with Oscar-winner, Director and Screenwriter, James Ivory.

The film is the definitive presentation and tribute to the Merchant Ivory partnership, anchored by interviews with James Ivory and forty-one Merchant Ivory close collaborators detailing and celebrating their experiences of being a part of the “wandering company” helmed by legendary producer Ismail Merchant.

With six Academy Award-winners among the notable artists participating, including Emma Thompson and Vanessa Redgrave, the documentary provides new and compelling perspectives on a unique partnership that produced seminal films over four decades.

"More important and radically, the film explores groundbreaking depictions of the inner lives of gay men in several Merchant Ivory films." Alissa Wilkinson, New York Times

An artist who pauses her career to be a stay-at-home mum seeks a new chapter in her life and encounters just that, when her nightly routine takes a surreal turn and her maternal instincts begin to manifest in canine form.

Amy Adams stars in NIGHTBITCH. Written and directed by Marielle Heller, based on the best-selling novel by Rachel Yoder.

"A movie about insisting on your joy and fiercely holding tight to it, not in spite of your motherhood but alongside it." Maureen Lee Lenker, Entertainment Weekly

Hersh Dagmarr and pianist Karen Newby are back at the Arthouse with their cabaret show VAMPS OF WEIMAR!

A night of Weimar Berlin reminiscences and a musical celebration of the femme fatale as depicted in the Populärkultur! Whatever her gender, whatever her aim….

With brilliant tunes by Kurt Weill, Bertolt Brecht, Mischa Spoliansky, Friedrich Hollaender, Marlene Dietrich…and even Britney Spears (!!!) amongst others.

Extra glitz and sparkle will be added to fit the Christmas seasonal mood so make yourself all pretty and dandy, put on your best Lederhosen and polka dots tie and come join the grand  fantastisch fabelhaf and soooo very herrlich celebration! You will laugh, you will cry and you will leave with red hot roses planted in your eyes! So Vamp turned vampire, love for sale or for hire, what’s your vow what’s your desire and look here … you will see no hire just…the vamp!

Please note: The Show will consist of two 40 minute sets with a 15 minute interval. Prompt start as no ads/trailers.

Please also note: This show is excluded from membership discounts.

1950. William Lee, an American expat in Mexico City, spends his days almost entirely alone, except for a few contacts with other members of the small American community. His encounter with Eugene Allerton, an expat former soldier, new to the city, shows him, for the first time, that it might be finally possible to establish an intimate connection with somebody.

From Academy Award winning director Luca Guadagnino, written by Justin Kuritzkes and based on the novel by William S. Burroughs.

Starring Daniel Craig, Drew Starkey, Lesley Manville, and Jason Schwartzman.

"Burroughs believed in magic, and watching Queer, one has an inkling that Guadagnino does too." Hannah Strong, Little White Lies

After a decade away in London, 29-year-old Rona (Saoirse Ronan) returns home to the Orkney Islands. Sober but lonely, she tries to suppress her memory of the events which set her on this journey of recovery. Slowly the mystical land enters her inner world and – one day at a time – Rona finds hope and strength in herself among the heavy gales and the

bracingly cold sea.

Based on the best-selling memoir by Amy Liptrot, THE OUTRUN is set in the otherworldly

Orkney islands of Scotland. A brutally honest drama about addiction and recovery, strength and survival, mental health and the ability of the sea, the land and of people to restore life and renew hope.

"An exceptional performance from Saoirse Ronan powers this affecting, slow-moving drama about addiction and hope." Anna Smith, Total Film

Frank Capra’s heart-warming masterpiece has been embraced as a cherished holiday tradition by families around the world! George Bailey (James Stewart) sets aside his dreams of world travel to run his father’s small community bank, and protect the people of Bedford Falls from greedy businessman Mr. Potter (Lionel Barrymore).

When a costly mistake pushes George to the brink of despair, a visit from a kindly angel (Henry Travers) will show George how the life of one good man can change the world forever.

Featuring: James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore, Thomas Mitchell and Henry Travers

"It's a gem for any time of the year and, as such, a vital part of any film fan's collection." Empire Magazine

One night in his near-empty tower block in contemporary London, Adam (Andrew Scott) has a chance encounter with a mysterious neighbour Harry (Paul Mescal), which punctures the rhythm of his everyday life. As a relationship develops between them, Adam is preoccupied with memories of the past and finds himself drawn back to the suburban town where he grew up, and the childhood home where his parents (Claire Foy and Jamie Bell), appear to be living, just as they were on the day they died, 30 years before.

Written and Directed by Andrew Haigh

"It’s a ghost story, but it’s a love story too. One that will break your heart." Hannah Strong, Little White Lies

ALL OF US STRANGERS contains several sequences with flashing lights that may affect those who are susceptible to photosensitive epilepsy or have other photosensitivities.

THE ZONE OF INTEREST has been nominated for five Oscars, including Best Picture.

1943. Set in an austere, elegant villa whose garden shares a wall with the extermination camp at Auschwitz, the film focuses on a family of strivers, led by the commandant of Auschwitz (Christian Friedel), who see his position and the luxuries it provides them as a sign of their well-earned rise in society. The commandant’s wife (a chilling Sandra Hüller) understands full well how her privilege has been obtained, and she will fight any effort that would deny her access to the life she now enjoys. The Zone of Interest is a visceral indictment of our ability to ignore the evils from which we benefit.

Adapted from Martin Amis’s novel of the same name and written and directed by Jonathan Glazer

"The film is so well-made, so deliberately cautious about showing actual atrocities, that the imagination works overtime." Rex Reed, The Observer

Germany, 2023

German and Polish language with English subtitles.

AMERICAN FICTION has been nominated for five Oscars, including Best Picture.

American Fiction is Cord Jefferson's hilarious directorial debut, which confronts our culture’s obsession with reducing people to outrageous stereotypes. Jeffrey Wright stars as Monk, a frustrated novelist who’s fed up with the establishment profiting from “Black” entertainment that relies on tired and offensive tropes. To prove his point, Monk uses a pen name to write an outlandish “Black” book of his own, a book that propels him to the heart of hypocrisy and the madness he claims to disdain.

"Elegantly walking a line between absurdist satire and family drama, this is a clever send-up of how the broadness of Black culture gets reduced to cliché." Kambole Campbell, Empire Magazine

Singers Bob Wallace and Phil Davis join sister act Betty and Judy Haynes to perform a Christmas show in rural Vermont. There, they run into Gen. Waverly, the boys' commander in World War II, who, they learn, is having financial difficulties; his quaint country inn is failing.

So what's the foursome to do but plan a yuletide miracle: a fun-filled musical extravaganza that's sure to put Waverly and his business in the black!

Starring Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye and Rosemary Clooney

PERFECT DAYS has been nominated for an Oscar for Best international feature.

A highly anticipated return to fiction feature filmmaking from Wim Wenders (Paris, Texas, Wings of Desire), PERFECT DAYS takes the writer-director to Tokyo to tell a story celebrating the hidden joys and minutiae of Japanese culture. Winner of the Best Actor award at Cannes 2023, Koji Yakusho (Babel, 13 Assassins) stars as Hirayama, a contemplative middle-aged man who lives a life of modesty and serenity, spending his days balancing his job as a dutiful caretaker of Tokyo’s numerous public toilets with his passion for music, literature and photography. As we join him on his structured daily routine, a series of unexpected encounters gradually begin to reveal a hidden past that lies behind his otherwise content and harmonious life.

Combining a refreshingly unstereotypical depiction of the Japanese capital with a soundtrack comprised of iconic hits from the 60s and 80s, this is a subtle, shimmering and ultimately life-affirming reflection on finding beauty in the everyday world around us. Nominated for the Best International Film award at the 96th Academy Awards®.

"Sincere and unassuming, and owns its sentimentality with good humour." Guy Lodge, Variety

Japan, 2023

Japanese language with English subtitles

THE HOLDOVERS has been nominated for five Oscars, including Best Picture.

From acclaimed director Alexander Payne, THE HOLDOVERS follows a curmudgeonly instructor (Paul Giamatti) at a prestigious American school who is forced to remain on campus during Christmas break to babysit the handful of students with nowhere to go. Eventually he forms an unlikely bond with one of them - a damaged, brainy troublemaker (newcomer Dominic Sessa) - and with the school’s head cook, who has just lost a son in Vietnam (Da’Vine Joy Randolph).

"Paul Giamatti is a grinchy teacher in Alexander Payne’s loveable answer to The Breakfast Club." Philip De Semlyen, Time Out

An enchanting romantic adventure, an ethereal spiritual journey and a ripping heist movie like no other, the captivating new fable of lost love from Alice Rohrwacher ('Happy As Lazzaro', 'The Wonders') – the best received of her career to date - follows a young British archaeologist who gets caught up in an international network dealing in stolen Italian artefacts.

Tuscany, early 1980s. Arthur (a revelatory Josh O’Connor, 'The Crown') has just been released from a short stint in prison. During his earlier studies in the region, he fell in love with Beniamina, the daughter of an aging local aristocrat (Isabella Rossellini), but she’s now gone. Arthur has fallen in with the Tombaroli, a rowdy crew of twenty-somethings who pretend to make their living as farmers and entertainers, but instead pilfer the area’s ancient Etruscan tombs for earthenware and ornaments to sell on the black market, hoping to one day strike it rich…

Premiering to major success at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival, Rohrwacher’s rule-breaking, magical film uncovers a world of wonders just below the surface. LA CHIMERA is a mesmerising ode to the fragility of the beautiful things in life, and a cautionary tale about how easily they can be lost.

Italy, 2023

Italian language with English subtitles

POOR THINGS has been nominated for 11 Oscars, including Best Picture.

From filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos and producer Emma Stone comes the tale of the fantastical evolution of Bella Baxter (Stone), a young woman brought back to life by the brilliant and unorthodox scientist Dr. Godwin Baxter (Willem Dafoe). Under Baxter’s protection, Bella is eager to learn. Hungry for the worldliness she is lacking, Bella runs off with Duncan Wedderburn (Mark Ruffalo), a slick and debauched lawyer, on a whirlwind adventure across the continents. Free from the prejudices of her times, Bella grows steadfast in her purpose to stand for equality and liberation.

"Poor Things itself is an equally – and brilliantly – surprising hybrid: a feminist coming-of-age story, monster movie and bawdy, foul-mouthed sex romp that the Greek alchemist has somehow forged into a masterpiece." Philip De Semlyen, Time Out     

A visionary work, winner of the 2001 Best Animated Feature Oscar, (the first Oscar-winning animation to win from among five nominees) and the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival, Hayao Miyazaki’s stunning feature is one of his most universally appealing films. With its depth and complexity, the unique visuals, the dream-like spectacle, Spirited Away enchants both adults and children alike. Spirited Away tells the story of Chihiro’s adventures and struggles rescuing her parents from an evil witch by working in a bath house to the gods.

Almut (Florence Pugh) and Tobias (Andrew Garfield) are brought together in a surprise encounter that changes their lives. Through snapshots of their life together -- falling for each other, building a home, becoming a family -- a difficult truth is revealed that rocks its foundation. As they embark on a path challenged by the limits of time, they learn to cherish each moment of the unconventional route their love story has taken, in filmmaker John Crowley’s decade-spanning, deeply moving romance.

"It’s such a joy to watch two such assured and natural performers allowed the room to exercise both movie star and actor muscles as well as showcase their ease with both comedy and drama." Benjamin Lee, The Guardian

David Tennant (Doctor Who, Broadchurch) and Cush Jumbo (The Good Wife, Criminal Record) lead a stellar cast in an ‘enthralling’ (★★★★★ Daily Telegraph) new production of Shakespeare’s MACBETH, filmed live at the Donmar Warehouse in London, especially for the big screen.

Unsettling intimacy and brutal action combine at breakneck speed as Max Webster (Life of Pi, Henry V) directs this tragic tale of love, murder, and nature’s power of renewal. With staging ‘full of wolfish imagination and alarming surprise’ (★★★★★ The Guardian), the immersive 5.1 cinema surround sound places the audience inside the minds of the Macbeths, asking are we ever really responsible for our actions?

Prompt start as no ads/trailers.

Please note: This show is excluded from membership discounts.

Three-time Olivier Award-winner Sharon D Clarke is joined by Ncuti Gatwa (Doctor Who; Sex Education) in this joyful reimagining of Oscar Wilde’s most celebrated comedy.

While assuming the role of a dutiful guardian in the country, Jack lets loose in town under a false identity. Meanwhile, his friend Algy adopts a similar facade. Hoping to impress two eligible ladies, the gentlemen find themselves caught in a web of lies they must carefully navigate.

Max Webster (Life of Pi) directs this hilarious story of identity, impersonation and romance, filmed live from the National Theatre in London.