Paris Memories - Sunday 10th December 5pm

Another Members' Choice for our penultimate film of 2023. Paris Memories (Revoir Paris) is inspired by a real experience of the Bataclan attack in Paris, Alice Winocour (who co-wrote the magnificent 'Mustang' we showed here in 2016), places Mia, by a huge mis chance, in a restaurant which is attacked by a terrorist gunman. Mia "finds herself completely broken by the experience…" - Wendy Ide, Observer. We see the whole event through Mia's eyes, crouched on the floor with just the gunmen's feet in view; the tension this creates sets the scene for the whole film, but this film is not really about the attack, who did it or why, it is about the effect on a survivor, Mia. Wendy Ide goes on to say "Three months after the event, she starts the process of piecing together her shattered memories of the attack, even as she comes to realise that some elements of her life are beyond repair".

"It’s a sensitive, careful film with real emotional intelligence, but no less gripping for swerving dramatic fireworks in favour of quieter, more observational moments." -  Philip De Semlyen, Time Out

Brother - Sunday 3rd December 5pm

In Brother we meet two brothers and their mothers are immigrants to Toronto in the 1970s. Francis has to protect his younger brother Michael, whilst teaching him to become a man in the gang community they live in. "The result is a stunning, tender and compelling story of brotherly love, family and friendship that isn't afraid to challenge outdated notions of masculinity while offering us a searing portrait of community oppression and racism. Brother is a hauntingly beautiful cinematic adaptation." Neil Baker, Cinerama Film.

“No feeling in “Brother” goes unfelt; every element of its filmmaking taps into the heart.” - Peyton Robinson, Rogerebert.com

Passages - Sunday 26th November 5pm

The outstanding Franz Rogowski stars alongside Adèle Excharopoulos and Ben Whishaw in the latest film from Ira Sachs. "A love triangle unfolds in Passages, a sexy, European drama. Most viewers…will be entranced by this wicked study of a man who uses people in his life like the actors on his set, ordering them around until he gets what he needs from them" - Brian Tallerico, RogerEbert.com.

“Rogowski, Whishaw and Exarchopoulos are all black-belt performers and they bring this film to vivid and sensual life." - Peter Bradshaw, Guardian

“A briskly-moving, turbulent, emphatically sexy, deliberately exasperating love triangle.” - Glenn Kenny, Rogerebert.com

The Beasts - Sunday 19th November 5pm

The Beasts is based loosely on a true story  of a Dutch couple who moved to Spain, here we have Antoine and Olga, a French couple, who have moved to a tiny hamlet in Galicia to set up an organic farm. The trouble is the locals, 'hill people', do not understand them - they consider farming to be just hard work and want out. Battle lines were set when the incomers vetoed a communal plan to sell out to a wind-turbine company.

“A terrific psychological thriller and a brooding, muscular piece of filmmaking...” - Wendy Ide, Screen International

Pretty Red Dress - Sunday 12th November 6pm

 

A later start this week to make room for The Royal Ballet's Don Quixote so join us at 6pm for PRETTY RED DRESS. A film starring an X-Factor winner (Alexandra Burke) singing Tina Turner songs may not sound like our usual type of film but this got great reviews earlier in the year.

"This is a terrific film. It's original, has heft, is magnificently performed, and it blew me away" - Deborah Ross, The Spectator.

"Unafraid to face up to complex personal issues while still maintaining its solidly mainstream appeal." Mark Kermode - Observer

"Examines its subject matter with great heart and passion." - David Jenkins, Little White Lies