The children of a once famous artist hire a forger to complete some unfinished, long ago abandoned canvases so they'll have an inheritance when he dies.

Julian Sklar (Ian McKellen) is a once-brilliant painter who has sullied his name over time with awful behaviour. Now, separated from the world he looks down on, from his crumbling, yet expansive, London townhouse, he is cursed with two vile, talentless children (Jessica Gunning – ‘Baby Reindeer’; and James Corden – ‘Gavin and Stacey’). They are only interested in their inheritance and see an opportunity with a set of nine unfinished paintings in the loft – The Christophers. The siblings hire an art restorer, Lori (the brilliant Michaela Coel), to finish the paintings without their father’s knowledge, convinced that this will guarantee their fortune. The two lead actors play off each other beautifully in this intimate comedy drama about art, commerce and the mess in-between. This is the third London-set Steven Soderbergh film in two years, following ‘Presence’ and ‘Black Bag’.

UK 2025 Steven Soderbergh 100m

In the 41st century, an astronaut seeks to stop an evil scientist who threatens to unleash a powerful weapon upon the galaxy.

The year is 40,000. Peacefully floating around in zero-gravity Barbarella (Jane Fonda) is suddenly interrupted by a call from the President of Earth. A young scientist, Duran-Duran, is threatening the ancient universal peace and Barbarella is the chosen one to find him and save the world. During her mission, Barbarella never finds herself in a situation where it isn't possible to lose at least part of her already minimal dressing. This is the first of three colourful, sexy, trivial, endearing Dino De Laurentiis productions adapted from popular comic strips - the others being ‘Diabolik’ (1968) and Mike Hodges' delirious remake of ‘Flash Gordon’ (1980). Thoroughly cheesy, ‘Barbarella’ is nonetheless full of humour, entertaining visuals and Jane Fonda's sex appeal. This classic film (along with ‘Modesty Blaise’) is screening to accompany Hugo Frey’s illustrated talk on Comic Books in Film (see previous page).

France/Italy 1968 Roger Vadim 98m

Exhibition on Screen

Who was Frida Kahlo? Everyone knows her, but who was the woman behind the bright colours, the big brows, and the floral crowns? Take a journey through the life of a true icon, discover her art, and uncover the truth behind her often turbulent life.

Sat 30 Sep 16:00

Tue 3 Oct 15:45

Every night a shepherd reads aloud a murder mystery, pretending his sheep can understand. When he is found dead, the sheep realize at once that it was a murder and think they know everything about how to go about solving it.

In this witty, new breed of mystery, George (Hugh Jackman) is a shepherd who reads detective novels to his beloved sheep every night, assuming they can't possibly understand. But when a mysterious incident disrupts life on the farm, the sheep realize they must become the detectives. As they follow the clues and investigate human suspects, they prove that even sheep can be brilliant crime-solvers. Yes! This is indeed that fun film that we have all been waiting for. The A-List cast led by Jackman and Emma Thompson, are joined by the voices of Bryan Cranston, Bella Ramsey, Patrick Stewart, Regina Hall and Chris O’Dowd.

Ireland/UK 2026 Kyle Balda 109m

When a mysterious young woman comes to interview a paranoid man living in rural isolation, he is forced to confront his part in his daughter's murder.

Dave (Joseph Millson) is a middle-aged conspiracy theorist living in a caravan in a field in the middle of farmland. He has isolated himself from the world, but then a young YouTuber (Natalie Spence), stomps into his field brandishing a camera. The police do not have enough evidence to charge Dave for his daughter’s killing, but he has been vilified in the media. What is his side of the story? This claustrophobic two-hander set entirely in a field in Gloucestershire, is a lesson in what can be achieved with an interesting story, a pair of actors who balance each other beautifully, and a relatively low budget.

UK 2026 Matthew Hope 73m

This season’s Staff Choice is a sci-fi classic - the 1979 movie that made Sigourney Weaver’s name - chosen by Abi Exelby (Memberships and Community Relations).

In deep space, the crew of the commercial starship Nostromo is awakened from their cryo-sleep capsules halfway through their journey home to investigate a distress call from an alien vessel. The terror begins when the crew encounters a nest of eggs inside the alien ship. Her colleagues include Parker (Yaphet Kotto), petulant and resentful Brett (Harry Dean Stanton), Dallas (Tom Skerritt), and then there is the always impressive John Hurt as Kane, an eager volunteer for the job of exploring the planet’s surface, and Ian Holm is superb as the scientific officer Ash. After nearly 50 years, this sci-fi horror masterpiece that conveys the idea of space as a limitless new extension of human paranoia, still feels lethally contemporary.

USA 1979 Ridley Scott 117m

Inspired by the true story of the unlikely British aristocrat who smashed society’s notions of class, gender and decorum, squandering a multimillion fortune before his heartbreaking untimely death.

Meet Henry Paget (Callum Scott Howells), the 5th Marquess of Anglesey and a fabulously flamboyant aristocrat. Born in 1875, he inherited a fortune and promptly set about spending every last penny of it on jewels, theatre productions and scandalously lavish parties. While polite society clutched its pearls, Henry became a beloved figure to the people of Bangor. Outwardly, that is how people will remember him, but understanding the young man grieving his mother and desperately seeking the approval of the father he never met brings an extra dimension to this extraordinary life. A riotous, uncompromising celebration of otherness. Cast also includes Rupert Everett and Siobhán McSweeney.

UK 2026 Celyn Jones 108m

18th Century Venice: A talented violinist, confined in an orphanage, meets Vivaldi who becomes her teacher. Under his mentorship and through his music, she gains courage to break free from the life she was destined for and pursue her passion.

There is plenty of music in young Cecilia’s (Tecla Insolia) life, but little harmony as she has been a resident of the Orphanage della Pieta in Venice since birth. She is inspired to embrace her violin as a potential tool for liberation with the arrival of new musical director – a certain Don Antonio Vivaldi (Michele Riondino) - at the school. The film beautifully evokes 18th Century Venice - its churches, markets and gondolas; the music of Vivaldi is played throughout the film, and it is magnificent; and Director Damiano Michiletto is an award-winning opera director, clearly knowing how to skilfully present a musical performance to an audience. (Subtitles)

Italy/France 2025 Damiano Michieletto 110m

Long-buried wounds rise to the surface when an iconic pop star reunites with her estranged best friend and former costume designer on the eve of her comeback performance.

In what has been described as a “psychosexual pop thriller”, Anne Hathaway plays pop star Mother Mary and Michaela Coel (who also shines in ‘The Christophers’ this season) is her estranged fashion designer Sam Anselm. They reunite when the musician travels to her former friend’s English manor so as to create a new dress for her upcoming concert tour. The original music has been written and produced by Charli XCX, Jack Antonoff and FKA twigs with Hathaway providing her own vocals. Hathaway recently described her character as “a sort of Lady Gaga-Taylor Swift hybrid”.

UK 2026 David Lowery 112m

To mark Chichester Pride 2026, a talk celebrating the career of a legend of Hollywood cinema.

This talk celebrates Chichester Pride by exploring iconic Hollywood legend and anti-fascist campaigner Marlene Dietrich.

Sat 6 Jun 10:30am

To complement our talk on Marlene Dietrich, we present this classic comedy Western in a new 4K remaster. Deputy Sheriff Destry tames the town of Bottleneck, including saloon singer Frenchy.

The small town of Bottleneck is under the control of Kent (Brian Donlevy), a power-hungry boss who gets control over the local cattle ranchers by winning a rigged card game. When the local sheriff questions the legitimacy of the game, Kent has him killed and names the town drunk, Dimsdale (Charles Winninger), as sheriff. What Kent doesn't know is that Dimsdale knows legendary lawman Tom Destry, who in turn sends his daring son Tom Destry Jr. (James Stewart) to Bottleneck to save the day. Dietrich is Frenchy, the hardened, ever-scrapping saloon entertainer with a reckless sense of comedy. She sings, she dances, partakes in a free-for-all brawl and elevates this Western into a real gem. Stewart cuts quite the striking figure as the lanky, against-the-odds gunman shares a wonderful chemistry with Dietrich.

USA 1939 George Marshall 95m

Hungary, 1956: A young boy, raised by his mother with the tale of an idealized dead father, is confronted with a brutish man who claims to be his real father.

Growing up in Budapest in the late 1950s, shortly after the quashing of the anti-Communist uprising of 1956, is young Andor (Bojtorján Barabás). His painful life journey to date is thrown into confusion when a man, Berend (Grégory Gadebois), appears from his mother's (Andrea Waskovics) past. Andor discovers the true story of her survival during World War II and has to come to terms with this man as a usurping father he only has hatred for. From the director of Best Foreign Film Oscar winner ‘Son of Saul’ (2015), this is a film that will keep you guessing, due mostly to young Barabas’s energised alertness and ability to register Andor’s pain without overstatement. (Subtitles)

Hungary 2025 László Nemes 132m

This latest comedy thriller from Ben Wheatley centres on a temporary small-town sheriff who uncovers dark mysteries after a local bank robbery.

For Sheriff Ulysses (Bob Odenkirk), his provisional posting to the quaint Midwestern American town of Normal, Minnesota, was meant to be a welcome respite from both his marital woes and recent moral injuries in the line of duty. But when a botched bank robbery interrupts the municipality's tranquil pace, a dark secret is inadvertently exposed, and Ulysses soon discovers that the town is anything but its namesake. Because it is Wheatley directing, the already funny script gets an extra dose of dark humour from its over-the-top kills. Think of this as a comedically thematic companion piece to the Coen Brothers’ ‘Fargo’ which then moves into Tarantino-esque excess. Support cast includes Lena Headey and Henry Winkler.

Canada 2025 Ben Wheatley 90m

NT Live

Nicola Coughlan (‘Bridgerton’) joins Éanna Hardwicke (‘The Sixth Commandment’) and Siobhán McSweeney (‘Derry Girls’) in John Millington Synge’s riveting play of youth and self-discovery.

Thu 28 May 19:45

Special Event

Short Films Programme

An entertaining and thought-provoking evening of some of the most outstanding British-Jewish short films commissioned by UK Jewish Film over the first quarter of the 21st century.

Films: Beshert (Lewis Rose, 20m); Sidney Turtlebaum (Tristram Shapeero, 20m);  Primordial Chicken Soup (Lewis Rose, 20m); The 10th Man (Lewis Rose, 20m); Orphaned Burial Grounds (Lewis Rose, 20m); Growing Up Mizrahi (Lewis Rose, 20m); Hannah Cohen’s Holy Communion (Lewis Rose, 20m); The Chop (Lewis Rose, 20m). We hope to welcome one of the filmmakers for a Q&A after the screening. See the webpage for this event for full film details.

Total running time including Q&A is 125m.

4K Remaster

A beautiful new remaster of this vivid 18th century portrait of the stolen romantic relationship between two young women who have a persuasive onscreen connection, which gives this affair a life of its own.

Brittany 1760. Painter Marianne (Merlant Noémie) is commissioned to do the wedding portrait of Héloïse (Adèle Haenel). Héloïse is a reluctant bride-to-be and Marianne must paint her without her knowing. She observes her by day and secretly paints her at night. Intimacy and attraction grow between the two as they share Héloïse’s first and last moments of freedom, all whilst Marianne paints the portrait that will end it all. You can capture, mount, and hang every moment of this film on a wall as high art. (Subtitles)

France 2019 Céline Sciamma 121m

Three sisters return to their home for the third wedding of their twice-widowed mother, where they revisit the past and confront the future, with help from a colourful group of unexpected wedding guests.

The three daughters are from vastly different walks of life: Katherine (Scarlett Johansson) is a Captain in the Royal Navy; Victoria (Sienna Miller) is a Hollywood star; and Georgina (Emily Beecham) is a hospice nurse. They reluctantly return to their childhood home in the British countryside to be bridesmaids for the third wedding of their glamorous mother Diana (Kristin Scott Thomas). The family navigates a weekend of see-sawing emotions, reflecting on grief, memory and fraternal bonds. Heartfelt and funny, this is a summer film that makes you want to step into its world and spend some time there.

UK 2023 Kristin Scott Thomas 95m

A talented piano tuner's meticulous skills for tuning pianos lead him to discover an unexpected aptitude for cracking safes, turning his life upside down.

Niki (Leo Woodall) is a gifted young piano tuner whose heightened sense of hearing draws the attention of criminals, who see his talents as useful for opening safes as well as for tuning Steinways. With his once-promising musical career over, Niki works across New York with his mentor Harry Horowitz (Dustin Hoffman), encountering a range of characters, including composition student Ruthie (Havana Rose Liu), with whom he forges an unexpected connection. Niki's safecracking work however, threatens his budding romance with Ruthie and pulls him into increasingly dangerous territory. Anchored by a quiet yet compelling performance by Woodall (surely one of our most charismatic stars), the film gives a lovely late-career showcase to Hoffman. The mix of genre elements is a delight and the jazzy score, fast pace and strong performances make much of the film sing. This is Daniel Roher's first narrative feature after the Oscar-winning 2023 documentary ‘Navalny’.

USA 2025 Daniel Roher 109m

Supermodel Kate Moss embarks on a journey of self-discovery when acclaimed artist Lucian Freud offers to paint her portrait.

2002: At 28, Kate Moss (Ellie Bamber) is already the greatest fashion icon of our time. Endlessly watchable, never predictable, always natural and utterly unpretentious. Kate shaped a generation, yet she still yearns to be seen, truly seen. In a bold move, Kate enters Lucian Freud's (Derek Jacobi) studio and agrees to sit for a series of portrait sessions with Lucian, who is going to create the now iconic painting ‘Naked Portrait’. This film manages to stay away from traditional biopic clichés and structures by focusing exclusively on one specific topic: the friendship between the two main characters. Skilfully treating them as normal human beings with their complicated histories, relationships and character traits.

UK 2025 James Lucas 100m

In the first of two events for the Festival of Chichester, both of which are linked to productions at Chichester Festival Theatre, this talk explores the many screen adaptations of the work of novelist Ian McEwan.

Ian McEwan is Britain’s pre-eminent literary novelist, with 18 best-sellers and numerous literary prizes to his name.  Less well-known is McEwan’s film and screenwriting work. 100m inc. Q&A

Sat 13 Jun 10:30am

A thirteen-year-old fledgling writer irrevocably changes the course of several lives when she accuses her older sister's lover of a crime he did not commit. Screening to complement our talk on Ian McEwan screen adaptations.

This sweeping English drama, based on the book by Ian McEwan, follows the lives of young lovers Cecilia Tallis (Keira Knightley) and Robbie Turner (James McAvoy). When the couple are torn apart by a lie constructed by Cecilia's jealous younger sister, Briony (Saoirse Ronan), all three of them must deal with the consequences. Robbie is the hardest hit, since Briony's deception results in his imprisonment, but hope for Cecilia and her beau increases when their paths cross during World War II. The film skilfully keeps the same sense of dreamy otherworldliness and unsettling nervous energy from the McEwan source novel. Support cast includes Brenda Blethyn, Benedict Cumberbatch and Juno Temple.

UK 2007 Joe Wright 123m

Twenty years after making their iconic turns as Miranda, Andy, Emily and Nigel - Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci return to the fashionable streets of New York City and the sleek offices of Runway Magazine.

As Miranda Priestly (Streep) nears retirement, she reunites with Andy Sachs (Hathaway) to face off against her former assistant turned rival: Emily Charlton (Blunt).

USA 2026 David Frankel 120m

In this psychological thriller, a young hooligan is kidnapped and forced into a rehabilitation process by a dysfunctional couple, who try to make him a "good boy."

19-year-old Tommy (Anson Boon) revels in a life of drugs, parties and violence. One night, on a bender with his reckless friends, he becomes separated from the group and is abducted by an unknown figure. Though he is no stranger to inflicting violence, he is enraged and horrified when he wakes to find himself chained in the basement of the isolated suburban family home of Chris (Stephen Graham), his wife Kathryn (Andrea Riseborough) and their young son Jonathan (Kit Rakusen). The family sets out to reform Tommy's unruly behaviour, forcing him to comply with their relentless mind games or seek escape at any cost. Graham and Riseborough are impressive as the creepy couple, but the film is anchored by Anson Boon's gripping, transformative performance. Director Komasa respects our intelligence throughout, which helps the film earn its sneakily moving ending.

Poland/UK 2025 Jan Komasa 110m

In this pop-music comedy drama, Rick, a washed-up wedding singer and Danny, a fading boy band star, bond over music and a late-night jam session.

Rick Power (Paul Rudd) is a wedding singer who has been living in Ireland for 15 years. He fronts “Ireland’s grooviest wedding band”, Bride & Groove, pumping out spirited versions of jukebox chestnuts. He once had a dream, and very nearly ‘made’ it when he was in a in a popular rock band. Danny Wilson (Nick Jonas) has a dream too. The former boy-band star was once a teen idol. He’s still trying, writing songs in his home studio, but the industry isn’t buying. When the two meet at an Irish Castle wedding, they hit it off and end up inspiring each other, jamming on a song Rick had written years earlier. Months later, when Danny turns Rick's song into a hit (without his knowledge), Rick sets out to reclaim the recognition he believes he deserves. This film has the pretty chords you expect from a John Carney film – do you remember his beautiful 2006 film ‘Once’? - but it also has the discord of true drama.

Ireland/USA 2026 John Carney 98m

In this Ian McEwan adaptation, two strangers become connected by a tragedy, yet one dangerously feels that the connection goes much deeper than the other is willing to admit.

A couple, Joe (Daniel Craig) and Claire (Samantha Morton), are on an idyllic picnic when they witness a hot air balloon in trouble. They try to help alongside fellow rescuer Jed (Rhys Ifans), but the repercussions leave Joe deeply traumatized and guilt-ridden. Following the event, Jed develops a dangerous, delusional obsession with Joe, challenging Joe's sanity, guilt and his relationship with Claire. This is a psychological thriller with great performances by the leading trio (especially Ifans), it is intelligent and gripping and balances two related themes with insight: the guilt in the aftermath of tragedy and the challenges of a relationship that moves from unwanted to ominous.

UK 2004 Roger Michell 100m

Marking a century since the birth of the late Queen Elizabeth II, this documentary uses over one hundred newly discovered photographs to chart the life and reign of Britain’s longest-serving monarch, revealing the Queen’s century in front of the camera in a whole new light.  

Royal insiders reveal how she became a global icon, navigating the most challenging decades of her reign. From historic state visits to behind-the-scenes moments, the images show how she shaped the monarchy on the world stage. The film starts with unseen photos of Elizabeth as a baby and toddler taken by royal photographers. Childhood friend Lady Anne Glenconner reveals a family photo album which has never been seen before; the abdication of her uncle The Duke of Windsor and her father becoming King is told with unseen photos including an insight into a private collection of the Princess on tour in South Africa. Amongst many other iconic moments, the film reveals a photo of Elizabeth and Margaret pulled out of the ashes in the Blitz in WWII and other photos give an insight of behind the scenes at the Coronation.

UK 2025 Faye Hamilton 90m

Teatro dell’Opera di Roma

The Teatro dell’Opera di Roma stages Richard Wagner's epic story set in mediaeval Brabant that explores the conflict between Christian faith and Germanic paganism.

Sun 21 Jun 14:00

Tue 23 Jun 19:00

Renowned architect Ada Karmi-Melamede balanced family life and major projects in 1970s NYC before leaving to design Israel's Supreme Court. Her daughter's film explores their relationship and career-motherhood tensions.

Ada is one of the most accomplished female architects in the world, but very little is known about her outside her home country of Israel. This is a deeply moving portrait of an extraordinary woman directed by her daughter, filmmaker and former architect, Yael Melamede. Despite personal sacrifices, Ada's work gave physical form to some of Israel's highest democratic ideals, most notably in the acclaimed Supreme Court building in Jerusalem, the Open University and Ben Gurion airport. The film also peeks into a family split which corresponds to a split within Israel itself: Karmi-Melamede is clearly downcast by the Netanyahu government’s move three years ago to lessen the power of the supreme court. When Yael asks Ada about architecture, her mother is spellbindingly eloquent, even poetic. You may never walk through a building the same way again after you hear Ada describe what she hopes to achieve as people see, walk through, live and work in what she creates. (Some subtitles)

USA/Israel 2024 Yael Melamede 81m

NT Live

The pen is mightier than the sword. Among the glittering salons of the super-rich, patriarchy equals power, reputation is everything – and for women, one misstep can mean ruin. Marquise de Merteuil (Lesley Manville - ‘Phantom Thread’), master in the art of survival, wields her influence with intelligence and control. Alongside the magnetic Vicomte de Valmont (Aidan Turner - ‘Poldark’), they turn seduction into strategy and weaponise desire.

Thu 25 Jun 19:45

Sun 28 Jun 14:30

Steven Spielberg’s much-awaited new film asks: If you found out we weren't alone, if someone showed you, proved it to you, would that frighten you?

Kansas City meteorologist Margaret Fairchild (Emily Blunt) causes a global panic when she unexpectedly begins speaking in an alien language live on television. In steps cybersecurity expert Daniel Kellner (Josh O'Connor) who has figured out how to translate the alien transmissions. Believing that the truth belongs to humanity, he decides to orchestrate "Disclosure Day" - a simultaneous, worldwide reveal of the extraterrestrial secret. A sinister corporate and government authority figure Noah Scanlon (Colin Firth) stands in their way, arguing that revealing the truth will completely upend established global order. Steven Spielberg, one of the industry’s most successful and influential filmmakers, has produced another outstanding film to add to his canon, a really exciting, fast-paced thriller balanced with a strong emotional core.

USA 2026 Steven Spielberg 120m

Following its UK Premiere right here at Chichester Cinema last Summer, we present this film set in 1930s Paris, where rebellious British painter Leonora Carrington joins some other surrealists.

Carrington (Olivia Vinall) rebels against society’s expectations, mingles with iconic figures including André Breton (Denis Eiriey) and Salvador Dalí (Cat Jugavru) in Paris and has a whirlwind love affair with Max Ernst (Alexander Scheer) before fleeing to Mexico during WWII. Today Leonora Carrington is one of the highest selling female painters worldwide, next to Frida Kahlo and Georgia O’Keeffe. The film is based on Elena Poniatowska’s best-selling book ‘Leonora’ and also stars Mercedes Bahleda as Peggy Guggenheim, Cassandra Ciangherotti as Remedios Varo and Ryan Gage as Edward James. (Some subtitles)

Germany/Mexico 2025 Thor Klein & Lena Vurma 103m

In this darkly satirical period comedy-drama, a gloriously unscrupulous social climber and his razor-sharp wife prepare to host a dinner party for a duke and duchess in 18th-century England.

Set in 18th century England during pox outbreak and Jacobite uprising, Sir Chauncey (Richard E. Grant) and Lady Savage (Claire Foy) blindly pursue better life. Their pursuit is filled with ironic decadence and bloodshed. Their

house is in disrepair, maintaining a lavish lifestyle through gambling and scandalous acts. Their, and the nation's, chaos is amplified by a high-stakes dinner party they host for a Duke and Duchess.

UK 2026 Peter Glanz 114m

In 1962 England, a young couple find their idyllic romance colliding with issues of sexual freedom and societal pressure, leading to an awkward and fateful wedding night.

Adapted by Ian McEwan from his bestselling novel, the drama centres on a young couple of drastically different backgrounds in the summer of 1962. Edward (Billy Howle) and Florence (Saoirse Ronan), newly-married and very much in love, arrive at a grand old inn on the Dorset coast for their honeymoon; they’ll leave with a very different understanding of who they are and what they actually want out of life. While downstairs the hotel is full of guests, they are achingly alone with each other and the momentous thing that is supposed to happen. As pressure mounts in the hotel room, Cooke smoothly tells their backstories in a series of flashbacks, each stimulated by something the couple says or feels. The cast of fine young actors vividly bring McEwan's troubled lovers to life.

UK 2018 Dominic Cooke 100m

London 1910: a passionate astronomer does everything she can to avoid romantic love and marriage. Her bold challenge to Edwardian patriarchy is set against the suffragette movement and advances in science and technology.

Aspiring astronomer Katharine Hilbery (Haley Bennett) is passionate about two things and two things only: the stars and Cambridge University. While her controlling father (Timothy Spall) tries to push her away from learning and into marriage with family friend William (Jack Whitehall), the headstrong young woman stands up to expectations forced on her by getting involved in the suffragette movement, spearheaded by the sprightly, straight-talking Mary (Lily Allen). Based on Virginia Woolf’s 1919 novel ‘Night & Day’, this is a refreshing take on the romantic comedy, set against the backdrop of early 20th-century London and the crumbling Edwardian patriarchal attitudes. Jennifer Saunders and Sally Phillips also star in this feminist unromantic comedy.

UK 2026 Tina Gharavi 95m

An octogenarian woman transitions to life in assisted living as she contends with her conflicting relationship to herself and her caregivers amidst her shifting memory, age identity and desires.

Ruth (Kathleen Chalfant), a retired cook, prepares breakfast in her sunny and cozy kitchen -- a dish she seems to have made many times before, although small and puzzling errors now punctuate her comfortable routine. When her son (H. Jon Benjamin) arrives to dine with her, she mistakes him for a suitor. Their "date" takes them to an assisted living facility, which Ruth does not remember that she had previously selected for herself. Among her fellow memory care residents, Ruth feels lost and adrift, certain she has found herself somewhere she does not belong. As she slowly begins to accept the warmth and support of care workers Vanessa (Carolyn Michelle) and Brian (Andy McQueen), she finds new ways to ground herself in her body, even as her mind embarks on a journey all its own. This film compassionately follows the winding path of Ruth's shifting memories and desires while remaining rooted in her sage perspective. This is a rare compassionate work of art.

USA 2024 Sarah Friedland 90m

Northern Soul's enduring movement turns forgotten, black, American soul artists into UK legends. From its working-class roots to iconic clubs like Wigan Casino, a new generation keeps the music, fashion, dance and soul community alive.

This is an absorbing docu-celebration of the Northern Soul scene that flourished from the late 1960s to the end of the 1970s. It was a fascinating, vernacular youth movement and a kind of regional open secret. Northern Soul continues to re-invent itself more than any other music genre, remaining as vibrant and relevant today as when it first evolved. Features exclusive interviews with Richard Searling, Paul Mason, Elaine Constantine, Kev Roberts, Russ Winstanley, David Nathan, Wayne Hemingway, Dave Evison, Keith Gildart, Levanna McLean, Tony Blackburn and many, many more. This is a passionate portrait of a unique cultural moment and its obsessive high-kicking fans.

UK 2026 Alan Byron 90m

National Theatre

A five-star, triumphantly acclaimed new production of Arthur Miller’s classic play, from visionary director Ivo Van Hove (‘A View from the Bridge’).

One family, the heart of the American dream. When wartime delivers profits for Joe, it comes at a price when his partner is charged with criminal manufacturing deals, and his eldest son goes missing in action. Will peacetime bring peace of mind, or will he be confronted by the consequence of his actions? Bryan Cranston (‘Breaking Bad’) and Marianne Jean-Baptiste (‘Hard Truths’) feature in this disturbingly prescient play, along with Paapa Essiedu (‘I May Destroy You’), Tom Glynn-Carney (‘House of the Dragon’) and Hayley Squires (‘I, Daniel Blake’). Filmed live from the West End.

130m inc Interval

Thu 16 Apr 18:00

Sun 19 Apr 15:00 (tbc)

Once a lone bounty hunter, Mandalorian Din Djarin and his apprentice Grogu embark on an exciting new Star Wars adventure.

The evil Empire has fallen, and Imperial warlords remain scattered throughout the galaxy. As the fledgling New Republic works to protect everything the Rebellion fought for, they have enlisted the help of legendary Mandalorian bounty hunter Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and his young apprentice Grogu. Drawing on the strength of the ‘Star Wars’ series and the undeniable chemistry of the coolest duo since Chewbacca and Solo, Jon Favreau has created a swashbuckling space Western that deftly marries combative spectacle and kid-friendly cuteness. The cast also includes Sigourney Weaver, plus the voices of Jeremy Allen White and even Martin Scorsese.

USA 2026 Jon Favreau 132m

Teatro alla Scala

Teatro alla Scala presents this 2025 production of Tchaikovsky’s masterpiece drawn from Pushkin’s novel in verse.

Sun 5 Jul 14:00

Mon 13 Jul 19:45

In this dark send-up of moviemaking, Egypt's most adored actor falls into disgrace with the authorities overnight. On the verge of losing everything, he is forced to accept an offer he can't refuse.

George Fahmy (Fares Fares) is the most loved actor of his nation. When he is pressured to star in a propaganda film called ‘The Will of the People’, commissioned by the highest authorities, he reluctantly accepts and finds himself thrown into the inner circle of power. Like a moth drawn to the flame, he begins an affair with Suzanne (Zineb Triki), the mysterious wife of the general overseeing the film. Director Tarik Saleh blends old fashioned suspense, dark political satire and romance into a fitfully entertaining portrait of celebrity and moral compromise. You may have previously seen his impressive ‘The Nile Hilton Incident’ or ‘Cairo Conspiracy’ at Chichester Cinema. “A satire with a dissident energy and a dark denouement, it’s an Armando Iannucci-esque send-up of something deadly serious”. – Time Out.

Egypt 2025 Tarik Saleh 129m

A funny, moving and mind-bending journey of an extraordinary but disenchanted teenager through suburban America. The modern cult classic turns 25 and is gifted with a 4K restoration.

Jake Gyllenhaal plays the troubled and misunderstood Donnie Darko, a teen living in suburban Virginia who is told the world will come to an end in 28 days, 6 hours, 42 minutes and 12 seconds. Donnie's world predictably unravels; director Richard Kelly embarks on a journey that finds its way into the very headspace of the viewer; and this indie psychodrama becomes an immortal cult classic. Every year it seems 'Donnie Darko' amasses a ton of new followers, and it has become a right-of-passage for any cinephile looking to make a dent in contemporary cult cinema.

Stranded and slowly sinking into the fetid mud of Passchendaele, the crew of a British WW1 Tank fight for their lives against an insidious and determined enemy.

The Battle of Passchendaele, 1917. For three years the great war has been waging, and the two armies find themselves entrenched along the four-hundred-mile Western Front. At the start of a pivotal allied offensive to break the stalemate, the nine-man crew of a British tank set out to destroy a series of heavily defended German bunkers. Advancing across no-man’s-land, all seems lost when the tank becomes trapped in a giant shell crater within only a few yards of enemy lines. However, determined not to perish amongst the fetid mud and poison smog of the battlefield, the soldiers must rally together to fight for survival against starvation, shellshock and relentless gunfire.

UK 2026 Callum Burn 89m

Vera Brandes, who, in 1975 and at the age of 18, staged the famous Köln Concert by jazz musician Keith Jarrett.

Keith Jarrett's legendary performance in January 1975 nearly didn't happen. Based on a true story, ‘Köln 75’ follows how the concert was conceived and orchestrated by the efforts of a teenage up and coming concert promoter, Vera Brandes (Mala Emde). Her enthusiasm set her to multitasking - from organizing the concert venue (the Cologne Opera House), promoting the event and selling the tickets, to convincing Jarrett (John Magaro) to perform when he almost dropped out when the Bösendorfer Imperial Grand piano he was promised was nowhere to be found. The film captures the compelling, entertaining and, until now, unknown back story about Jarrett's one-hour, entirely improvised concert, which became the best-selling solo album in jazz history. (Some subtitles)

Germany 2025 Ido Fluk 112m

In this sweetly witty, tragedy-tinged road movie, two brothers run away from home in England to reach their estranged grandfather on Ireland's west coast.

Billy Nighy plays John, the most rakish granddad in Munster. Flashbacks show us summer-postcard scenes of happier times with English grandsons Finn (Roman Griffin Davis of ‘Jojo Rabbit’) and Charlie (Dexter Sol Ansell of ‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’). With the family household now verging on the fractious, the boys decide the only one place on Earth that will provide them with a buffer from all the unhappiness is the seaside wonderland of Dingle. It was there that the family would routinely decamp for blissful summer holidays with granddad and granny. Things have changed though, as John is now struggling through life, living in a caravan. Look out for Maisie Williams (‘Game of Thrones’) who plays Kait, a guitar-toting, fingerless glove-wearing busker who helps the boys jump various hurdles. This film will make you laugh, but it will also make you cry.

UK/Ireland 2026 Morgan Matthews 102m

When a lovesick musician is given the wrong number for his dream girl, he teams up with a driven psychology student to find her. Together, they spark a campus-wide frenzy that tests their own hearts.

22-year-old Owen, played with awkward charisma by Spike Fearn, is a hopeless romantic who works as a sound engineer in a Manchester University student union. One night he meets the enigmatic Emily (Sadie Soverall), dressed as a fairy, and sparks fly. But when he goes to text her the next day, it’s the wrong number. Owen then embarks on a maniacal quest to find his real-life manic pixie dream girl. Teaming up with a focused American psychology student, also named Emily (Angourie Rice), the pair stumble through misunderstandings, university chaos and an increasingly ridiculous search that slowly becomes more about finding themselves than finding the mystery girl. This is a fun rom-com with hints of ‘Notting Hill’ and ‘When Harry Met Sally’, and simply perfect for the Summer. It is full of style, humour and a genuine emotional core that's difficult not to fall for.

UK 2026 Alicia MacDonald 111m

Festival of Chichester 2026

British strikes and political protest on film  

In May 1926, a time of political, social and economic unrest, Britain experienced its only general strike. With one or two noticeable exceptions, the General Strike is rarely represented in film. To mark the centenary this talk will explore a range of portrayals of strikes and political protest in British films.

Sat 11 Jul 10:30

Pride Month

During the Miners’ strike two seemingly contrasting communities come together to form a surprising and ultimately triumphant partnership. Based on the extraordinary and uplifting true story.

Set in the summer of 1984 – Margaret Thatcher is in power and the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) is on strike. At the Gay Pride March in London, a group of gay and lesbian activists decides to raise money to support the families of the striking miners. But there is a problem. The Union seems embarrassed to receive their support. This film moves effortlessly from some pretty intense dramatic moments to hilarious scenes showcasing the contrasting lifestyles of the gay and straight worlds to some vignettes of incredible poignancy. This is truly a joyful experience.

UK 2014 Matthew Warchus 119m

After a therapist's patient disappears into a dimension beyond reality, she must venture into the unknown to save him.

Clark (Chiwetel Ejiofor) – a divorced, failed architect who owns a furniture showroom – discovers a door to an ever-replicating space behind his store’s walls, its furniture either piled up or half-melted into the floor, and entirely vacant except for the lingering sense that it’s not. His therapist, Dr Kline (‘Sentimental Value’s Renate Reinsve), as well as his junior employees are rightly concerned. The two leads are clever casting choices as neither is associated with the genre, making this production feel fresh. Described by The Guardian as ‘The Blair Witch Project meets ‘Severance’ or ‘The Shining’ set in an infinite Travelodge, or maybe the exact opposite of a Wes Anderson movie. “Mesmeric and wildly unique in a way I suspect will stand the test of time”. – The Independent.

USA 2026 Kane Parsons 110m

Led by acclaimed actor Dominic West, this is a feature-length documentary exploring the heart of Kyrgyzstan – a hidden gem of Central Asia.

Through encounters with traders, herders and highland farmers, it reveals how the ancient Silk Road and nomadic traditions continue to shape the country’s identity. West begins in the south at a high-altitude caravanserai before meeting a yak herder whose animals remain central to life in the mountains. In the capital, he joins adventurer Alexandra Tolstoy and reunites with ‘The Wire’ co-star Clarke Peters for a stunning horseback journey into the western highlands, living as nomads have for centuries. What begins as a travelogue becomes a reflection on resilience, hospitality and the quiet strength of tradition.

UK 2026 Sean McDonnell 79m

La Venue de l'Avenir

This delightful French crowd-pleaser, one of the highlights of last Autumn’s French Film Festival UK, is now released nationally.

A young countrywoman searches for her mother in Belle Époque Paris while four of her 21st-century descendants piece together her story from the artifacts in her soon-to-be demolished house in Normandy. A thoughtful, comic meditation on changing social mores over approximately 125 years, the epoque-shifting film re-examines some much-loved myths and images of French history, particularly from the heyday of Impressionism. Cédric Klapisch delivers France past and present with irresistible appeal to old-school Francophiles. “The best French film I saw at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival”. Roger Gibson. (Subtitles)

France/Belgium 2025 Cédric Klapisch 124m

L'Année Dernière à Marienbad

In a strange and isolated chateau, a man becomes acquainted with a woman and insists that they have met before. Cameron Sherwell from Projection and the Box Office selects our Staff Choice film for this Season, the 1961 Alain Resnais classic.

In this unconventional French drama, a group of unnamed aristocrats interact at a palatial château, resulting in an enigmatic tale told partially in flashback. X (Giorgio Albertazzi) is convinced that he has met the beautiful A (Delphine Seyrig) before in the Czech resort town of Marienbad, and implies they had a romantic relationship. M (Sacha Pitoeff), who may be A's husband or boyfriend, confronts her mysterious suitor, leading to conflict and questions about the truth behind his story. Elegantly enigmatic and dreamlike, this work of essential cinema features exquisite cinematography and an exploration of narrative still revisited by filmmakers today. (Subtitles)

France 1961 Alain Resnais 94m

Den Sidste Viking

In this typically Nordic wry comedy, a bank robber released from jail must unlock his traumatised brother's memory to recover the stolen loot.

Anker (Nikolaj Lie Kaas) is released from prison following a fifteen-year sentence for robbery. The money from the heist was buried by Anker's brother Manfred (Mads Mikkelsen), who is the only one who knows where it is. Unfortunately, Manfred has since developed a mental illness causing him to forget all. He even insists on being called John, because he believes he is John Lennon. Together, the brothers embark on an unexpected journey to locate the money and discover who they really are. A series of hilarious misadventures and slapstick comedy sequences ensue, but they’re steeped in conflicted fraternal emotions, questions of identity and the iffy concept of normalcy. It’s a journey down a resonant rabbit hole with Mikkelsen, hilariously permed, fearlessly silly, emotionally complex and endlessly endearing. (Subtitles)

Denmark/Sweden 2025 Anders Thomas Jensen 116m

‘Mother’s Pride’ is a comedy drama about a failing pub, a divided community and a grieving family whose lives are changed by brewing real ale and entering the Great British Beer Awards!

Despite once being the lifeblood of many communities, tens of thousands of pubs and breweries across Britain have closed down since the 1970s, with thousands more falling victim to Covid-19 lockdowns and restrictions. Now, leading British filmmakers Meg Leonard and Nick Moorcroft who made ‘Fisherman’s Friends (one of the most successful British independent films of the past decade) have taken inspiration from the near loss of their own community pubs to produce a comedy feature film that they describe as “a love-letter to family, community, real ale and Britain’s forgotten rural traditions”. Its great British cast includes Mark Addy (‘The Full Monty’), Martin Clunes, Miles Jupp and Josie Lawrence.

UK 2025 Nick Moorcroft 90m

Vie Privée

The renowned psychiatrist Lilian Steiner mounts a private investigation into the death of one of her patients, whom she is convinced has been murdered.

Jodie Foster stars (in a French-language role!) as Lilian Steiner, who becomes concerned when a patient has missed a third straight session. After speaking to the deceased’s husband (Mathieu Amalric) and daughter (Luàna Bajrami), the events take a turn for the suspicious. Foster is joined by an A-list cast including Daniel Auteuil and Virginie Efira, whilst the director plays with the duality of tones: between deliberate comedy and deep dives into a personality full of grey areas. This is immensely entertaining, blending murder mystery, romantic comedy and character study tropes into an appealingly light-hearted ride. It is also anchored by the wonderful Jodie Foster who is at her charismatic best. ‘A new landmark in Foster’s career which just continues to dazzle’. Deadline. (Subtitles)

France 2025 Rebecca Zlotowski 103m

20 years after its ground-breaking release, we revisit Shane Meadows’ moving coming-of-age tale that captures the despair among England's working-class youth in the 1980s. Our second film in the nationwide Rip It Up season.

12-year-old Shaun (Thomas Turgoose) earns the respect of a group of skinheads when he stands up to their teasing. He becomes part of the gang and enjoys hanging out with his new friends led by the sweet natured Woody (Joseph Gilgun in a stand-out performance). Trouble starts with the return of Combo (Stephen Graham), a racist ex-convict, whose racist agenda splits the gang, and Sean, tragically, finds himself turning to Combo as a substitute for the father he lost in the Falklands. Meadows has created a film fizzing with energy and humour, powered by brilliantly engaging performances, including early roles for Vicky McClure and Jack O’Connell. It feels like real English cinema, and sits comfortably at the top of the director’s filmography alongside

UK 2006 Shane Meadows 101m

Also complementing our Protests in Film talk, this documentary sees Glasgow residents abandon their daily routines to gather on Kenmure Street after learning authorities plan to deport their neighbours.

Anti-establishment struggles and activism run in the veins of Glasgow inhabitants. So, when In May 2021, a UK Home Office raid is launched at dawn on the first day of Eid, it triggers one of the most spontaneous acts of civil resistance in recent memory. In Scotland’s most diverse neighbourhood, hundreds of residents rush to Kenmure Street to stop the deportation of their neighbours. A spirited and uplifting documentary, ‘Everybody to Kenmure Street’ triumphantly captures a community's witty, determined stand against injustice through the power of collective action. A moving, inspiring and energising documentary.

UK 2026 Felipe Bustos Sierra 95m

The President’s Cake (PG)

A young schoolgirl is chosen to bake President Saddam Hussein’s birthday cake. A compulsory task with punishment if she fails.

While people across 1990s Iraq struggle to survive, 9-year-old Lamia (Baneen Ahmad Nayyef) has been selected to prepare a cake to celebrate the President's birthday. In a landscape of fear and scarcity, where basic ingredients are nearly impossible to find, Lamia sets out on a determined journey throughout the big city in search of eggs, flour and sugar. Accompanied by her grandmother (Waheed Thabet Khreibat), her loyal friend Saeed (Sajad Mohamad Qasem) and her pet rooster Hindi, she navigates vendors and police officers along her odyssey. While the film plays mostly like a genial fairy tale, with superbly balanced humour and drama, director Hadi is still unsparing about the ills of this patriarchal society. The film is set among beautiful Mesopotamian marshes of the director’s childhood, where school children glide through marshlands in canoes to get to their classes. (Subtitles)

Iraq 2025 Hasan Hadi 105m

Huo Zhe Yan

In this Hong Kong action flick for the ages, a father teams up with a journalist to fight against ruthless kidnappers, in order to save his abducted daughter.

After the daughter of Wang Wei (Xie Miao) is kidnapped by a criminal network and he receives no help from the corrupt police, Wei sets out on a rampage to find her himself. His only ally is Navin (Joe Taslim) - a relentless journalist whose wife has mysteriously disappeared. Fuelled by a furious vengeance, the unlikely duo ruthlessly fights against the kidnappers in this explosive martial arts showdown. This is a truly bonkers showcase of incredible stunt and fight choreography and for fans of Hong Kong action flicks, a new champion has entered the ring.

(Subtitles)

Hong Kong/China 2025 Kenji Tanigaki 113m

In this epic by Christopher Nolan, Odysseus faces a dangerous voyage back to Ithaca after the Trojan War, meeting creatures like the Cyclops Polyphemus, Sirens and Calypso along the way.

After winning the Trojan War, Odysseus (Matt Damon) sets sail for home but angers the gods, leading to a gruelling 10-year journey. Along the way, he and his men face terrifying ordeals, including facing mythical obstacles such as a Cyclops, the Sirens and the nymph Calypso. While Odysseus is lost at sea, his wife Penelope (Anne Hathaway) and son Telemachus (Tom Holland) are trapped in their own battle. Arrogant suitors assume Odysseus is dead, constantly pressuring Penelope to choose a new husband while bleeding the royal estate of Ithaca dry. Damon as imperious as the Greek king longing to return to his fearlessly devoted wife. The all-star cast is rounded out by Robert Pattinson as Antinous, Lupita Nyong’o as Helen of Troy, Zendaya as Athena, Charlize Theron as Calypso, Jon Bernthal as Menelaus and Benny Safdie as Agamemnon. “And what had never really been done is a cinematic telling of ‘The Odyssey’ with all of the capacity of a large-scale Hollywood studio production. It’s an odd gap in movie history.” – Christopher Nolan.

UK/USA 2026 Christopher Nolan 172m

The Romantics and the Provocateur

In the second of two events this season linked to productions at Chichester Festival Theatre, this talk explores the fascinating story behind ‘My Fair Lady’.

Sat 25 Jul 10:30

The toys are back in Disney and Pixar's ‘Toy Story 5’, and this time around it's Toy meets Tech. The gang's jobs get exponentially harder when they go head-to-head with this all-new threat to playtime.

Woody (Tom Hanks), Buzz (Tim Allen), Jessie (Joan Cusack) and the rest of the gang's jobs are challenged when they're introduced to electronics, the new threat to their world.

USA 2026 McKenna Harris & Andrew Stanton 102m

Kenneth, fixated on ancestor Douglas Weatherford, descends into madness as a fantasy TV show invades his town, disregarding traditions.

The always brilliant Peter Mullan brings his formidable presence to this quirky dramedy: he is angry and weary, disillusioned but kind-hearted, someone who got his feelings hurt a long time ago… but wouldn’t dream of making a fuss about it. Kenneth is a cantankerous local historian and widower in the fictional Scottish town of Aberloch, obsessed with the memory of his obscure ancestor Sir Douglas Weatherford, an unscrupulous 18th-century landowner and amateur surgeon. Kenneth embarrassingly dresses up in wig and knee breeches as his ancestor to give excruciating lectures about his hero to uncomprehending tourists. But then a low-rent ‘Game of Thrones’-style TV show starts filming in the locality, leaving Kenneth ready to blow, and what makes it worse is that Sir Douglas’s ghost is lurking about the place, full of contempt for his ridiculous and pathetic descendant.

UK 2026 Sean Robert Dunn 103m

In this grown-up comedy, we meet a couple whose marriage is struggling. When they invite their enigmatic upstairs neighbours for a dinner party, the night spirals into unexpected places.

Unhappy music professor Joe (Seth Rogan) and his naturally anxious wife Angela's (Olivia Wilde) marriage is on thin ice. They decide to invite their upstairs neighbours Pina (Penélope Cruz) and Hawk (Edward Norton) down for a meal. Total opposites, this upstairs couple is unmarried and happy and not shy of allowing their screams of desire to seep down through the floorboards. This dinner party could be the change that Joe and Angela need, but have they reignited the spark, or lit the match that burns it all down? The four leads are exceptional in this smart and funny winner about sex, marriage and partner-swapping. Wilde has graduated from a successful acting career to become an outstanding new director, this her third film after the impressive ‘Booksmart’ and ‘Don’t Worry Darling’.

USA 2026 Olivia Wilde 107m

Teatro alla Scala

Prepare to be enthralled by the brilliance of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s ‘Cosi Fan Tutte’, a masterful exploration of love, fidelity and human folly, presented on the illustrious stage of Teatro alla Scala in Milan.

Sat 1 Aug 14:00

Mon 10 Aug 19:15

Complementing the Chichester Festival Theatre of ‘My Fair Lady’.

Winner of eight Oscars. In 1910s London, a snobbish professor agrees to a wager that he can make a crude flower girl presentable in high society.

In this beloved musical, pompous phonetics professor Henry Higgins (Rex Harrison) is so sure of his abilities that he takes it upon himself to transform a Cockney working-class girl into someone who can pass for a cultured member of high society. His subject turns out to be the lovely Eliza Doolittle (Audrey Hepburn), who agrees to speech lessons to improve her job prospects. Higgins and Eliza clash, then form an unlikely bond - one that is threatened by an aristocratic suitor (Jeremy Brett). This is wonderfully stylish (Hepburn is gorgeous), wittily scripted (using much of George Bernard Shaw's ‘Pygmalion’ source material) and immaculately cast. It remains a timeless, captivating classic, deserving of a chance to be seen on a big screen.

USA 1964 George Cukor 170m

One of the ultimate cult classics of British cinema. Based on The Who’s 1973 double album, ‘Quadrophenia’ manages to be both quintessentially British and irrefutably universal.

An angst-ridden London youth, Jimmy Cooper (Phil Daniels) escapes the drudgery of his postal job and his working-class parents as a member of the Mods, a sharply dressed gang (who favoured bands like The Kinks and The Who) constantly at odds with their rivals, the Rockers (leather-clad youths who preferred the older ’50s brand of music). When the Mods and Rockers clash in Brighton, it leads to both trouble and an encounter with the lovely Steph (Leslie Ash). Returning to London, Jimmy, who aspires to be like Mod leader Ace Face (Sting), becomes even more disillusioned and longs to return to Brighton. Daniels is excellent in the central role, a Mod who, like most everyone else in his circle, is primarily interested in the old battle cry of sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll, and look out also for Ray Winstone and Timothy Spall in early roles.

UK 1979 Franc Roddam 120m

In this moving film that will soak its way to your soul, a family of six settles into their new home on Vancouver Island as internal dynamics are slowly revealed through the eyes of the youngest child.

In the late 1990s, eight-year-old Sasha (Eylul Guven) and her Hungarian immigrant family relocate to a new home on Vancouver Island. Their fresh start is interrupted by increasingly dangerous behaviour from Jeremy (Edik Beddoes), the family's oldest child. The conscientious parents (Iringó Réti and Ádám Tompa) try their best to cope and to help him, between psychiatry and a combination of tough and abiding love. This is a masterfully-assembled memory piece that goes a long way towards articulating life-altering grief, ‘Blue Heron’ is deeply affecting and announces writer-director Sophy Romvari as an artist to watch. By the time its credits roll, you may even feel more spiritually connected to yourself and those you’ve lost. (Some subtitles)

Canada 2025 Sophy Romvari 91m

Concert

In his wildly popular Broadway show ‘American Utopia’, David Byrne delivers an exhilarating rush of iconic songs, infectious energy and pure theatrical joy.

Following the huge, big-screen success of ‘Stop Making Sense’, and with Byrne returning to the UK this summer including a headline appearance at Latitude Festival, Spike Lee transforms the celebrated production into an electrifying cinematic experience bursting with astounding performances, inventive choreography and political urgency. Flowing like an iridescent dream vision, the film fuses work by James Baldwin, Janelle Monáe and Kurt Schwitters with exhilarating renditions of Byrne’s solo work and Talking Heads classics. Joyous, urgent and utterly crowd-pleasing, Byrne and his co-performers light up the screen and burn down the house. ‘This must be the place’ to see David Byrne loud, large and in 4K. A one-night-only cinema event.

USA 2026 Spike Lee 105m

Le Città di Pianura

Two blustery 50-somethings have an obsession: going for their last drink. One night, they run into a shy architecture student whose way of seeing the world and love will be transformed as the trio wander from bar to bar of Veneto.

Two middle-aged friends, Carlobianchi (Sergio Romano) and Doriano (Pierpaolo Capovilla), swear every boozy beverage will be the last one - until the next one that usually comes right after. To them, the party is never quite over. Thankfully, they never come across as intoxicated creeps, instead, they are tipsy and bickering friends: almost like their bromance is a marriage, Italian style. They often have a hard time remembering the lessons they have learned and revelations they landed on, they do exactly that by taking under their wing the young Giulio (Filippo Scotti), an architecture student who’s adrift and intrigued. Loosely reminiscent of the brilliant 2020 Danish dark comedy ‘Another Round’, or the happy-sad fables of Alice Rohrwacher, Francesco Sossai’s boozy dramedy is an enchanting comedy.

Italy 2025 Francesco Sossai 100m

Juste Ciel!

Five nuns set their sights on winning the cash prize in a major cycling race to raise money to renovate a dilapidated hospice. The only hitch is that none of them can ride a bicycle.

When the local nursing home finds itself in dire straits and in danger of falling to pieces, it’s down to Mother Veronique (Valérie Bonneton) and the five eccentric sisters of the convent of St. Benedict to find a way to help. Spotting a poster for a bike race with a €25,000 cash prize (and the incentive of a trip to the Vatican for the winner!), the sisters might just have their answer. The only drawbacks are that they are terrible cyclists, and their rival convent, led by Mother Veronique’s childhood nemesis Mother Josephine (Sidse Babett Knudsen), have their own plans for the prize money – and just a little more experience. But God works in mysterious ways! Laurent Tirard’s hilariously absurd comedy will have you rolling in the aisles, and the stunning landscapes of France’s Jura region provide a beautiful backdrop too! (Subtitles)

France 2022 Laurent Tirard 87m

Underneath the Catalonian sun, a rich white American family lives in hedonistic isolation, seeking love and validation through one another, their designer wardrobes and pop music. When an outsider infiltrates the family, buried tensions surface and blood ties are severed.

Edward’s (Callum Turner) family is not a normal family. They were moved from New York to Spain by their mother (Pamela Anderson) six months prior. Their mother is dead, we learn, having been torn apart by wolves(!), leaving her blind husband (Tracy Letts) alone with their son Edward, his brothers Jack (Jamie Bell) and Robert (Lukas Gage) and their sister Anna (Riley Keough). All of them love Jack, in their own idiosyncratic ways, so when Jack brings home a new girlfriend, Martha (Elle Fanning), it does not go down well. This is a fabulous feast for the eyes and ears – and those who like their cinema deliriously weird. Fans of Yorgos Lanthimos will very much enjoy this.

Germany/Spain/UK 2026 Karim Aïnouz 97m

Kara Zor-El, aka Supergirl, joins forces with an unlikely companion on an interstellar journey of vengeance and justice when an unexpected adversary strikes too close to home.

Milly Alcock (‘House of the Dragon’) takes on the daunting task of playing Superman’s cousin, who meets Ruthye (Eve Ridley), who is on the hunt for the baddies who destroyed her world. The 2021 DC Comics series is adapted here for the big screen and also stars Jason Momoa (‘Aquaman’), who plays the intergalactic bounty hunter and anti-hero Lobo, and Matthias Schoenaerts (‘Far from the Madding Crowd’) who takes on the role of the villain, Klem of the Yellow Hills.

USA 2026 Craig Gillespie 110m

This critically lauded cinematic interpretation of Gary Owen's much loved and widely performed monodrama, ‘Iphigenia in Splott’, is set against the beautiful wide-open landscapes of North Wales.

We follow Effi (Leisa Gwenllian), a young woman who learns firsthand the personal costs of our societal shortcomings. Grappling with her weekly loop of unemployment, clubbing and hangovers, Effi has a chance encounter in a Llandudno nightclub with injured soldier Lee (Tom Rhys Harries), briefly opening a door to something better. For a moment, Effi glimpses a life she never imagined. The reality that follows is far tougher. Gwenllian’s extraordinary performance traces an arc from invulnerability to loss of control, creating a wholly sympathetic and endlessly captivating woman who it is impossible not to root for. (Subtitles)

UK 2026 Marc Evans 90m