This love story chronicles the lifelong relationship of conductor-composer Leonard Bernstein and Felicia Montealegre Cohn Bernstein. A symphonic love story with sparkling, awards-worthy performances.

Bradley Cooper takes on the triple role of lead actor, director and writer. He wisely eschews the conventional biopic logic of ticking off Bernstein’s career highlights. Instead, ‘Maestro’ zeroes in on his vivid, life-long love affair with Chilean émigré Felicia Montealegre, beautifully played by Carey Mulligan who is the beating heart of the film. ‘Maestro’ digs deep into Bernstein’s music to unleash some of the greatest hits (‘West Side Story,’ ‘On the Waterfront’) and a few lesser-known pieces. A recreation of his legendary performance of Mahler in 1968 just about blows the roof off New York’s St Patrick’s Cathedral. This is a film for cinephiles as well as musos and romantics, with its discrete ‘movements’ mirroring the movie making style of its time frame. Early scenes are filmed in 35mm black-and-white, while Lenny and Felicia’s stormy late 1960s patch is captured in Technicolor. This elegant, ambitious biopic is a love letter to life and art, and at its core is an emotionally epic portrayal of family and love. "An absolute marvel." Rolling Stone

USA 2023 Bradley Cooper 129m

Royal Ballet

Our annual return to the Royal Opera House for its Festive ‘The Nutcracker.’ Join Clara at a delightful Christmas Eve party that becomes a magical adventure once everyone else is tucked up in bed. Marvel at the brilliance of Tchaikovsky’s score, as Clara and her enchanted Nutcracker fight the Mouse King and visit the Sugar Plum Fairy in the glittering Kingdom of Sweets.

Tue 12 Dec 19:15 (Live)

Sun 17 Dec 14:00 (Encore)

La Passion de Dodin Bouffant

This mouthwatering and sensual exercise in haute cuisine and late-flowering romance is set in 1885 and almost totally within the confines of a rustic kitchen in a chateau. This is our closing film of this year’s French Film Festival.

Tran Anh Hùng, the Vietnamese director, now living in France, of ‘The Scent of the Green Papaya’ based the film on the book ‘The Life and Passion of Dodin-Bouffant, Gourmet’ by Marcel Rouff. Peerless cook Eugénie (Juliette Binoche) has worked for the famous gourmet Dodin (Benoît Magimel) for the last 20 years. As time went by, the practice of gastronomy and mutual admiration turned into a romantic relationship. He realises, however, that while he schmoozes the rich and famous in the dining room, she remains in the kitchen but is clearly hugely responsible for his august reputation. There is talk of marriage, but Eugénie values her independence too much in a relationship that she considers should be of equal parts. Both Binoche and Magimel who were together in life for a considerable time, exude an effortless rapport. Chosen as France’s Oscar contender. Warning: Another film like the recent ‘Delicieux’ that should not be seen on an empty stomach! (Subtitles)

France/Belgium 2023 Tran Anh Hùng 134m