Ten years after the disappearance of their teenage daughter, a couple is confronted by a young woman claiming to be their lost child.

John (Jared Harris) and Mary (Juliet Stevenson) have lived with desolating grief and the agony of uncertainty for the past ten years. Their only child, Clare, ran away from home when she was fourteen and no trace of her whereabouts has ever been found. When Clare (Erin Doherty) returns, now a young woman of twenty-four, Mary is overjoyed. But John comes to believe that Clare is not who she claims to be. As old tensions resurface, deceptive motivations and thrilling suspense culminate in a gripping search for the truth. Harris and Stevenson deliver exceptional performances. Doherty subtly delivers nervous looks and hesitations which make her character a believable prodigal daughter but leave enough doubt about her to sustain the mystery. This is an absorbing and affecting tale beautifully told by director Gilbert.

UK 2024 Virginia Gilbert 90m

A detective inspector investigates a series of murders in a riverside town in rural China in the 1990s. After a swift arrest, clues push the policeman to dive deeper into the hidden behaviour of the locals.

Beleaguered police chief Ma Zhe is charged with investigating the murder of ‘Granny No 4’ in a neighbouring rural village of only 50 families and tries so hard to unravel the killing, that he almost decends into madness. Granny Four had taken in a simpleton who, throughout the movie, is known only as “the madman” (Kang Chunlei) and he becomes the natural suspect, but nothing is clear-cut… This is far from a standard police procedural; increasingly blurring the line between the real and the imagined, fact becomes fiction and dreams become nightmares. This stylish, murky and enigmatic noir is imaginative in structure with impressive production design and breathtaking cinematography. One of two very good Chinese films in this season’s programme (see also ‘Black Dog’). (Subtitles)

China 2023 Wei Shujun 101m

A romantic and thrilling story that spans several decades and continents; following one man's emotional journey to find his first love who disappeared 50 years ago, before his time runs out.

Kristopher (Egill Ólafsson) is a widower who is in the early stages of dementia. Realizing there isn’t a lot of time left before his memories are gone completely, he leaves Iceland and ventures to London, hoping to find his lost love. Flashbacks build up the story of how young Kristopher (Pálmi Kormákur) dropped out of school, got a job washing dishes at a Japanese restaurant, and fell in love with the owner’s daughter, Miko (Kōki). The film cleverly builds suspense in two directions simultaneously. We watch old Kristopher trying to find Miko and wondering if he’ll succeed, and we also wait with nervous anticipation to learn why the two were separated decades ago. Director Baltasar Kormákur masterfully weaves a story that encapsulates the human experience with poetic honesty and emotional depth. This is one of the most genuinely romantic movies of the past few years, not lightweight romantic, but rather romantic in a deep, human way that you can feel in your soul. (Some subtitles)

Iceland 2024 Baltasar Kormákur 121m

This intimate documentary reveals the story of a fierce rock 'n' roller, actress, muse and mother who rose to prominence in the 1960s and 1970s.

Anita Pallenberg was at many points in her life a newspaper headline: a "rock n' roll goddess," a "voodoo priestess," and an "evil seductress." She was accused of trying to break up the Rolling Stones, among other things. But those who loved her considered her an exciting cultural force, and a loving mother - and innocent of the accusations. Never-seen-before home movies and family photographs explore life with the Rolling Stones and tell a bittersweet tale of both triumph and heartbreak. From ‘Barbarella’ to the Swiss Alps, and the Lower East Side to London, Anita Pallenberg was a creative force ahead of her time. This has a perfect balance of heart, soul and humor that resonates within its core and just makes for some enjoyable and informative viewing.

USA 2023 Alexis Bloom & Svetlana Zill 110m

We are delighted to welcome Marlon Richards, son of Anita Pallenberg and Keith Richards, for a Q&A after the screening.