En Fanfare

This French spin on Mark Herman’s ‘Brassed Off’ (the British comedy-drama about colliery bands) has a beating emotional pulse of its own. Originally screened as a preview in our Autumn French Film Festival UK.

Thibaut (Benjamin Lavernhe) is an internationally renowned conductor of the Lille Symphony Orchestra who travels the world. He discovers he was adopted - then also finds out he has a younger brother, Jimmy (Pierre Lottin), who works in a school cafeteria and plays the trombone in a school marching band. While they seem to be worlds apart, their unwavering love of music unites them in difficult circumstances. The third feature film by screenwriter, actor and director Emmanuel Courcol emerges as an immensely touching and melodious work, bringing relationships and music to the fore. (Subtitles)

France 2024 Emmanuel Courcol 103m

Two parents enter a race against time when they receive a distressing late-night phone call from their daughter after she caused a tragic car accident.

When two distraught parents (Rosamund Pike and Matthew Rhys) receive a call from their teenage daughter telling them that she has just accidentally hit a pedestrian, they jump in their car, racing to get there before anyone else stumbles across the scene. As they head deeper into the night, disturbing revelations threaten to tear the family apart as they soon realize they might not be the only ones driving down Hallow Road. How far will ordinary parents go to protect their offspring? This suspense thriller features high-intensity performances from Pike and Rhys in what is essentially a close-quarters two-hander set on the anxious journey, bringing comparisons to 2013’s brilliant ‘Locke’ starring Tom Hardy.

UK/Ireland 2025 Babak Anvari 80m

Not only a cinematic journey into the mind of Eileen Gray, but a story about the power of female expression and men's desire to control it.

Delicate, white and ship-like, E1027 is a house, or rather, a work of art, which is perched above a bay on the Cote d’Azur whose wildness was, when it was finished in 1929, the opposite of the worldly charms of nearby Monte Carlo.  Behind it isn’t only the magic of an architectural body come to life, but also the complexity of a trio of brilliant minds, namely the architects Eileen Gray, Jean Badovici and Le Corbusier. Structured like a docufiction which brings together archive images, reenactments and a voice over that gently accompanies the images (mostly that of Eileen Gray speaking in the first person), the film shows moments of intimacy that we can only imagine. Rather than a historical reconstruction based on meticulous analysis the co-directors put architecture in dialogue with cinema in order to bring to life the sensibility of a woman who was a visionary yet is too rarely celebrated. (Some subtitles)

Switzerland 2024 Beatrice Minger/Christoph Schaub 89m

A crowd-pleasing warm-hearted comedy that has an eccentric lottery winner who lives alone on a remote island dreaming of getting his favourite musicians back together.

Kind and chatty Charles (Tim Key) lives alone on the remote Wallis Island. Beautiful and serene with white cliffs and rocky shores (it was shot in Wales), it is not the kind of place where there is a lot of socializing. He dreams of getting his favourite musicians, McGwyer Mortimer (Tom Basden & Carey Mulligan) back together. His fantasy turns into reality when the bandmates and former lovers accept his invitation to play a private show at his home the Island. Old tensions resurface as the artists reunite now at different phases in their lives. Mulligan and Basden are sublime together, naturally exuding the awkward chemistry of artist exes, with Key thoroughly entertaining as the adorable comedic foil. This is the sort of film that oozes mood and warmth (like the folk songs performed in the film) and is very easy to recommend to anyone.

UK 2025 James Griffiths 100m

A compelling exploration of engineless sailing through rivers, coastlines and open seas, shot on analogue film over three years.

We delve into the experiences of those who travel solely by harnessing the natural elements, following a diverse array of traditional boats and uncovering the unique rhythms and motivations of engineless navigation. ‘Wind, Tide & Oar’ creates a contemplative space, addressing themes of ecology, heritage, traditional skills and maritime history. Using a 1960s hand-wound camera, Wahl offers a poetic and intimate perspective on a millennia-old craft. Through the film's reveries, sailing becomes a means to explore our interaction with and responsibility to the environment. Inviting reflection on our relationship with nature, our understanding of and commitment to sustainability, and our care for the world around us. Beautifully photographed and edited.

UK 2024 Huw Wahl 84m

In fair Verona, where we lay our scene, the world’s greatest love story, as never before seen. Fall in love with Shakespeare’s iconic tale all over again, with this brand new star-studded visionary movie-musical, a breathtaking reimagining of one of the world’s most iconic love stories.

Packed with original songs and music, this innovative twist on the theatrical classic features an incredible cast including Rebel Wilson, Rupert Everett, Jason Isaacs, Rupert Graves and Derek Jacobi. Clara Rugaard and Jamie Ward bring the star-crossed lovers to life. Set from 1301 to 1303, the world’s most famous lovers find themselves central figures in the birth of the Italian Renaissance, and the wars that would end the Middle Ages. Caught in the heart of the battle for supremacy between the forces of the Holy Roman Empire and the Church, ‘Juliet & Romeo’ takes us on an epic journey of battles and betrayal, as the iconic duo turn the tides on history as we know it. But the biggest twist in this most beloved of tales, is leaving the poetry of iambic pentameter in the past. Original pop music rockets the story’s powerful themes right to the heart of our characters in the most surprising, and perhaps most powerful way ever to be imagined before. The greatest love story of all time, set to the greatest music of our time. The screening will include an exclusive recorded Q&A.

122m – No interval

Join us in celebrating Sir David Attenborough's 99th Birthday in style as the celebrated broadcaster explores the planet's undersea habitats emphasizing the ocean's vital importance while highlighting opportunities for marine life recovery.

This powerful documentary takes viewers on a breathtaking journey showing there is nowhere more vital for our survival, more full of life, wonder or surprise, than the ocean. In the film the celebrated broadcaster and filmmaker reveals how his lifetime has coincided with the great age of ocean discovery. Through spectacular sequences featuring coral reefs, kelp forests and the open ocean, Attenborough shares why a healthy ocean keeps the entire planet stable and flourishing. Stunning, immersive cinematography showcases the wonder of life under the seas and exposes the realities and challenges facing our ocean as never-before-seen, from destructive fishing techniques to mass coral reef bleaching. Yet the story is one of optimism, with Attenborough pointing to inspirational stories from around the world to deliver his greatest message: the ocean can recover to a glory beyond anything anyone alive has ever seen. This special presentation includes 15 minutes of theatrically exclusive content.

UK 2025 C. Butfield/T. Nowlan/K. Scholey 100m