WELCOME
Three of the major film awards take place during the span of this Chichester Cinema 2025 Awards Season.
The Golden Globes (Sun 5 Jan) give us a taste of things to come, the Baftas (Sun 16 Feb) reveal what we Brits are into, and the Oscars (Sun Mar 2) are the zenith of all film awards. We’ll keep an eye out also for Spain’s Goya Awards (Sat Feb 8) and France’s César Awards (Fri 28 Feb) for any gems to bring to you in upcoming seasons.
We’ve added an Awards logo to films that will most likely be nominated for Oscars and Baftas, so do come and see those selections (‘We Live in Time’, ‘Nosferatu’, ‘Maria’, ‘Nickel Boys’, ‘Anora’, ‘A Complete Unknown’, ‘The Brutalist’ and many more), but keep in mind that we screen many more gems that fly under the awards radar (‘The Girl with the Needle’, ‘Hard Truths’, ‘The Order’ and ‘On Becoming a Guinea Fowl’, for example).
Talking of seasons, we are delighted to take part for the second time in the Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme, where we will include four Japanese films this season, and four more in the Spring. We will feature both new and classic examples of this unique brand of cinema, known for its poetic, atmospheric and innovative films.
Our Education Team keep doing us proud. I keep telling anyone who will listen – try to find a better film education programme outside of the BFI in the country… I’ll wait. This season they have prepared four more film talks (look out for the logo in the brochure), not to mention the many free events put on for local schools. See you at the cinema
BRIDGET JONES: MAD ABOUT A BOY
3 JAN 15:45
4 JAN 17:15
5 JAN 18:15
6 JAN 13:00 TUE
THE ORDER
A riveting historical thriller that recreates one of the largest manhunts in FBI history, where an agent believed that the crimes he was investigating were not the work of financially motivated criminals, but rather a group of dangerous domestic terrorists. For over a year, a series of bold daylight bank robberies and armoured car heists leaves law enforcement baffled and the public panicked throughout the Pacific Northwest. As the attacks become increasingly violent, FBI agent Terry Husk (Jude Law) becomes convinced that the robberies are the work of a gang that plans to use the loot to finance an armed uprising against the US government. As the militia builds a war chest of over $4 million, Husk pursues the malevolent racist Bob Mathews (Nicholas Hoult) to a final bloody standoff that will go down in US history. Intelligent, gripping and smouldering, this is a real-life thriller that Hollywood rarely puts on the big screen anymore. Described as “rigorously authentic and briskly compelling” by Variety and “a nail-biter from start to finish” by The Hollywood Reporter, this brooding, suspenseful thriller keeps us gripped until the end.
USA/UK/CANADA 2024 JUSTIN KURZEL 114M
QUEER
Luca Guadagnino’s (‘Call Me by Your Name’) latest film is a highly anticipated adaptation of William S. Burroughs’ novel ‘Queer’. Known for his lush, atmospheric storytelling, Guadagnino brings a haunting, visually rich style to this intense, introspective narrative. 1950. William Lee (Daniel Craig), an American expat in Mexico City, spends his days almost entirely alone, except for a few contacts with other members of the small American community. His encounter with Eugene Allerton (Drew Starkey), an expat former soldier, new to the city, shows him, for the first time, that it might be finally possible to establish an intimate connection with somebody. As Lee grapples with inner turmoil, his relationship with Allerton becomes a vehicle for his own self-discovery, bitterness, and ultimately, self-destruction. Guadagnino’s direction combines lush visuals and moody cinematography to evoke Lee’s disorienting, passionate journey, turning Burroughs’ narrative into something deeply cinematic. (Some subtitles)
ITALY/USA 2024 LUCA GUADAGNINO 135M
FRI 3 JAN 13:15 MON 6 JAN 20:30 WED 8 JAN 12:30 THU 9 JAN 20:45 DISCOVER: ITALY
5 JAN 20:30
7 JAN 20:15 (FILM CLUB SCREENING)
Edoardo De Angelis presents a gripping wartime drama that has captivated audiences at international film festivals. Set during World War II, the story brings a unique perspective on heroism, honour and survival at sea.
The film centres on Salvatore Todaro (Pierfrancesco Favino), the real-life Italian submarine commander known for his moral courage and fierce loyalty. While navigating perilous waters, Todaro makes the fateful decision to rescue survivors of a ship he was ordered to sink, defying military protocol and risking the lives of his own crew. Favino delivers a commanding performance as Todaro, a man driven by principles in a brutal time of conflict. De Angelis crafts a beautifully shot lavish period piece that captures both the intensity of underwater warfare and the inner resolve of a man who dares to follow his conscience. This is also a call for tolerance, fully attuned to Italy’s current political climate. (Subtitles)
ITALY 2023
EDOARDO DE ANGELIS 120M
POINT BREAK
Our final film in the Art of Action series sees an FBI agent going undercover to catch a gang of surfers who may be bank robbers, in this wildly entertaining film by Kathryn Bigelow. This cult classic blends high-stakes action and heart-pounding surf scenes, making it a must-see on the big screen.
After a string of bizarre bank robberies in Southern California, with the crooks donning masks of various former presidents, a federal agent, Johnny Utah (Keanu Reeves), infiltrates the suspected gang. But this is no ordinary group of robbers. They’re surfers - led by the charismatic Bodhi (Patrick Swayze) - who are addicted to the rush of thievery. But when Utah falls in love with a female surfer, Tyler (Lori Petty), who is close to the gang, it complicates his sense of duty. Whether you’re here for the breathtaking waves, the edge of your seat action or the unforgettable showdown between Reeves and Swayze, you will come out knowing that this electrifying spectacle is a landmark for the action genre.
USA 1991 KATHRYN BIGELOW 122M
TUE 7 JAN 18:00 WED 8 JAN 14:45 THU 9 JAN 13:15
DISCOVER: GERMANY
THE UNIVERSAL THEORY
DIE THEORIE VON ALLEM
Set in 1962 at a quantum mechanics conference in an isolated lodge nestled amid the towering landscapes of the Swiss Alps, this is the story of a gifted young physicist, his curmudgeonly mentor, and an enigmatic jazz pianist who knows things about our wunderkind scientist that he’s never told another living soul.
German director Timm Kröger - himself also a cinematographer - films his tale with an eye for the majestic natural beauty that surrounds our characters, effectively evoking the paranoid postwar era. Driven by astonishing twists and improbable coincidences, the film unravels a captivatingly complex chronicle with brain-tickling suspense. A comedy, a fantasy, a war drama, a spy thriller and an exercise in old-fashioned style at the same time. (Subtitles)
GERMANY 2024 TIMM KRÖGER 118M
DISCOVER: IRELAND
KNEECAP
14 British Independent Film Awards nominations – and winner of seven! An unapologetic, wild ride from Belfast-based filmmakers, diving headfirst into the energy and chaos of Northern Ireland’s punk-rap scene.
Following the real-life band Kneecap, this gritty, fast-paced film is equal parts comedy, music and raw social commentary, offering an inside look at the band’s rise and rebellion. The story follows the trio of bandmates as they navigate fame, friendship and the rough streets of Belfast. Known for their outspoken lyrics in both Irish and English, the band faces off with police, the press and sometimes each other - all while keeping their humour razor-sharp. The film captures the rebellious spirit of a band determined to make their voice heard. It’s loud, it’s political and it’s unlike anything you’ve seen before. (Some Subtitles)
UK/IRELAND 2024 RICH PEPPIATT 105M
DISCOVER: TURKEY
ABOUT DRY GRASSES
★★★★ TIME OUT
Inaugural winner of the Gibson Award announced at the closing gala of the 2024 Chichester International Film Festival. A young teacher hopes to be transferred to Istanbul after four years of mandatory service in a remote village, but an accusation may derail his work and private life.
Nestled away in wintry East Anatolia, public-school art teacher Samet (Deniz Celiloğlu) yearns to leave the sleepy village for cosmopolitan Istanbul. Further disenchanted when he and colleague Kenan (Musab Ekici) come under public scrutiny, Samet fears circumstances will keep his dreams of a new life permanently out of reach. A silver lining is a budding relationship with fellow teacher Nuray (Merve Dizdar) who develops connections with both Samet and Kenan. As with all of Ceylan’s films, this features compelling patient storytelling, it is often mesmerising and is filled with an undeniable atmosphere. (Subtitles) Will include a short comfort break.
SAT 11 JAN 13:45 MON 13 JAN 13:30 WED 15
ON BECOMING A GUINEA FOWL
Winner of Best Director in the Certain Regard section of Cannes 2024, Rungano Nyoni brings us a tale where a young Zambian woman confronts long-buried family secrets.
On an empty road in the middle of the night, Shula (Susan Chardy) stumbles across the body of her uncle. As funeral proceedings begin around them, she and her cousins bring to light the buried secrets of their middle-class Zambian family. This is a daring picture that blends fantasy, stylised drama and elements of black comedy to explore the societal pressures that rewrite the truth. Nyoni is the Zambian-Welsh filmmaker who in 2017 had a smash with her debut, the witty and distinctive misogyny fable ‘I Am Not a Witch’, and certainly a name to keep looking out for. (Some subtitles)
UK 2024 RUNGANO NYONI 95M
2024 GIBSON AWARD WINNER
MACBETH (DONMAR WAREHOUSE)
– WED 5 FEB 20:00 & SUN 9 FEB 16:45
THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST (NT LIVE)
– THU 20 FEB 19:30 & SUN 23 FEB 14:30
THE TALES OF HOFFMANN (ROYAL BALLET & OPERA)
– SUN 19 JAN 14:00
AIDA (MET OPERA) – SUN 26 JAN 14:00 & THU 30 JAN 19:00
SWAN LAKE (ROYAL BALLET & OPERA) – SUN 2 MAR 14:30 PG36
LES MISÉRABLES (GIELGUD THEATRE)
– SUN 2 FEB 14:30 & TUE 4 FEB 18:00
JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR (ARENA TOUR) – SAT 1 MAR 15:15 PG36 EXHIBITION
VAN GOGH: POETS AND LOVERS – SAT 25 JAN 16:00, MON 27 JAN 13:15 & WED 29 JAN 13:15
MUSIC
IN RESTLESS DREAMS: THE MUSIC OF PAUL SIMON – SUN 5 JAN 12:00
IN RESTLESS DREAMS: THE MUSIC OF PAUL SIMON
Oscar-winning director Alex Gibney’s remarkable portrait and definitive musical biography of Paul Simon, one of the greatest songwriters (and performers) in the history of rock’n’roll.
Granted unprecedented access to the making of a new album, the filmmakers also show never-before-seen footage of Simon’s extraordinary career, from Simon & Garfunkel to the phenomenal global success of Simon’s solo album ‘Graceland’. “An unabashed celebration of musical genius” – CNN. “A transcendent film packed with great archive footage, fantastic music and Simon’s raw humanity” - Shadows on the Wall.
WE LIVE IN TIME
An offbeat, deeply emotional decade-spanning romance that brings together the magnetic pairing of Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield.
The film follows two seemingly mismatched characters, Almut (Pugh) and Tobias (Garfield), whose lives unexpectedly intertwine and change each other in profound ways. Their relationship unfolds in fragmented glimpses of joy, heartbreak and fleeting moments that capture the ups and downs of modern love. It is like witnessing the true story of two people falling in love. Director John Crowley (‘Brooklyn’) crafts a love story that’s as funny as it is poignant, exploring the strange intersections of fate, memory and connection. This is a quirky, beautifully shot exploration of what it means to find - and perhaps lose - “the one”. This is indie romance at its most moving and inventive.
UK/FRANCE 2024 JOHN CROWLEY 108M
n Wills & Probate
n Commercial Property & Business Services
n Family & Divorce
n Personal Injury & Clinical Negligence
n Residential Property
n Wealth Management Your leading law firm for:
in Chichester, Guildford and London
NIGHTBITCH
A woman pauses her career to be a stay-at-home mom, but soon her domesticity takes a surreal turn.
Amy Adams plays a mother who feels like she’s lost herself after leaving her job as an artist to be at home full time. Her husband (Scoot McNairy) isn’t much help, cluelessly stumbling through the small amount of parenting he manages to contribute. Heller skilfully portrays the repeated routines of motherhood – breakfast, lunch, dinner, bath time, bedtime – as both meaningful and exhausting. And in the midst of parenting chaos, the mother becomes convinced she is turning into a dog. The film is primeval, wild and very funny, and provides an unforgettable role for Adams who is obviously having a great time.
USA 2024 MARIELLE HELLER 99M
THE CONTESTANT
A Japanese reality TV star left naked in a room for more than a year, tasked with filling out magazine sweepstakes to earn food and clothing.
This is the incredible true story of aspiring comedian Tomoaki Hamatsu, who after witnessing how others who participated in TV contests became overnight celebrities, decided to enter one himself. He ended up living for 15 months inside a small room, naked, starving and alone... and completely unaware that his life was being broadcast on national TV to over 17 million viewers a week. This is a snapshot of a time when reality television was in its infancy, and no one paid much attention to the ethics of extremity for the sake of entertainment. We see how Hamatsu has tried to deal with the aftermath of the experiment, and cannot help but feel a lot of empathy for a person who was put through hell just to make millions of people laugh. (Some subtitles)
UK 2023 CLAIR TITLEY 90M
BACK BY
POPULAR DEMAND SMALL THINGS LIKE THESE
Cillian Murphy plays a father who witnesses Ireland’s church’s abusive workhouses for unwed mothers in an absorbing Dickensian story based on recent history.
Christmas 1985. Devoted father and coal merchant Bill Furlong (Murphy) discovers disturbing secrets kept by the convent in his town, along with some shocking truths of his own. The film reveals truths about Ireland’s Magdalene laundries - horrific asylums run by Roman Catholic institutions from the 1820s until 1996, ostensibly to reform “fallen young women”. Adapted from the Booker Prize nominated novel by Claire Keegan, Cillian Murphy’s outstanding acting – as has become the norm – anchors this moving film. IRELAND/BELGIUM 2024 TIM MIELANTS 96M
12 JAN 18:00 TUE 14 JAN 15:30
CLUB ZERO
A teacher takes a job at an elite school and forms a strong bond with five students - a relationship that eventually takes a dangerous turn.
At an international boarding school, an unassuming, yet rigorous, Miss Novak (Mia Wasikowska) joins the teaching staff to instruct a new class on “conscious eating”. Her impressionable teenage students each have their own reasons for joining the class - to improve fitness, reduce their carbon footprint or get extra credit. Although early lectures focus on mindful consumption, Miss Novak’s discussions soon become increasingly disordered and extreme. As a few devoted pupils fall deep under her cult-like tutelage, they are given a new, even more sinister goal to aspire to - joining the ominous “Club Zero”. An often disturbing but always engaging film. (Some subtitles)
AUSTRIA/UK 2023 JESSICA HAUSNER 110M
& 18:00
CONCLAVE
When a Cardinal is tasked with leading one of the world’s most secretive and ancient events, selecting a new Pope, he finds himself at the centre of a conspiracy that could shake the very foundations of the Church.
Cardinal Lawrence (Ralph Fiennes) is tasked with running this covert process after the unexpected death of the beloved Pope. Once the Catholic Church’s most powerful leaders have gathered from around the world and are locked together in the Vatican halls, Lawrence uncovers a trail of deep secrets left in the dead Pope’s wake, secrets which could shake the foundations of the Church. This is a skilfully crafted film with stunning cinematography and a beautiful score that takes many surprising turns, culminating in a climactic reveal that will leave audiences astonished. The A-list cast also includes Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow and Isabella Rossellini. UK/USA 2024 EDWARD BERGER 120M FRI 17 JAN 15:30 & 20:00 SAT 18 JAN 18:15
21 JAN 15:15 THU 23 JAN 20:30
NO OTHER LAND
This film made by a Palestinian-Israeli collective shows the destruction of the occupied West Bank’s Masafer Yatta by Israeli soldiers and the alliance which develops between the Palestinian activist Basel and Israeli journalist Yuval.
For half a decade, Basel Adra, a Palestinian activist, films his community of Masafer Yatta being destroyed by Israel’s occupation. He began filming at the age of 15 in the name of evidence. That evidence put forth by the directors – Adra, Israeli journalist Yuval Abraham, Palestinian filmmaker and farmer Hamdan Ballal and Israeli cinematographer and editor Rachel Szor – is straightforward, unsensationalised and completely infuriating. For its many images of despair, the film still offers a stirring vision for what could be – Israelis and Palestinians working together in the name of justice, collaborating towards a world where both are free. ‘No Other Land’ won best documentary at the 2024 Berlin film festival and is essential viewing. (Subtitles)
PALESTINE/NORWAY 2024 B. ADRA, H. BALLAL, Y. ABRAHAM, R. SZOR 92M
LOVE CINEMA?
DISCOVER: PALESTINE
CLASSICS RESTORED & REISSUED: ITALY
ROCCO AND HIS BROTHERS
ROCCO E I SUOI FRATELLI
Visconti’s masterpiece, an epic melodrama of social migration and moral decay, is now beautifully restored and better than ever! Rosaria Parondi (Katina Paxinou), an impoverished Italian mother, moves to Milan with her close-knit family of five sons to find opportunity in the big city. A heated rivalry begins when two of Rosaria’s boys - Rocco (Alain Delon) and Simone (Renato Salvatori) - fall for Nadia (Annie Girardot), a beautiful sex worker with whom each has an affair. As soft-spoken Rocco and brutal Simone both pursue Nadia in their own way, tension between them threatens to tear the family apart. Visconti has made a film with a sheer passion that makes most current filmmaking look feeble. It is a richly textured and profoundly affecting drama, resoundingly alive with characters, and a leader in post-WWII Italian cinema. ITALY 1960 LUCHINO VISCONTI 179M + SHORT INTERVAL
THE TALES OF HOFFMANN
ROYAL BALLET & OPERA
Four women: four curious love stories. Juan Diego Flórez leads a fantastic cast in Offenbach’s dream-like opera. This fantastic new production from the ROB will make for an interesting comparison with the recent Met production shown in September. Through the haze of the years, a poet remembers the women he loved. But when it comes to matters of the heart, nothing is as it seems. Particularly when the devil himself is involved. Journeying back to his school days, Hoffmann relives his childhood romance with Olympia, a model student in every sense. Doomed love follows him into adulthood, where the dancer, Antonia, is taken from him too soon. Meanwhile, the sensual courtesan Giulietta has her own secret agenda. As memory and fantasy becomes increasingly blurred, will Hoffmann find the enigmatic Stella before it is too late?
Director Damiano Michieletto is joined by conductor Antonello Manacorda, who leads Juan Diego Flórez and Leonardo Caimi, who share the role of the poet E.T.A. Hoffman. The cast includes Alex Esposito, Julie Boulianne plus Ermonela Jaho, Olga Pudova and Marina Costa-Jackson as Hoffmann’s unforgettable trio of lovers. An opera fantastique sung in French, in three acts plus prologue and epilogue
MARIA
Maria Callas, the world’s greatest opera singer, lives the last days of her life in 1970s Paris, as she confronts her identity and life.
Angelina Jolie stars as Maria Callas, capturing both her fierce passion on stage and her complex personal struggles off it. As she battles between her demanding career and longing for personal happiness, Pablo Larraín’s narrative unfolds with sensitivity, exploring her relationships, insecurities and the sacrifices she made for her art. The film juxtaposes grand, beautifully staged opera scenes with quieter moments that reveal Callas’s inner turmoil, creating a portrait that is as powerful as it is poignant. With Larraín’s nuanced direction and Jolie’s evocative performance, ‘Maria’ is both a tribute to a legendary voice and a study of artistic endurance.
USA/CHILE 2024 PABLO LARRAÍN 124M
SPECIAL EVENT CALLAS
To complement the new biopic on Maria Callas, we are delighted to welcome back to Chichester director Tony Palmer to introduce and Q&A his documentary on the great soprano.
This film, made at the request of Maria Callas herself, was started in 1973, but wasn’t finished until 12 years later. It includes eye-witness accounts by Franco Zeffirelli, Tito Gobbi, Luchino Visconti, Carlo Maria Giulini, Giuseppe Di Stefano and many others who knew her well. It tells a story that was previously unknown, about a great singer who had been brought low by love, and whose career was unbelievably short when considered against her extraordinary worldwide reputation. Maria - just a woman, who often spoke of Callas in the third person, in trouble, asking, begging sometimes, for our understanding and our love. She deserves it, because there was no greater singing actress in our time. And she was only 53 when she died.
UK 1978 TONY PALMER 92M + Q&A
We are delighted to welcome back Tony Palmer to introduce and Q&A his documentary.
NOSFERATU
Robert Eggers reimagines Murnau’s silent horror classic in this atmospheric, haunting adaptation of the gothic tale of obsession between a haunted young woman and the terrifying vampire infatuated with her.
Set in 19th century Europe, the film follows young real estate agent Thomas Hutter (Nicholas Hoult) who travels to a remote, eerie castle to assist Count Orlok (Bill Skarsgård) with a property purchase. Hutter soon discovers that Orlok is no ordinary client but an ancient vampire intent on spreading darkness. As Hutter fights to save his beloved Ellen (Lily-Rose Depp) from Orlok’s deadly influence, the story unfolds with an eerie beauty and mounting tension. Eggers’ use of shadow, historical set design and unsettling imagery brings this Gothic horror to life in vivid, spine-chilling detail, paying homage to the original film while carving out its own haunting identity. Also stars Willem Dafoe, Emma Corin and Aaron Taylor-Johnson. “One of the best films of the year - a masterpiece!” – Roger Gibson. We will also be screening Murnau’s 1922 original on 5 Feb. USA/GERMANY 2024 ROBERT EGGERS 122M
IT BITES! A HUNDRED YEARS OF DRACULA AT THE MOVIES
With Robert Eggers’ new take on ’Nosferatu’ reaching the big screen this month, this talk will look right back to its cinematic beginnings in the silent era.
What accounts for the enduring popularity of Dracula? Is he truly a reflection of our darkest selves, a Freudian mirror by which to peek inside the soul and recoil at what we see? The last 100 years have seen some of cinema’s greatest directors tackle the peculiar horror of this most famous of vampire stories. With Eggers’ reboot screening this month, Nick Johnston-Jones and John Harte of the Cinema Education Team explore the genesis of this 1922 masterpiece of German Expressionism, reaching back into the origins of the vampire legend and the cinematic legacy of Bram Stoker’s creation. Bring your garlic, sharpen your stakes, and prepare for 90 minutes in the company of everyone’s favourite Count!
100M INC Q&A
DISCOVER: THAILAND HOW TO MAKE MILLIONS BEFORE GRANDMA DIES
LAHN MAH
A scheming young man quits work to care for his dying grandmother, motivated by her fortune, and scheming to win her favor before she dies.
After Grandma Amah (Usha Seamkhum) is diagnosed with cancer, lazy college dropout M. (Putthipong “Billkin” Assaratanakul) commits himself to caring for her after he fails to make a name for himself as a video game streamer. Unfortunately for him, it turns out that winning Grandma’s favour is no easy feat. We are shown the apathy of the younger generation and the sardonic wit of the older one through frequent hilarious exchanges. The dialogue is biting, crisp, smart and frequently heartbreaking. The film has been a blockbuster success throughout South East Asia, and should also be very well received on our shores.
THAILAND 2024 PAT BOONNITIPAT 125M
AIDA
MET OPERA
SUN 26 JAN 14:00
THU 30 JAN 19:00
TICKETS £21
American soprano Angel Blue headlines this grandest of grand operas by Verdi, which features an epic ancient Egyptian backdrop for what is in essence an intimate and tragic love story.
Angel Blue makes her long-awaited Met role debut as the Ethiopian princess torn between love and country, one of opera’s defining roles. Mezzo-soprano Judit Kutasi is Aida’s Egyptian rival Amneris. Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin takes the podium of Michael Mayer’s spectacular new staging, which brings audiences inside the towering pyramids and gilded tombs of ancient Egypt with intricate projections and dazzling animations. Packed with magnificent choruses, complex ensembles and elaborate ballets, ‘Aida’ never loses sight of its three protagonists. Opera in 4 acts, sung in Italian, with English subtitles.
220M INC INTERVAL
SUN 26 JAN 18:00
(PLUS RECORDED Q&A) THU 30 JAN 15:00 (FILM ONLY)
2073
A drama-doc which tackles some challenges the world faces, through a time traveller who risks her life to change the course of history and save the future of humanity. It’s the year 2073, and the worst fears of modern life have been realised. Surveillance drones fill the burnt orange skies and militarised police roam the wrecked streets, while survivors hide away underground, struggling to remember a free and hopeful existence. In this ingenious mixture of visionary science fiction and speculative nonfiction (inspired by Chris Marker’s iconic 1962 featurette ‘La Jetée’), Academy Award-winner Asif Kapadia (‘Amy’) transports us to a future foreshadowed by the terrifying realities of our present moment. Samantha Morton plays a survivor besieged by nightmare visions of the past - a past that happens to be our present, visualised through contemporary footage interconnecting today’s global crises of authoritarianism, unchecked big tech, inequality and global climate change. ‘2073’ is an urgent, unshakable vision of a dystopic future that could very well be our own. This genre-bending film combines real archival footage and original interviews with a fictional dystopian narrative to issue a dire warning about impending global disaster.
UK 2024 ASIF KAPADIA 85M PLUS RECORDED Q&A (30M)
VAN GOGH: POETS AND LOVERS
EXHIBITION ON SCREEN
200 years after its opening and a century after acquiring its first Van Gogh works, the National Gallery is hosting the UK’s biggest ever Van Gogh exhibition. Van Gogh is not only one of the most beloved artists of all time, but perhaps the most misunderstood. This film is a chance to re-examine and better understand this iconic artist. Focusing on his unique creative process, we explore the artist’s years in the south of France where he revolutionised his style. Van Gogh became consumed with a passion for storytelling in his art, turning the world around him into vibrant, idealised spaces and symbolic characters. Poets and lovers filled his imagination; everything he did in the south of France served this new obsession. In part, this is what caused his notorious breakdown, but it didn’t hold back his creativity as he created masterpiece after masterpiece. Made in close collaboration with the National Gallery. UK 2024 DAVID BICKERSTAFF 90M
A REAL PAIN
In the lead up to Holocaust Memorial Day (27 Jan), we present this story of mismatched cousins who reunite for a tour through Poland to honour their beloved grandmother.
David Kaplan (Jesse Eisenberg) is a married Manhattan tech worker with a young son, who decides to bid the family goodbye and take a week-long road trip to Poland with his screwup cousin Benji (an off- the-charts great Kieran Culkin), whose default mode happens to be obnoxious. Their beloved, recently deceased grandmother yearned for them to see her native Poland and understand how she grew up in a nurturing Jewish culture and escaped a Nazi death camp. The adventure takes a turn when the odd couple’s old tensions resurface against the backdrop of their family history. This is a film that manages to be ruefully perceptive and laugh-out-loud funny, often at the same time: and that’s not easy.
USA/POLAND 2024 JESSE EISENBERG 90M
HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL DAY ONE LIFE
To commemorate Holocaust Memorial Day 2025, we bring back one of the best and most moving films of 2023, which sees Anthony Hopkins and Johnny Flynn play a real 20th century hero –Nicholas Winton.
Winton was a well-to-do stockbroker who, at the start of WWII, is so horrified by unfolding events that he heads off to Prague to do anything he can to help the terrified young refugees fleeing Hitler. Everyone thinks he is crazy – including his mother, played by Helena Bonham-Carter. But he somehow manages to organise visas and trains to get hundreds of children to safety in the UK; what has since become known as the Kindertransport. Winton was sometimes called the British Oskar Schindler, and the parallels go beyond their acts of extreme kindness: both men were completely consumed by the task they undertook and never able to focus on the people that they did save, only those that they failed to save.
UK 2023 JAMES HAWES 110M
DISCOVER: DENMARK
THE GIRL WITH THE NEEDLE PIGEN MED
NÅLEN
A fictionalised, true crime, hypnotic thriller based on a real Danish case from 1921, shot in high-contrast expressionist monochrome, and nominated for the 2024 Cannes Palme d’Or. Copenhagen 1919. Young factory worker Karoline (Vic Carmen Sonne) is struggling to survive in post WWI Copenhagen, when she finds herself unemployed, abandoned and pregnant. She meets Dagmar (Trine Dyrholm), a charismatic woman running an underground adoption agency, helping mothers to find foster homes for their unwanted children. With nowhere else to turn, Karoline takes on the role of a wet-nurse. A strong connection is formed between the two women, but Karoline’s world shatters when she stumbles upon the shocking truth behind her work. Scandi noir gets a 1910s twist in this darkly gripping, unsettling tale about a woman struggling to find love and a sense of morality. Denmark’s submission to the 2025 Foreign Film Oscar category is harrowing in places, but seriously impressive. (Subtitles)
DENMARK 2024 MAGNUS VON HORNE 115M
A COMPLETE UNKNOWN
At the Newport Folk Festival in 1965, a young Bob Dylan shakes up his act on the folk music scene by going electric and siring rock as the voice of a generation - defining one of the most transformative moments in 20th century music.
New York, early 1960s. Against the backdrop of a vibrant music scene and tumultuous cultural upheaval, an enigmatic 19-yearold from Minnesota arrives in the West Village with his guitar and revolutionary talent, destined to change the course of American music. As he forms his most intimate relationships during his rise to fame, he grows restless with the folk movement and, refusing to be defined, makes a controversial choice that culturally reverberates worldwide. Timothée Chalamet stars and sings as Dylan in James Mangold’s biopic, the electric true story behind the rise of one of the most iconic singer-songwriters in history. All screening times TBC at time of print. Please check website.
USA 2024 JAMES MANGOLD 141M
BETTER MAN
Michael Gracey (‘The Greatest Showman’) returns with a deeply personal and visually striking biopic chronicling the life of pop icon Robbie Williams.
Based on the true story of the meteoric rise, dramatic fall and remarkable resurgence of British pop superstar Robbie Williams, one of the great entertainers of modern time. The film is uniquely told from Robbie’s perspective, incorporating surreal musical sequences (one medley on London’s Regent Street is jaw-dropping) and candid reflections, while capturing his signature wit and indomitable spirit. It follows his journey from childhood, to being the youngest member of chart-topping boyband Take That, through to his unparalleled achievements as a record-breaking solo artist - all the while confronting the challenges that stratospheric fame and success can bring. This wildly ambitious musical biopic also features Steve Pemberton and Alison Steadman.
AUSTRALIA/UK 2024 MICHAEL GRACEY 134M
SUN 2 FEB 14:30 TUE 4 FEB 18:00
TICKETS £15
LES MISÉRABLES
THE STAGED CONCERT LIVE! (40TH ANNIVERSARY)
To mark the 40th anniversary of the world’s most popular musical, a unique opportunity to experience the spectacular staged concert version on the big screen.
Featuring an all-star cast including Michael Ball, Alfie Boe, Carrie Hope Fletcher, Matt Lucas and John Owen Jones. With a cast and orchestra of over 65 and including the songs ‘I Dreamed a Dream’, ‘Bring Him Home’, ‘One Day More’ and ‘On My Own’, this sensational staged concert is not to be missed.
185M INC INTERVAL
SIR CAMERON MACKINTOSH PRESENTS…
THE STORIES AND FILMS BEHIND THE SHOWS
As the season of performance events of musicals produced by Cameron Mackintosh continues at the cinema, this talk will explore their origins in literature and cinema.
‘Miss Saigon’, ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ and ‘Les Misérables’filmed live performances of all these stage musicals are being screened at Chichester Cinema. This talk, by Andrew Vance of the Chichester Cinema Education Team, will look back at the origins of these stories, including both the literature and the film versions on which they were based and the extent to which they influenced the creatives behind the productions. ‘Les Misérables’ is now in its 40th year and Cameron Mackintosh takes his maxim from the autobiography of Charles B Cochran - “Advice to aspiring young producers: never put a show on for audiences: always put it on for yourself and do it as best you can. Only then, maybe, will an audience come to see it.” For Cameron Mackintosh this has worked very successfully.
100M INC Q&A
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NICKEL BOYS
Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Colson Whitehead, ‘Nickel Boys’ chronicles the powerful friendship between two young African American men navigating the harrowing trials of reform school together in Florida.
Elwood Curtis’s (Ethan Herisse) college dream shatters alongside a two-lane Florida highway. Bearing the brunt of an innocent misstep, he’s sentenced to the netherworld of Nickel Academy, a brutal reformatory sunk deep in the Jim Crow South. He encounters another ward, the seen-it-all Turner (Brandon Wilson). The two teens strike up an alliance: Turner dispensing fundamental tips for survival; Elwood, clinging to his optimistic worldview. Backdropped by the burgeoning Civil Rights Movement, Elwood and Turner’s existence appear worlds away from Rev. Martin Luther King’s burnished oratory. Despite Nickel’s brutality, Elwood strives to hold onto his humanity, awakening a new vision for Turner. The cinematography and production design are exceptional. This is a survivor’s coming of age story: tough, disillusioned, brilliant! USA 2024 RAMELL ROSS 140M
TUE 4 FEB 21:00 (FILM CLUB SCREENING)
THE BRUTALIST
Oscar favourite for Best Film and this season’s absolute mustwatch film. When a visionary architect and his wife flee post-war Europe in 1947 to rebuild their legacy and witness the birth of modern America, their lives are changed forever by a mysterious and wealthy client.
PSYCHO
Escaping post-war Europe, visionary architect László Toth (Adrien Brody) arrives in America to rebuild his life, his work and his marriage to Erzsébet (Marion Cotillard) after being forced apart during wartime by shifting borders and regimes. On his own in a strange new country, László settles in Pennsylvania, where the wealthy and prominent industrialist Harrison Lee Van Buren (Guy Pearce) recognises his talent for building. But power and legacy come at a heavy cost. This is a film with thrilling directness and storytelling force, a movie that fills its widescreen and extensive running time with absolute certainty and ease, as well as glorious amplitude, clarity and even simplicity – and yet also with something darkly mysterious and uncanny to be divined in its handsome shape.
USA/HUNGARY 2024 BRADY CORBET 215M INC INTERVAL
THE GUARDIAN
For our second Film Club (18-25’s) screening of the season, we present this unquestionable cinema classic from the master Alfred Hitchcock.
Phoenix secretary Marion Crane (Janet Leigh), on the run after stealing $40,000 from her employer in order to run away with her boyfriend, Sam Loomis (John Gavin), is overcome by exhaustion during a heavy rainstorm. Travelling on the back roads to avoid the police, she stops for the night at the ramshackle Bates Motel and meets the polite but highly strung proprietor Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins), a young man with an interest in taxidermy and a difficult relationship with his mother. Featuring Bernard Herrmann’s greatest score, this is a film that is always worth another viewing, especially on the big screen. As New York’s Village Voice reported on the film’s 1960 release, “Hitchcock is the most daring avant-garde filmmaker in America today. All discerning filmgoers are advised to see ‘Psycho’ no less than three times - first for ‘the sheer terror of the experience’, again for the ‘macabre comedy’, and finally for the movie’s ‘hidden meanings’.”
USA 1960 ALFRED HITCHCOCK 109M
WED 5 FEB 18:15
NOSFERATU: A SYMPHONY OF HORROR
NOSFERATU, EINE SYMPHONIE DES GRAUENS
To complement Robert Eggers new film ‘Nosferatu’, we present the original 1922 classic by F.W. Murnau, where vampire Count Orlok expresses interest in a new residence and the estate agent’s wife.
In this highly influential silent horror film, the mysterious Count Orlok (Max Schreck) summons Thomas Hutter (Gustav von Wangenheim) to his remote Transylvanian castle in the mountains. The eerie Orlok seeks to buy a house near Hutter and his wife, Ellen (Greta Schroeder). After Orlok reveals his vampire nature, Hutter struggles to escape the castle, knowing that Ellen is in grave danger. The atmosphere and images are timeless in their power – expressionism at its best. (English intertitles)
GERMANY 1922 F.W. MURNAU 94M
THE GUARDIAN
WED 5 FEB 20:00 SUN 9 FEB 16:45
TICKETS £19.50
MACBETH
DONMAR WAREHOUSE
David Tennant stars in the title role of this spellbinding story of love and murder, the renewing power of nature, and of the internal struggles of a damaged man as he tries to control his destiny. This bracingly fresh production of the Scottish play uses immersive sound technology to place us inside the minds of the Macbeths, asking are we ever really responsible for our actions? Shakespeare’s most extraordinary psychological drama is led by Tennant, who plays the title role for the first time in his illustrious stage career. He is joined by Cush Jumbo as Lady Macbeth. Directed by Donmar Associate Director Max Webster (‘Henry V’, ‘Life of Pi’). “Enthralling… chilling revelation of a production” - The Telegraph. “Full of wolfish imagination and alarming surprise” - The Guardian. 115M (NO INTERVAL)
BABYGIRL
FRI 7 FEB 16:45
MON 10 FEB 20:30
TUE 11 FEB 16:45
WED 12 FEB 12:45 THU 13 FEB 16:45
A high-powered CEO puts her career and family on the line when she begins a torrid affair with her much younger intern. Romy Mathis (Nicole Kidman) owns a duplex apartment in the city and a big house in the country. She has a doting husband (Antonio Banderas), two adorable daughters and a gilded career as the CEO of a non-specific “robot business” that runs a successful delivery scheme. She has it all, which naturally means that she wants something else, something more. Before long she has embarked on a perilous affair with her office intern Samuel (Harris Dickinson). Kidman and Dickinson smoulder together, with writer-director Halina Reijn’s clinical gaze keeping this sexually frank thriller more provocative than salacious.
USA 2024 HALINA REIJN 114M
HERE
Director Robert Zemeckis (‘Forrest Gump’, ‘Back to the Future’) reunites with Tom Hanks to bring us an inventive generational story about families and the special place they inhabit, sharing in love, loss, laughter and life.
The film stars Hanks, Robin Wright and Paul Bettany among others, as multiple characters across different eras, all connected to the same ordinary place over centuries. From the distant past to the far future, moments of love, loss and everyday life unfold within these four walls, each scene adding new layers to the meaning of place and belonging. With impressive AI transitions between time periods, ‘Here’ creates a moving, almost surreal experience that celebrates life’s fleeting, interconnected moments. Zemeckis’s latest work is a cinematic puzzle, blending the familiar and the extraordinary in a way only he can. With echoes of Terrence Malick’s ‘The Tree of Life’. All screening times TBC at time of print. Please check website. USA 2024 ROBERT ZEMECKIS 104M
SAT 15 FEB 20:30
SUN 16 FEB 20:30 WED 19 FEB 14:45
FLIGHT RISK
A pilot transports an air marshal accompanying a fugitive to trial. As they cross the Alaskan wilderness, tensions soar and trust is tested, as not everyone on board is who they seem.
In this high-stakes suspense thriller, Mark Wahlberg plays a commercial pilot grappling with a troubled past transporting an air marshal (Michelle Dockery) accompanying a fugitive (Topher Grace) to trial. As they cross the Alaskan wilderness, tensions soar and trust is tested, as not everyone on board is who they seem. With meticulously crafted action sequences and emotional depth unbecoming of your typical action flick, ‘Flight Risk’ is not just a thrill ride but a testament to Mel Gibson’s (back after a seven-year hiatus since ‘Hacksaw Ridge’) expertise in blending spectacle with substance. All screening times TBC at time of print. Please check website.
USA 2024 MEL GIBSON 92M
4
DISCOVER: JAPAN
WE MAKE ANTIQUES!
USO HAPPYAKU
As the first of seven Japanese films in this mini-season, we offer this entertaining crowd-pleaser that offers a comical take on the serious world of antiques trading. Antiques Roadshow meets Ocean’s Eleven!
While searching a rich family’s storehouse one day, opportunist antiques dealer Norio (Nakai Kiichi), among other items finds a valuable 16th century teacup from Japan’s most famous tea master Sen no Rikyu, and deceives the homeowner to get it for almost nothing. However, the homeowner himself is a fake – in reality, he is a talented but impoverished ceramic artist called Sasuke (Sasaki Kuranosuke). Norio soon realises that by combining Sasuke’s artistic prowess and his dealership, they could make a pretty penny. Maybe, just maybe, they can pull off the greatest swindle the world of Japanese antiques has ever seen. This is such an interesting film that manages to entertain while sharing knowledge about the world of antiques, history and pottery with precision. (Subtitles)
JAPAN 2018 TAKE MASAHARU 105M
DISCOVER: JAPAN
CARMEN COMES HOME
KARUMEN KOKYO NI KAERU
4 JAPAN SEASON FILMS FOR PRICE OF 3
THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST
Three-time Olivier Award-winner Sharon D Clarke is joined by Ncuti Gatwa (‘Doctor Who’, ‘Sex Education’) in this joyful reimagining of Oscar Wilde’s most celebrated comedy.
While assuming the role of a dutiful guardian in the country, Jack lets loose in town under a false identity. Meanwhile, his friend Algy adopts a similar facade. Hoping to impress two eligible ladies, the gentlemen find themselves caught in a web of lies they must carefully navigate. Max Webster (‘Life of Pi’) directs this hilarious story of identity, impersonation and romance, filmed live from the National Theatre in London. 180M INC INTERVAL.
A city girl storms a quiet rural village in this iconic light-hearted comedy, which endures as one of Kinoshita Keisuke’s most beloved films.
Just after WWII, in a rural mountain village, the arrival of a girl (Takamine Hideko) and her friend (Kobayashi Toshiko) attracts curiosity from the locals. The girl’s name is Okin, and although originally a village girl, she claims she has now become an artistic dancer in Tokyo going by the stage name of Carmen. The principal of the village school (Chishu Ryu from ‘Tokyo Story’), who considers himself a champion of the arts, is overjoyed to learn that his small village produced such an artist. However, it turns out that Carmen is not a true artistic dancer, but rather a stripper. This film was Japan’s first-ever feature produced in full colour, and in Takamine Hideko, had an actress that was loved by many era-defining Japanese filmmakers.
JAPAN 1951 KINOSHITA KEISUKE 86M
MUFASA: THE LION KING
A musical drama directed by Barry Jenkins (‘Moonlight’) that sees a lost cub meet a sympathetic lion named Taka, and their chance meeting setting in motion an expansive journey of a group of misfits searching for their destiny.
‘Mufasa: The Lion King’ enlists Rafiki to relay the legend of Mufasa to young lion cub Kiara, daughter of Simba and Nala, with Timon and Pumbaa lending their signature schtick. Told in flashbacks, the story introduces Mufasa as an orphaned cub, lost and alone until he meets a sympathetic lion named Taka - the heir to a royal bloodline. This is a prequel to ‘The Lion King’ story we all love, set in the pride lands of Tanzania. Aaron Pierre voices Mufasa, a lion who grows up to become the future king and the father of Simba, and Kelvin Harrison Jr. voices Taka, who later becomes known as Scar. USA 2024 BARRY JENKINS 120M
JAPAN SEASON FILMS FOR PRICE OF 3
VALENTINE’S DAY FILM
14 FEB 18:30
15 FEB 12:45
16 FEB 12:15
17 FEB 20:15
DISCOVER: FRANCE
THE TASTING LA
DÉGUSTATION
One of the highlights of the 2024 French Film Festival on Tour returns just in time for Valentine’s Day! A hugely enjoyable winebased romantic comedy about two awkward singles who form an unlikely couple and inadvertently find love.
Jacques (Bernard Campan) is divorced and runs a struggling wine shop in a small French town. Hortense (Isabelle Carré) is also single, full of life and eager to find true love. One day she walks into his store looking for a good drop and before too long she has signed up for a wine tasting. The road to romance, though, is not exactly smooth, especially when both of them are harbouring secrets – and nursing past hurts. Carré and Campan are both César awardwinning actors and just like a good wine, ‘The Tasting’ has a lasting finish, and is perfect for Valentine’s Day. (Subtitles) FRANCE 2023 IVAN CALBÉRAC 92M
UNCORKEDTHE HISTORY OF ALCOHOL IN FILM
DISCOVER: ITALY
As French romcom ‘The Tasting’ arrives at Chichester Cinema, this talk will look back at some of the films from around the world in which booze has played a part.
From the very early days of cinema to the latest releases, the use and misuse of alcohol has featured regularly. This talk will sample the films that place alcohol at the centre of the narrative, either as the luxury tipple of choice, or the demon drink. Former drinks trade journalist Sandy Guthrie will provide a cocktail of clips to show how wine, beer and spirits can fuel a story or act as a metaphor in films from around the world.
100M INC Q&A - FOLLOWED BY WINE TASTING
WINE TASTING
As a very special event, in partnership with New Park’s new Brighton-based Vegan wine supplier Seven Cellars, we are delighted to present a short red and white wine tasting event in the New Park Bar after the Talk! And this is all included in the regular ticket price! Bargain!
VERMIGLIO, THE MOUNTAIN BRIDE
A beautifully made drama exploring the complex dynamics of a sprawling family near the wartime border with Germany. The lush and breathtaking beauty of the Alps, filmed with painterly grace under natural light from frigid winter to redemptive spring, provides the physical and emotional backdrop for Maura Delpero’s visionary film. In the last days of WWII, we see a series of dramatic, consequential events after the arrival of deserting Sicilian soldier (Giuseppe De Domenico). Including a romance with Lucia (Martina Scrinzi). This was a richly deserving winner of the 2024 Grand Jury prize at the Venice film festival. It is a richly compassionate, emotional and detailed drama of family secrets in wartime Italian countryside, in the manner of Ermanno Olmi or the Taviani brothers. It is wonderfully acted with unaffected naturalism by its cast of professionals and newcomers and plays an extravagant pizzicato on the audience’s heartstrings. (Subtitles)
ITALY 2024 MAURA DELPERO 119M
FRI 14 FEB 20:15
WE LIVE IN TIME
We present a further single screening of this offbeat, deeply emotional decade-spanning romance that brings together the magnetic pairing of Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield. See pg9 for full film details and extra screenings.
UK/FRANCE 2024 JOHN CROWLEY 108M
VALENTINE’S DAY FILM
VALENTINE’S DAY FILM
HARD TRUTHS
21 FEB 15:45
22 FEB 18:00 SUN 23 FEB 19:45
24 FEB 15:45
25 FEB 20:00 WED 26 FEB 12:45 THU 27 FEB 15:45
Legendary British filmmaker Mike Leigh skilfully presents a tragicomic study of human strengths and weaknesses.
Reunited with Leigh for the first time since Oscar-nominated ‘Secrets and Lies’, the astonishing Marianne Jean-Baptiste plays Pansy, a woman wracked by fear, tormented by afflictions and prone to raging tirades against her husband, son and anyone who looks her way. Meanwhile, her easy-going younger sister (Michele Austin) is a single mother with a life as different from Pansy’s as their clashing temperaments. After ‘Mr. Turner’ (2014) and ‘Peterloo’ (2018), Leigh returns to the contemporary world with a fierce, compassionate and often darkly humorous study of family and the thorny ties that bind us. Marianne Jean-Baptiste delivers what is sure to be one of the best performances of the year, in this stunning film full of heart and compassion.
UK 2024 MIKE LEIGH 97M
FILM TALKS
AWARDS 2025
Chichester Cinema is committed to providing a unique Film Education experience. This season we present:
DRACULA ON FILM - John Harte and Nick Johnston-Jones of the Cinema Education Team explore the genesis of this 1922 masterpiece. PG16
MUSICALS - Andrew Vance explores the origins of Musicals in literature and cinema, and how they influence the current creatives. PG22
UNCORKED: ALCOHOL IN FILM
Sandy Guthrie provides a cocktail of clips to show how alcohol fuels a story or acts as a metaphor. PG30
SEX WORKERS IN FILM - Pamela Hutchinson will explore the rich and varied history of sex work on the big screen. PG34
21 FEB 18:00
22 FEB 12:45
SEPTEMBER 5
During the 1972 Munich Olympics, an American sports broadcasting crew finds itself thrust into covering the hostage crisis involving Israeli athletes.
After another day of Mark Spitz winning swimming gold medals, gunshots are heard at the Olympic Village, just a few blocks away from ABC’s temporary headquarters. The broadcast team includes the executive in charge Roone Arledge (Peter Sarsgaard); smart and testy head of operations Marvin (Ben Chaplin); local German translator Marianne (Leonie Benesch); and young producer Geoff (John Magaro), meant to cover an uneventful day of boxing and volleyball, who winds up landing on something much more significant. The film details all the logistical hurdles the team needed to scale so they could capture the crisis as it happened, relying on massive TV cameras, smuggled 16mm film stock, a slew of walkie talkies and plenty of ingenuity. Even more importantly, the movie tackles the tough questions faced by several hardworking newsmen - and one vital female translator - as they dealt with a situation in which many human lives hung in the balance. The film focuses mainly on the coverage of the situation, not really concerning itself with the politics behind it – it can be compared to Spielberg’s ‘The Post’. (Some subtitles)
GERMANY 2024 TIM FEHLBAUM 91M
BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND HERETIC
Two young women of religion are drawn into a game of cat-andmouse in the house of a strange man.
Hugh Grant is arguably delivering career-best work here as the sinister Mr. Reed, a theologist who engages in a riveting game of matching wits and beliefs with Sisters Barnes (Sophie Thatcher) and Paxton (Chloe East), two Mormon missionaries. ‘Heretic’ brings an incredibly sharp religious thriller script to life through a chilling and charismatic performance by Grant. Most of the movie’s horror and tension is achieved through dialogue and conversations about faith and power. It’s provocative, divisive and challenges the audience to question their own convictions when it comes to faith.
USA 2024 SCOTT BECK & BRYAN WOODS 111M
ANORA
SAT 22 FEB 20:00 TUE 25 FEB 15:15
2024 Palme d’Or Winner and one of the Oscar frontrunners! Sean Baker brings us a Coen Brothers-style black comedy which deservedly won the top prize at Cannes this year.
New York escort and table dancer Anora (Mikey Madison) volunteers to look after a Russian high roller. The man is the sweet-faced but otherwise appalling and entitled son of an oligarch, and he quickly takes her back to his luxurious apartment and proposes a Vegas marriage. When his less-than-delighted father hears the news, he sends some goons round to sort out the situation. Sean Baker’s (‘The Florida Project’) latest film is a romance, comedy, dark tragedy, caper, told with such energy its 139-minute running time feels like no time at all, and scene-stealing leading lady Madison is surely destined for stardom thanks to her role that offers a more realistic take than the (sort of) comparable ‘Pretty Woman’.
USA 2024 SEAN BAKER 139M
LOVE FOR SALE
SEX WORK ON SCREEN
As Oscar contender ‘Anora’ returns to Chichester Cinema, this talk will explore the rich and varied history of sex work on the big screen.
Sean Baker’s demi-monde caper ‘Anora’ is a hotly tipped Oscar contender, and success on the night would put it in a long tradition of Academy Award-winning films about sex work. Why does playing a lady of the night so often guarantee Oscars success? And why is the cinema so fascinated with the oldest profession? Where society turns a blind eye, movies, from Fellini’s ‘Nights of Cabiria’ (1957) to Alan Pakula’s ‘Klute’ (1971) to the hit romcom ‘Pretty Woman’ (1990), sprinkle stardust on the street corner. Alongside films that glamorise the brothel, there is also a complementary lineage of feminist cinema advocating for sex workers’ rights, and illuminating a little-understood world, both in documentary and fiction, going right back to the silent era. In this illustrated lecture with clips, Pamela Hutchinson will explore the portrayal on screen of what Beeban Kidron’s scandalous 1993 documentary called ‘Hookers, Hustlers, Pimps and their Johns’.
DISCOVER: JAPAN BUSHIDO
GOBANGIRI
Japan’s beloved period film genre is taken into contemporary hands. This is a lovingly conceived and meticulously executed throwback that revitalises the genre.
Yanagida Kakunoshin (Kusanagi Tsuyoshi) was accused of a crime he did not commit. Having lost his wife and been chased out of his hometown of Hikone, he now lives with his daughter Okinu (Kiyohara Kaya) as a ronin (unemployed samurai) in a poor tenement house in Edo. Kakunoshin is an honest man, and also an expert go player; even on the go board is he a paragon of samurai virtue, never stooping to tricks to win. One day, Kakunoshin learns the truth about the false accusation that brought these tragic circumstances upon him from his former colleagues. Together, he and his daughter resolve to take revenge for the sake of their honour. This period drama shines a contemporary light on the genre’s very traditional subject matters, presenting conflicts of honour and revenge punctuated by emotional abysses, flashes of violence and battles on the go board. (Subtitles)
JAPAN 2024 SHIRAISHI KAZUYA 129M
DISCOVER: JAPAN ICHIKO
A woman is driven to shroud her identity, caught in a web of secrecy. As she conceals herself, the intricate layers of her hidden life unravel.
Kawabe Ichiko (Sugisaki Hana) is in her mid-20s when she disappears without a trace the day after her boyfriend Hasegawa (Wakaba Ryuya) proposes to her. When he tries to file a report, the police inform him that no record of her exists in the Kawabe family register. As Hasegawa tracks down her whereabouts and obtains testimonies from people who had associated with her, Ichiko’s unfathomable past emerges, along with a sad but shocking truth – the harsh fate she had to bear. Based on director Toda Akihiro’s own award-winning stage play and fronted by one of Japan’s most sought-after actors, Sugisaki Hana, as an unfathomable femme fatale, this is a gripping psychological thriller that tackles issues of poverty, child neglect and abuse, as well as the dark social injustice that exists in Japan. (Subtitles)
JAPAN 2023 TODA AKIHIRO 126M
SWAN LAKE
ROYAL BALLET & OPERA
Prince Siegfried chances upon a flock of swans while out hunting. When one of the swans turns into a beautiful woman, Odette, he is enraptured. But she is under a spell that holds her captive, allowing her to regain her human form only at night.
Von Rothbart, arbiter of Odette’s curse, tricks the Prince into declaring his love for the identical Odile and thus breaking his vow to Odette. Doomed to remain a swan forever, Odette has but one way to break the sorcerer’s spell. Tchaikovsky’s sensational score combines with the evocative imagination of choreographer Liam Scarlett and designer John Macfarlane to heighten the dramatic pathos of Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov’s quintessential ballet classic. With Yasmine Naghdi as Odette/Odile and Matthew Ball as prince Siegfried. ‘Swan Lake’ remains to this day one of the bestloved works in the classical ballet canon.
180M INC 2 INTERVALS.
SAT 1 MAR 15:15 TICKETS
JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR
THE MUSICAL
Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s rock classic ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ returns to its roots with this sensational performance. Filmed in the UK during the Live Arena Tour. An incredible cast, including Tim Minchin as Judas Iscariot, Melanie Chisholm as Mary Magdalene, Chris Moyles as King Herod and Ben Forster as Jesus Christ, perform hit songs including ‘I Don’t Know How to Love Him’, ‘Gethsemane’, ‘Heaven on Their Minds’, ‘Everything’s Alright’, ‘King Herod’s Song’ and ‘Superstar’ in an exciting and contemporary interpretation.
105M INC INTERVAL
BRIDGET JONES: MAD ABOUT A BOY
Bridget Jones finally has some luck in her life; she has a great job as a screenwriter, her family and a new boyfriend; the fact that he is over 20 years younger than her isn’t the only thing that is causing problems.
Bridget (Renée Zellweger) navigates life as a widow and single mom with the help of her family, friends and former lover Daniel (Hugh Grant). Back at work and on the apps, she’s pursued by a younger man and maybe - just maybe - her son’s science teacher. Zellweger, Grant, Colin Firth and Emma Thompson reprise their roles as Bridget Jones, Daniel Cleaver, Mark Darcy and Doctor Rawlings, respectively, with Chiwetel Ejiofor, Leo Woodall, Isla Fisher, Josette Simon, Nico Parker and Leila Farzad joining the cast.
UK 2025 MICHAEL MORRIS TIMETBC THU 27 FEB 20:30 TUE 4 MAR 20:30 (FILM CLUB SCREENING)
GUARDIAN
DISCOVER: FRANCE
LE FABULEUX DESTIN D’AMÉLIE POULAIN
The third Film Club (18-25’s) screening of the season is a vibrant French modern classic that sees a young lady on a quest to spread joy, leading her on a journey to true love.
Amélie Poulain (Audrey Tatou) lives in Montmartre, where she works as a waitress in an old-style café. Her life is changed forever when she discovers a box of toys in her house, and decides to try to track down the boy, now a man, and return his childhood treasures. On her quest she helps those around her and changes their lives, including quirky characters played by Dominique Pinon and Matthieu Kassovitz. Shot in over 80 Parisian locations, acclaimed director Jean-Pierre Jeunet (‘Delicatessen’) invokes his incomparable visionary style to capture the exquisite charm and mystery of modern-day Paris through the eyes of a beautiful ingenue. This is a sheer delight and will entrance everyone who sees it. (Subtitles)
FRANCE 2001 JEAN-PIERRE JEUNET 122M
FRI 28 FEB 18:00
TUE 4 MAR 20:30 WED 5 MAR 13:15 THU 6 MAR 20:30
SATURDAY NIGHT
At 11:30pm on 11 October 1975, a ferocious troupe of young comedians and writers changed television forever. Find out what happened behind the scenes in the 90 minutes leading up to the first broadcast of Saturday Night Live. Full of humour, chaos and the magic of a revolution that almost wasn’t, we count down the minutes in real time until we hear those famous words… “Live from New York, it’s Saturday Night!”. This seems like a foolhardy challenge of finding sufficiently funny people to play some of TV’s most beloved - actors who could channel the frailties and insecurities of their counterparts, taking icons and making them human. Who plays Chevy Chase? Or Gilda Radner? Or John Belushi, for that matter? Reitman finds just the right ensemble to capture the lunacy from which ‘SNL’ was born.
USA 2024 JASON REITMAN 109M
DISCOVER: IRAN
THE SEED OF THE SACRED FIG
DANE-YE ANJIR-E MA’ABED
A mesmerisingly gripping and controlled parable-thriller in which the paranoia, misogyny and rage of the Iranian state are mapped seamlessly onto an ordinary family unit.
Iman (Missagh Zareh) is a judge who sees the benefits for his family in his career’s rapid advancement, but his student daughters (Setareh Malek and Mahsa Rostami) are suspicious of his increasing collaboration with the regime. He is warned not to confide in his wife (Soheila Golestani) as he is encouraged to wave through death sentences without considering the evidence. Iman’s divided loyalties are exposed when his government-issued handgun goes missing, and suspicion falls on the women in his home. Having debuted at Cannes following Rasoulof fleeing Iran in fears for his
PRESENCE
The masterful Steven Soderbergh gives us a thriller about a family hoping for a fresh start after a period of unease. They becomes convinced they are not alone after moving into their new home. A family - Rebekah (Lucy Liu), Chris (Chris Sullivan) and teen kids Chloe (a phenomenal Callina Liang) and Tyler (Eddy Maday)arrive at their new home in the suburbs with excess baggage and tensions they hope will dissipate. Chloe, grieving the recent loss of a friend, can see a “presence”, which starts interacting with her in unexpected ways. Shot entirely from the first-person perspective of a haunting spirit, the slow-burn thriller might have collapsed in less experienced hands, but Soderbergh expertly puts a terrific ensemble through their paces. Thirty-five years after his Palme d’Or for ‘Sex, Lies, and Videotape’ it is so inspiring that Soderbergh is still here making movies the way he wants to make them, playing with form in fresh and exciting ways, reminding us that he is one of film’s more remarkable storytellers.
USA 2024 STEVEN SODERBERGH 85M
AMBERLEY
WHAT’S ON
FRI 3 JAN
13:15 THE COMMANDER (15) 120M
15:45 THE ORDER (15) 114M
18:00 QUEER (15) 135M
20:45 KNEECAP (15) 105M
SAT 4 JAN
13:30 ABOUT DRY GRASSES (15) 197M + COMFORT BREAK
17:15 THE ORDER
19:45 QUEER
SUN 5 JAN
12:00 IN RESTLESS DREAMS: THE MUSIC OF PAUL SIMON 220M INC INTERVAL
15:45 QUEER
18:15 THE ORDER
20:30 POINT BREAK (15) 122M
MON 6 JAN
13:00 THE ORDER
15:30 QUEER
18:15 KNEECAP
20:30 THE COMMANDER
TUE 7 JAN
13:00 QUEER
15:45 THE ORDER
18:00 THE UNIVERSAL THEORY (15) 118M
20:15 FILM CLUB: POINT BREAK
WED 8 JAN
12:30 THE COMMANDER
14:45 THE UNIVERSAL THEORY
17:00 THE ORDER
THU 9 JAN
13:15 THE UNIVERSAL THEORY
15:45 THE ORDER
18:00 QUEER
20:45 THE COMMANDER
FRI 10 JAN
13:15 WE LIVE IN TIME (15) 108M
15:45 SMALL THINGS LIKE THESE (12A) 96M
18:00 WE LIVE IN TIME
20:15 NIGHTBITCH (15) 99M
SAT 11 JAN
13:45 ON BECOMING A GUINEA FOWL (PG) 95M
16:00 THE CONTESTANT (PG) 90M
18:00 WE LIVE IN TIME
20:15 WE LIVE IN TIME
SUN 12 JAN
13:15 WE LIVE IN TIME
15:45 WE LIVE IN TIME
18:00 CLUB ZERO (18) 110M
20:15 SMALL THINGS LIKE THESE
MON 13 JAN
13:30 ON BECOMING A GUINEA FOWL
15:45 SMALL THINGS LIKE THESE
18:00 WE LIVE IN TIME
20:15 WE LIVE IN TIME
TUE 14 JAN
13:15 WE LIVE IN TIME
15:30 CLUB ZERO
18:00 SMALL THINGS LIKE THESE
20:00 WE LIVE IN TIME
WED 15 JAN
13:15 SMALL THINGS LIKE THESE 15:30 WE LIVE IN TIME
18:00 ON BECOMING A GUINEA FOWL
20:00 THE CONTESTANT
THU 16 JAN
13:15 SMALL THINGS LIKE THESE
15:30 WE LIVE IN TIME
18:00 WE LIVE IN TIME
20:15 NIGHTBITCH
FRI 17 JAN
13:00 MARIA (15) 124M
15:30 CONCLAVE (15) 120M
17:45 MARIA
20:00 CONCLAVE
SAT 18 JAN
10:30 GOTHIC CINEMA TALK 100M INC Q&A
12:30 MARIA
14:45 ROCCO AND HIS BROTHERS (15) 179M + SHORT INTERVAL
18:15 CONCLAVE
20:45 MARIA
SUN 19 JAN
11:30 MARIA
14:00 THE TALES OF HOFFMANN (ROB) 215M INC 2 INTERVALS
18:15 MARIA
20:30 CONCLAVE
MON 20 JAN
12:45 MARIA
15:15 CONCLAVE
18:00 CONCLAVE
20:30 MARIA
TUE 21 JAN
12:45 MARIA
15:15 NO OTHER LAND (PG) 92M
17:30 MARIA
20:00 CONCLAVE
WED 22 JAN
12:45 CONCLAVE
16:00 MARIA
THU 23 JAN
13:30 MARIA
15:30 ONE LIFE (PG) 109M
18:00 MARIA
20:30 NO OTHER LAND
FRI 24 JAN
13:15 A REAL PAIN (15) 90M
15:45 HOW TO MAKE MILLIONS BEFORE GRANDMA DIES (12A) 125M
18:15 A REAL PAIN
20:15 NOSFERATU (15) 122M
SAT 25 JAN
13:00 A REAL PAIN
15:00 THE BARN (PRIVATE SCREENING)
16:00 VAN GOGH: POETS AND LOVERS (EXHIBITION ON SCREEN) 90M
18:00 NOSFERATU
20:30 A REAL PAIN
SUN 26 JAN
12:00 A REAL PAIN
14:00 AIDA (MET OPERA)
220M INC INTERVAL
18:00 2073 (PG) 85M + INTERVIEW
20:30 A REAL PAIN
MON 27 JAN
13:15 VAN GOGH: POETS AND LOVERS (EXHIBITION ON SCREEN) 90M
15:15 A REAL PAIN
18:00 ONE LIFE (HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL DAY)
20:15 A REAL PAIN
TUE 28 JAN
13:30 A REAL PAIN
15:30 HOW TO MAKE MILLIONS BEFORE GRANDMA DIES
18:00 A REAL PAIN
20:30 NOSFERATU
WED 29 JAN
13:15 VAN GOGH: POETS AND LOVERS (EXHIBITION ON SCREEN) 90M
15:15 NOSFERATU
18:00 A REAL PAIN
20:00 A REAL PAIN
THU 30 JAN
13:00 A REAL PAIN
15:00 2073
17:00 A REAL PAIN
19:00 AIDA (MET OPERA) 220M INC INTERVAL
FRI 31 JAN
12:15 A COMPLETE UNKNOWN (15) 132M
15:00 NICKEL BOYS (15) 140M
17:45 A COMPLETE UNKNOWN
20:30 BETTER MAN (15) 134M
SAT 1 FEB
10:30 STORIES AND FILMS BEHIND THE SHOWS TALK 100M INC Q&A
12:30 A COMPLETE UNKNOWN 15:15 CALLAS (PG) 92M + TONY PALMER Q&A
18:00 A COMPLETE UNKNOWN
20:45 THE GIRL WITH THE NEEDLE (15) 115M
SUN 2 FEB
11:45 A COMPLETE UNKNOWN
14:30 LES MISÉRABLES (MUSICAL) 185M INC INTERVAL
17:30 NICKEL BOYS
20:15 A COMPLETE UNKNOWN MON 3 FEB
12:45 A COMPLETE UNKNOWN
15:30 THE GIRL WITH THE NEEDLE
18:00 A COMPLETE UNKNOWN
20:30 BETTER MAN
TUE 4 FEB
12:30 A COMPLETE UNKNOWN
15:15 A COMPLETE UNKNOWN
18:00 LES MISÉRABLES (MUSICAL) 21:00 PSYCHO (15) 109
WED 5 FEB
12:45 A COMPLETE UNKNOWN
15:30 A COMPLETE UNKNOWN
18:15 NOSFERATU: A SYMPHONY OF HORROR (PG) 94M
20:00 MACBETH (DONMAR WAREHOUSE) 115M
THU 6 FEB
12:15 A COMPLETE UNKNOWN
15:00 NICKEL BOYS
17:45 A COMPLETE UNKNOWN
20:30 A COMPLETE UNKNOWN
FRI 7 FEB
12:45 THE BRUTALIST (15) 215M INC INTERVAL
16:45 BABYGIRL (15) 114M
19:00 THE BRUTALIST
SAT 8 FEB
12:45 THE BRUTALIST
16:45 WE MAKE ANTIQUES! (ADV15) 105M
19:00 THE BRUTALIST
SUN 9 FEB
12:45 THE BRUTALIST
16:45 MACBETH (DONMAR WAREHOUSE) 115M
19:00 THE BRUTALIST
MON 10 FEB
12:30 THE BRUTALIST
16:30 THE BRUTALIST
20:30 BABYGIRL
TUE 11 FEB
12:45 THE BRUTALIST
16:45 BABYGIRL
19:00 THE BRUTALIST
WED 12 FEB
12:45 BABYGIRL
15:00 THE BRUTALIST
THU 13 FEB
12:45 THE BRUTALIST
16:45 BABYGIRL
19:00 THE BRUTALIST
FRI 14 FEB
12:15 THE BRUTALIST (15) 215M INC INTERVAL
16:15 VERMIGLIO, THE MOUNTAIN BRIDE (15) 119M
18:30 THE TASTING (15) 92M
20:15 WE LIVE IN TIME (15) 108M
SAT 15 FEB
10:00 UNCORKED: THE HISTORY OF ALCOHOL IN FILM - TALK 100M INC Q&A & WINE TASTING
12:30 THE TASTING
14:30 HERE (PG) 104M
16:30 THE BRUTALIST
20:30 FLIGHT RISK (15) 92M
SUN 16 FEB
12:15 THE TASTING
14:15 THE BRUTALIST
18:15 HERE
20:30 FLIGHT RISK
MON 17 FEB
12:15 MUFASA: THE LION KING (PG) 120M
14:30 THE BRUTALIST
18:30 CARMEN COMES HOME (ADVPG) 86M
20:15 THE TASTING
TUE 18 FEB
12:15 THE BRUTALIST
16:15 THE BRUTALIST
20:15 HERE
WED 19 FEB
12:30 MUFASA: THE LION KING
14:45 FLIGHT RISK
16:45 THE BRUTALIST
20:45 VERMIGLIO, THE MOUNTAIN BRIDE
THU 20 FEB
13:00 THE BRUTALIST
17:00 VERMIGLIO, THE MOUNTAIN BRIDE
19:30 THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST (NT LIVE) 180M INC INTERVAL
FRI 21 FEB
13:15 MUFASA: THE LION KING (PG) 120M
15:45 HARD TRUTHS (15) 97M
18:00 SEPTEMBER 5 (15) 91M
20:00 HERETIC (15) 111M
SAT 22 FEB
10:30 SEX WORKERS IN FILM TALK 100M INC Q&A
12:45 SEPTEMBER 5
14:45 TBC - BAFTA WINNER
18:00 HARD TRUTHS
20:00 ANORA (18) 139M
SUN 23 FEB
12:00 MUFASA: THE LION KING
14:30 THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST (NT LIVE) 180M INC INTERVAL
17:45 SEPTEMBER 5
19:45 HARD TRUTHS
MON 24 FEB
13:30 SEPTEMBER 5
15:45 HARD TRUTHS
18:00 BUSHIDO (ADV15) 129M
20:30 SEPTEMBER 5
TUE 25 FEB
12:30 TBC - BAFTA WINNER
15:15 ANORA
18:00 SEPTEMBER 5
20:00 HARD TRUTHS
WED 26 FEB
12:45 HARD TRUTHS
14:45 HERETIC
17:00 SEPTEMBER 5
THU 27 FEB
13:30 SEPTEMBER 5
15:45 HARD TRUTHS
16:30 TBC - BAFTA WINNER
20:30 AMÉLIE (15) 122M
FRI 28 FEB
10:00 BRIDGET JONES: MAD ABOUT A BOY
12:15 THE SEED OF THE SACRED FIG (PG) 168M
15:30 BRIDGET JONES: MAD ABOUT A BOY (12A) 120M
18:00 SATURDAY NIGHT (15) 109M
20:15 BRIDGET JONES: MAD ABOUT A BOY
SAT 1 MAR
12:45 BRIDGET JONES: MAD ABOUT A BOY
15:15 JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR (MUSICAL) 105M
INC INTERVAL
17:15 BRIDGET JONES: MAD ABOUT A BOY
19:45 THE SEED OF THE SACRED FIG
SUN 2 MAR
12:00 BRIDGET JONES: MAD ABOUT A BOY
14:30 SWAN LAKE (ROB) 180M INC 2 INTERVALS
18:15 BRIDGET JONES: MAD ABOUT A BOY
20:45 PRESENCE (15) 85M
NEW PARK SEAT PLAN
MON 3 MAR
13:00 BRIDGET JONES: MAD ABOUT A BOY
15:30 BRIDGET JONES: MAD ABOUT A BOY
18:00 ICHIKO (ADV15) 126M
20:30 SATURDAY NIGHT
TUE 4 MAR
12:45 BRIDGET JONES: MAD ABOUT A BOY
15:15 BRIDGET JONES: MAD ABOUT A BOY
18:00 BRIDGET JONES: MAD ABOUT A BOY
20:30 AMÉLIE (15) 122M
WED 5 MAR
13:15 SATURDAY NIGHT
15:30 BRIDGET JONES: MAD ABOUT A BOY
18:00 PRESENCE
20:00 BRIDGET JONES: MAD ABOUT A BOY
THU 6 MAR
10:15 BRIDGET JONES: MAD ABOUT A BOY - BABY MAKES 2
12:30 BRIDGET JONES: MAD ABOUT A BOY
14:45 THE SEED OF THE SACRED FIG 18:00 BRIDGET JONES: MAD ABOUT A BOY
20:30 SATURDAY NIGHT
