Burning An Illusion15

Directed by Menelik Shabazz | UK | 1981 | 1h 46m | Starring Cassie McFarlane, Beverley Martin, Angela Wynter, Chris Tummings

A young black woman in England becomes increasingly frustrated with her life with her lazy, demanding boyfriend. With the help of her friends, she seeks something better, and goes on a journey of emotional and political awakening. Menelik Shabazz’s pioneering first feature, shot around the communities of Notting Hill and Ladbroke Grove, marked a coming of age for black British cinema and was the first British film to give a central voice to a black woman.

Reviews

‘The film is lively, accurate and thought-provoking, burning illusions without substituting too many of its own. A highly promising debut.’
Derek Malcolm, The Guardian

Sorry - you missed it!

We showed Burning An Illusion between October 23, 2022 and October 26, 2022.

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What else is on?

Today (Saturday 4th May)

13:45

Close Your Eyes 12A
2h 49m | Spanish w/ English subtitles
A filmmaker is invited to be interviewed for a true-crime documentary about an actor who mysteriously disappeared decades ago. A stunning exploration of memory by legendary director Víctor Erice (The Spirit of the Beehive).

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17:15

Monkey Man 18
2h 1m
In an underground boxing club, a young fighter unleashes furious rage on the city’s corrupt elite who destroyed his family. A bone-crunching action revenge thriller directed by Dev Patel (The Green Knight).

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Tomorrow (Sunday 5th May)

15:00

The Cook, the Thief, His Wife... 18
2h 4m
Revenge is the dish of the day in Peter Greenaway's stylish and provocative gastronomical crime-drama satirising the social, moral, and political decay of Britain during the 1980s.

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17:45

The Teachers' Lounge 12A
1h 39m | German w/ English subtitles
When one of her students becomes a suspect in a theft, a teacher resolves to uncover the truth. German director lker Çatak explores the school microcosm as a reflection of our society in this Oscar-nominated drama.

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20:00

The Sweet East 18
1h 44m
Jacob Elordi and Ayo Edebiri star in this hazy road-movie about a teenager on a cross-country trip across America where she encounters pseudo-intellectuals, wannabe artists, and a gang of Neo-Nazis.

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Plan your visit

Our beautiful art deco inspired auditorium can be found just off East Oxford's Cowley Road. We are open 7 days a week. We open the cinema and box office 30 minutes before the scheduled start time of each film, and the Box Office then closes 10 minutes after the film starts. We don’t show adverts, just a couple of trailers, so don't be late as the film itself starts very close to the advertised time!