Scala!!!18

Directed by Jane Giles, Ali Catterall | UK | 2023 | 1h 36m

During the 1970s and 80s, the iconic Scala cinema curated an eclectic mix of films, ranging from high art to cult classics. Pushing the boundaries of convention, the venue became an inspiration for many local creatives. With interviews, unseen archive footage, and clips from notorious films, this uproarious behind-the-scenes documentary explores the legacy of a beloved independent venue and celebrates the weird and wild side of cinema.

Join us on Saturday 13th January for a special Q&A screening with film director Ali Catterall.

Reviews

‘What elevates the story is the matter-of-fact delivery: for most people, it would be the stuff that nightmares are made of, but it’s just another night at the Scala.’
★★★★
Wendy Ide, The Observer

‘Deeply evocative of a London that has changed beyond recognition, for better or worse, and of a lost utopia of cinema-going as shared experience.’
★★★★
Jonathan Romney, The FT

Sorry - you missed it!

We showed Scala!!! between January 13, 2024 and January 18, 2024.

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What else is on?

Today (Saturday 30th May)

17:30

Earwig 15
+ Director Q&A
1h 55m
In a claustrophobic post-war apartment, a man cares for a girl whose fragile condition is managed through ritual and control. An austere blend of European art cinema and psychological horror. Screening followed by an in-person director Q&A with Lucile Hadzihalilovic.

Book here

20:30

Hokum 15
1h 47m
When novelist Ohm Bauman (Adam Scott) retreats to a remote inn to scatter his parents’ ashes, he is unsettled by rumours of a witch haunting the honeymoon suite. Damian McCarthy’s atmospheric psychological horror blends folklore, grief and eerie supernatural mystery.

Book here


Tomorrow (Sunday 31st May)

12:30

The Lego Movie U
Kino Kids Cinema Club
1h 40m
Ordinary LEGO figure Emmet is mistaken for a prophesied hero. Reluctantly joining quirky allies, he embarks on a mission to stop an evil tyrant, discovering courage, creativity, and humour along the way in this colourful, action-packed animated adventure.

Book here

15:00

Valerie and Her Week of Wonders 15
+ Introduction
1h 17m + 18m short film | Czech w/ English subtitles
In a surreal coming-of-age journey, a girl navigates a dreamlike world of vampires, shifting identities, and religious imagery. A key Czech New Wave classic, it is celebrated for its baroque visual style and influential fusion of horror, folklore, and psychoanalysis.

Book here

17:15

Romería 15
1h 52m | Spanish w/ English subtitles
Aspiring filmmaker Marina travels to Galicia to uncover her family’s past, following her late mother’s diary. As buried truths emerge, she confronts grief, identity and belonging in Carla Simón’s (Summer 1993, Alcarràs) warm, autobiographical drama about memory and emotional inheritance.

Book here

20:00

Hokum 15
1h 47m
When novelist Ohm Bauman (Adam Scott) retreats to a remote inn to scatter his parents’ ashes, he is unsettled by rumours of a witch haunting the honeymoon suite. Damian McCarthy’s atmospheric psychological horror blends folklore, grief and eerie supernatural mystery.

Book here


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 only show a few adverts – less than most cinemas – and we only play a couple of trailers, so please don’t be late as the film itself starts very close to the advertised time!