Merchant Ivory12A

Directed by Stephen Soucy | USA | 2024 | 1h 51m

From creating documentaries in India during the 1960s to producing the Oscar-winning romantic dramas of the 1990s, James Ivory and Ismail Merchant’s partnership in both life and film has left a lasting mark on cinema history. This captivating documentary features interviews with frequent collaborators, including Vanessa Redgrave, Emma Thompson, and Helena Bonham Carter, and offers a behind-the-scenes look at their most influential works while exploring the profound bond that defined their relationship.

Reviews

‘More important and radically, the film explores groundbreaking depictions of the inner lives of gay men in several Merchant Ivory films.’
Alissa Wilkinson, The New York Times

‘”Merchant Ivory” will almost certainly put you in the mood for a Merchant-Ivory movie, which might turn out to be even better than you remembered — a period piece that, for all its trappings of the past, couldn’t feel less remote.’
Zachary Barnes, Wall Street Journal

Sorry - you missed it!

We showed Merchant Ivory between January 5, 2025 and January 9, 2025.

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What else is on?

Today (Saturday 2nd August)

16:00

Friendship 15
1h 41m
What begins as a quirky bromance spirals into a hilariously dark tale of obsession and unraveling sanity. Comedian Tim Robinson shines in this off-kilter comedy about loneliness and the awkward terror of modern male connection.

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18:30

Separation / It Couldn't Happen 15
1h 33m + 1h 26m
A double-bill screening of films by Jack Bond: Separation, a bold 1960s psychological drama, and It Couldn’t Happen Here, the Pet Shop Boys’ visionary pop road movie. Two cult classics back-to-back exploring identity, fantasy, and Britain in transformation.

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Tomorrow (Sunday 3rd August)

14:00

Ran 15
2h 41m | Japanese w/ English subtitles
Kurosawa’s King Lear retold in feudal Japan: a warlord’s plan to divide his realm brings ruin to all. Epic, tragic, and visually jaw-dropping, Ran is a towering tale of power, betrayal, and the high cost of pride – now restored in 4K.

Book here

17:30

Friendship 15
1h 41m
What begins as a quirky bromance spirals into a hilariously dark tale of obsession and unraveling sanity. Comedian Tim Robinson shines in this off-kilter comedy about loneliness and the awkward terror of modern male connection.

Book here

20:00

Women's Adventure Film Tour PG
2h 28m (inc. 10min intermission)
Experience a bold, exhilarating lineup of short films celebrating women who dare to defy limits. From epic climbs to personal triumphs, these powerful stories blend adventure and emotion in a globally acclaimed celebration of female courage and grit.

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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!