Afire12A

Directed by Christian Petzold | Germany | 2022 | 1h 43m | German w/ English subtitles | Starring Paula Beer, Thomas Schubert, Enno Trebs, Langston Uibel, Matthias Brandt

A young writer who struggling to finish the follow-up to his first book goes on a much-needed writing retreat to his family’s seaside cottage on the German Riviera. To his surprise, a mysterious woman is already staying there. But, as the pair grow closer, an encroaching forest fire looms in the distance. A sharp and humorous portrayal of creative struggles and the subjectivities of passion from critically-acclaimed director Christian Peztold (Phoenix, Transit).

🏆 Winner of the Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize at the 2023 Berlin International Film Festival.

Reviews

‘Christian Petzold returns with something lighter, funnier and more instantly-lovable than his recent run…Exceptional stuff.’
★★★★★
Marina Ashioti, Little White Lies

‘Witty and sad, awkward and surprising’
★★★★
Ed Potton, The Times

Sorry - you missed it!

We showed Afire between September 8, 2023 and September 14, 2023.

Join our mailing list and we'll make sure you always know what's on and when.

What else is on?

Today (Sunday 28th June)
Find out more

12:45

Matilda PG
Kino Kids Cinema Club
1h 38m
Kino Kids Cinema Club
Brilliant young Matilda discovers friendship and encouragement from her teacher, Miss Honey, while facing the terrifying Miss Trunchbull and her neglectful parents. This Roald Dahl adaptation celebrates courage, kindness, and standing up for what is right.

Book here

Find out more

15:00

Savage House 15
1h 54m
When ruthless social climbers Sir Chauncey and Lady Savage secure a dinner with the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire, their ambitions collide with pox, Jacobite uprising, and bloodshed. Claire Foy and Richard E. Grant star in this sharp period comedy about class and power.

Book here

Find out more

17:45

Time and Water PG
1h33m
Author Andri Snær Magnason weaves family archives, traditional song, and Icelandic folklore into an elegy for a disappearing landscape. An urgent, deeply personal documentary about memory, loss, and living through irreversible change, from director Sara Dosa (Fire of Love).

Book here

Find out more

20:00

Legally Blonde 12A
+ Introduction
1h 36m
Oxford Comedy Festival 2026
Reese Witherspoon is irresistible in this beloved rom-com-turned-courtroom triumph. Dumped and underestimated, sorority queen Elle Woods storms Harvard Law, proving sharp wit and a killer wardrobe are all you need. Part of the Oxford Comedy Festival 2026.

Book here


Tomorrow (Monday 29th June)
Find out more

18:00

Legally Blonde 12A
1h 36m
Oxford Comedy Festival 2026
Reese Witherspoon is irresistible in this beloved rom-com-turned-courtroom triumph. Dumped and underestimated, sorority queen Elle Woods storms Harvard Law, proving sharp wit and a killer wardrobe are all you need. Part of the Oxford Comedy Festival 2026.

Book here

Find out more

20:15

Obsession 18
1h 49m
Bear pines for his friend Nikki but can't confess his feelings, until a lucky charm does the work for him. In this sharp, darkly comic horror debut, getting what you want proves to have a terrible, skin-crawling cost.

Book here


See all upcoming films

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!

Find out more