Black NarcissusPG

Directed by Michael Powell & Emeric Pressburger | UK | 1947 | 1h 41m | Starring Deborah Kerr, David Farrar, Kathleen Byron, Flora Robson, Jenny Laird

A group of Anglican nuns open a makeshift convent in the Himalayan mountains. However, the harsh climate and the unexpected presence of a British agent sow discord among the sisters, escalating tensions within their secluded world. Renowned for its exquisite cinematography and highlighted by Deborah Kerr’s exceptional lead performance, Powell and Pressburger’s psychosexual melodrama delves into the intricate interplay between faith, desire, and isolation.

Classic Season: Powell & Pressburger

Reviews

‘There’s something truly unearthly about this place of howling winds, yawning chasms and atmosphere thick with temptation. Sanctity, it will be proven, is no match for sin.’
★★★★★
Keith Uhlich, Time Out

‘Run, don’t walk to see this 1947 classic from Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger.’
★★★★★
Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian

Sorry - you missed it!

We showed Black Narcissus between December 17, 2023 and December 18, 2023.

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What else is on?

Today (Wednesday 17th June)
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15:30

The Christophers 15
Descriptive Subtitles
1h 40m
A reclusive London artist (Ian McKellen) becomes the target of a scheme by his estranged children, who recruit a young painter (Michaela Coel) to infiltrate his home and uncover hidden works. Steven Soderbergh’s darkly comic chamber piece explores deception, legacy and artistic value.

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18:00

The Spirit of the Beehive PG
1h 38m | Spanish w/ English subtitles
Director's Cuts: Lucile Hadžihalilović
In a small Spanish village under early Franco rule, a child’s fascination with Frankenstein blurs imagination and reality. Victor Erice’s celebrated classic is a landmark of Spanish cinema, revered for its poetic depiction of childhood and political shadowed history.

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20:30

Backrooms 15
1h 45m
When a patient vanishes through a strange basement doorway of a furniture showroom, his therapist follows him into a disorienting dimension. Expanding Kane Parsons’ cult online series, this feature-length adaptation stars Chiwetel Ejiofor and Renate Reinsve and bringing “liminal horror” to the big screen.

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Tomorrow (Thursday 18th June)
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15:15

Eagles of the Republic 15
2h 8m | Arabic w/ English subtitles
Under pressure from Egyptian authorities, an actor reluctantly stars in a state-backed film, only to become entangled in a dangerous affair with a general’s wife. Award-winning filmmaker Tarik Saleh (The Nile Hilton Incident) delivers a satirical political thriller set amid corruption in Cairo.

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18:00

Backrooms 15
1h 45m
When a patient vanishes through a strange basement doorway of a furniture showroom, his therapist follows him into a disorienting dimension. Expanding Kane Parsons’ cult online series, this feature-length adaptation stars Chiwetel Ejiofor and Renate Reinsve and bringing “liminal horror” to the big screen.

Book here

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20:30

Song 15
£6 for Members
1h 44m
Rethinking Weimar Cinema
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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 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!

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