Hard Truths12A

Directed by Mike Leigh | UK | 2024 | 1h 37m | Starring Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Samantha Spiro, Jo Martin, Ruby Bentall, Gary Beadle

Sisters Pansy and Chantal couldn’t be more different, yet their deep bond serves as the cornerstone of their extended family. While Pansy’s anger at the world manifests in lashing out at her husband, son, doctors, and even strangers, her behaviour grows increasingly hostile. Over the course of a tumultuous Mother’s Day weekend, long-buried tensions reach their boiling point. Legendary British filmmaker Mike Leigh (Secrets & Lies, Mr. Turner) delivers a poignant and bittersweet exploration of a working-class family in crisis, anchored by a powerhouse performance from Marianne Jean-Baptiste (Oscar-nominated for Leigh’s 1996 film Secrets & Lies).

🏆 Nominated for 2 BAFTA Film Awards (including Best Leading Actress).

Reviews

‘Leigh’s strategy of taking us into his characters’ world without prelude or explanation, letting the revelations and backstory waft out, help make his films feel authentic.’
★★★★★
Caryn James, BBC

‘In an era when we are quick to admonish bad behaviour, it’s a reminder of the importance of asking why someone may be behaving badly.’
★★★★
Ed Potton, The Times

Sorry - you missed it!

We showed Hard Truths between February 21, 2025 and March 7, 2025.

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Tomorrow (Monday 16th February)
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18:00

H Is for Hawk 12A
Descriptive subtitles
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Grieving her father’s death, Helen finds solace in training a wild goshawk, forcing her to confront her own emotional isolation. Claire Foy gives a career-best performance in this deeply moving adaptation of Helen MacDonald’s acclaimed memoir.

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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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