IkiruPG

Directed by Akira Kurosawa | Japan | 1952 | 2h 23m | Japanese w/ English subtitles | Starring Takashi Shimura, Miki Odagiri, Nobuo Kaneko, Shin'ichi Himori, Haruo Tanaka

The mundane life of a middle-aged bureaucrat is turned upside down when he discovers that he has a terminal illness. After reflecting on the meaning of his life, he becomes obsessed with pursuing the construction of a children’s playground in a nearby neglected neighbourhood. One of the greatest achievements by master filmmaker Akira Kurosawa, Ikiru is celebrated for its deep exploration of existential themes and its compassionate portrayal of one man’s quest for meaning in the face of mortality.

Our screening on Sunday 15th October will be introduced by Tom Jowett, Head of Programming, The Ultimate Picture Palace.

Reviews

‘Such is the delicacy of Kurosawa’s direction, and the discreet power of Takashi Shimura’s central performance, that you will be moved to tears.’
★★★★★
Adrian Turner, Radio Times

‘The narrative is carefully paced, the central performance magnificent, the final effect overwhelming in a manner that recalls the great Russian writers Kurosawa admired.’
Philip French, The Observer

Sorry - you missed it!

We showed Ikiru between October 15, 2023 and October 16, 2023.

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

What else is on?

Today (Wednesday 29th November)

21:00

On the Adamant PG
1h 49m | French w/ English subtitles
Nicolas Philibert’s empathetic documentary set in a Parisian care centre for adults with mental health issues. Winner of the Golden Bear (Best Film) at the 2023 Berlin Film Festival.

Book here


Tomorrow (Thursday 30th November)

12:30

Typist Artist Pirate King 12A
Parent + Baby Screening
1h 48m
Monica Dolan and Kelly Macdonald star in Carol Morley's (The Falling, Dreams of a Life) bittersweet drama based on the real-life of forgotten British artist Audrey Amiss.

Book here

16:00

Typist Artist Pirate King 12A
1h 48m
Monica Dolan and Kelly Macdonald star in Carol Morley's (The Falling, Dreams of a Life) bittersweet drama based on the real-life of forgotten British artist Audrey Amiss.

Book here

18:30

The Afterlight PG
+ Director Intro/Q&A
1h 22m
Existing as a sole 35mm print, Charlie Shackleton's otherworldly film essay assembles film clips from across space and time. One-off screening followed by a Q&A with the filmmaker.

Book here

21:00

How to Have Sex 15
1h 31m
Three teenagers go to Crete on a rites-of-passage holiday full of boozing and clubbing in Molly Manning Walker's award-winning look at the joys and the horrors of a distinctly British youth culture.

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 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!