Kicking the Bucket Festival presents: Birth15

Directed by Jonathan Glazer | UK/USA | 2004 | 1h 40m | Starring Nicole Kidman, Cameron Bright, Danny Huston, Lauren Bacall, Alison Elliott

Ten years after the sudden death of her husband, Anna is on the cusp of marrying her newfound love, ready to leave her past behind. However, on the evening of her engagement celebration, a young boy appears and claims to be the reincarnation of her deceased spouse. Jonathan Glazer’s (Sexy Beast, Under the Skin) under-appreciated metaphysical drama (co-authored with esteemed French novelist and award-winning screenwriter Jean-Claude Carrière) emerges as one of the most enigmatic and captivating head-scratchers in 21st-century American film.

Reviews

‘Jonathan Glazer’s ‘Birth’ is a misunderstood masterpiece…Existing in the same curious dreamlike realm as Stanley Kubrick’s Eyes Wide Shut, Glazer’s story is a deeply thoughtful exploration of everlasting love’
Calum Russell, Far Out Magazine

‘Birth is meant to bewilder. The chaos is thrilling, however, because the characters are so recognisably human. They behave irresponsibly. They abuse trust. But their emotional vulnerability is haunting.’
Charlotte O’Sullivan, Evening Standard

Sorry - you missed it!

We showed Kicking the Bucket Festival presents: Birth between October 12, 2023 and October 12, 2023.

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What else is on?

Today (Monday 15th December)

17:30

Pillion 18
Descriptive Subtitles
1h 47m
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20:00

CUTS: Secret Santa 18
Will you get what you want for CUTSMAS? Join CUTS (Cinema Under The Stairs) for their annual festive knees-up filled with mulled wine, popcorn, prizes, and a mystery Christmas classic movie selected by the audience! Ticket cost £10, book and vote today!

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Tomorrow (Tuesday 16th December)

18:00

Kalamita (Calamity) 15
£6 for Members
1h 41m | Czech w/ English subtitles
A drifting student becomes a train conductor and the object of multiple affections in Věra Chytilová’s witty, subversive satire. Beneath the playful humour lies a sharp critique of Czechoslovakia’s bureaucratic absurdities.

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20:15

Alpha 18
£6 for members
2h 8m | French w/ English subtitles
Rebellious Alpha clashes with her doctor mother amid fears she’s infected by a terrifying blood-borne disease turning victims to marble. Julia Ducournau fuses body horror with emotional intensity, creating a visceral coming-of-age tale about identity, love, and fragile family bonds.

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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!