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 (Wednesday 22nd April)

14:45

Two Prosecutors 12A
1h 58m | Russian & Ukrainian w/ English subtitles
Soviet Union, 1937. Amidst rampant injustice, a prisoner’s letter reaches prosecutor Alexander Kornyev, igniting a pursuit of truth in a totalitarian system. Sergei Loznitsa’s gripping historical drama, based on Georgy Demidov’s novel, starkly explores stifling Soviet bureaucracy and state oppression.

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17:30

The Magic Faraway Tree U
1h 50m
The Thompson children discover a magical tree leading to fantastical lands. Facing quirky inhabitants and wondrous adventures, they reconnect and grow closer. Enid Blyton’s beloved classic comes to life in this enchanting adaptation starring Andrew Garfield, Nicola Coughlan, and Claire Foy.

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20:00

Innocent Sorcerers 12A
1h 26m | Polish w/ English subtitles
A jazz-filled night of flirtation captures Poland’s modern, disillusioned youth in Andrzej Wajda’s French New Wave-inspired social portrait. Part of Kinoteka On Tour – Polish Film Festival.

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Tomorrow (Thursday 23rd April)

15:15

The Magic Faraway Tree U
1h 50m
The Thompson children discover a magical tree leading to fantastical lands. Facing quirky inhabitants and wondrous adventures, they reconnect and grow closer. Enid Blyton’s beloved classic comes to life in this enchanting adaptation starring Andrew Garfield, Nicola Coughlan, and Claire Foy.

Book here

17:45

Dead Man's Wire 15
1h 46m
In 1977, businessman Tony Kiritsis takes a mortgage broker hostage with a deadly “dead man’s switch,” demanding millions and an apology. Gus Van Sant’s tense, darkly comic thriller brings this bizarre true story to life with Bill Skarsgård, Al Pacino, and Colman Domingo.

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20:15

NTLive: All My Sons 12A
2h 31m
A family faces the cost of ambition as wartime profits, criminal charges, and a missing son test them. Bryan Cranston and Marianne Jean-Baptiste lead this live West End filming of Arthur Miller’s classic, directed by Ivo Van Hove.

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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!