Lingui, The Sacred Bonds15

Directed by Mahamat-Saleh Haroun | Chad | 2021 | 1h 28m | French w/ English subtitles | Starring Achouackh Abakar Souleymane, Rihane Khalil Alio, Youssouf Djaoro, Briya Gomdigue

In a small village in Chad, determined single mother Amina works tirelessly to provide for her 15-year old daughter Maria. However, their lives are thrown in disarray when Amina discovers that Maria is pregnant and does not want to have a child. This beautifully shot and fiercely feminist drama explores the strength of bonds between women in a male-dominated society.

Reviews

‘Breathtaking visuals and deeply moving story and performances. One of the best films of the year – astonishingly realised and lingers with you long after.’
★★★★★
Rogan Graham, Little White Lies

‘Fierce stabs of sexuality and violence cut through the stoic calm of Chadian film-maker Mahamat-Saleh Haroun’s urgent drama of survival’
★★★★
Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian

Sorry - you missed it!

We showed Lingui, The Sacred Bonds between February 26, 2022 and March 3, 2022.

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Today (Saturday 2nd May)
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14:00

The Metamorphosis PG
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Join us in person for a unique screening of ‘The Metamorphosis’, inspired by Kafka’s classic novella. Dive into this surreal story brought to life on the big screen. This event has been arranged by the filmmaker, tickets are on sale via Eventbrite.

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17:30

Father Mother Sister Brother 15
1h 50m
Acclaimed director Jim Jarmusch weaves stories across New Jersey, Dublin and Paris, where siblings reunite amid family tensions and tragedy. Starring Adam Driver, Cate Blanchett and Vicky Krieps, this Golden Lion-winning triptych blends quiet humour with poignant insight.

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20:15

Miroirs No. 3 15
1h 26m | German w/ English subtitles
A young piano student survives a car crash and is taken in by a woman whose intense care turns deeply unsettling. Starring Laura Beer and directed by Christian Petzold, this haunting psychological complex drama probes trauma, memory and hidden pasts.

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Tomorrow (Sunday 3rd May)
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12:45

How to Train Your Dragon PG
Kino Kids Cinema Club
1h 39m
Kino Kids Cinema Club
Shy Viking Hiccup must face a dragon as a rite of passage but instead befriends one. Together, they challenge fear, fight for peace, and unite humans and dragons in this heartfelt, humorous, and action-packed computer-animated adventure.

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15:00

Man of Iron 12A
2h 32m | Polish w/ English subtitles
Kinoteka On Tour 2026
Blurring fact and fiction, Andrzej Wajda depicts workers’ protests and political awakening in 1980s Poland, as a journalist confronts propaganda, ethics, and social change. Part of Kinoteka On Tour – Polish Film Festival.

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18:15

Miroirs No. 3 15
1h 26m | German w/ English subtitles
A young piano student survives a car crash and is taken in by a woman whose intense care turns deeply unsettling. Starring Laura Beer and directed by Christian Petzold, this haunting psychological complex drama probes trauma, memory and hidden pasts.

Book here

Find out more

20:30

Father Mother Sister Brother 15
1h 50m
Acclaimed director Jim Jarmusch weaves stories across New Jersey, Dublin and Paris, where siblings reunite amid family tensions and tragedy. Starring Adam Driver, Cate Blanchett and Vicky Krieps, this Golden Lion-winning triptych blends quiet humour with poignant insight.

Book here


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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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