Metropolitan + Director Q&A15

Directed by Whit Stillman | USA | 1990 | 1h 38m | Starring Carolyn Farina, Edward Clements, Christopher Eigeman, Taylor Nichols, Allison Rutledge-Parisi

One of the great American independent films of the 1990s, the surprise hit Metropolitan, by writer-director Whit Stillman, is a sparkling comedic chronicle of a young man’s romantic misadventures while trying to fit into New York City’s debutante society. Stillman’s deft, literate dialogue and hilariously highbrow observations earned this first film an Academy Award nomination for best original screenplay. Beneath the wit and sophistication, though, lies a tender tale of adolescent anxiety.

UPDATE: With our Director Q&A screening (6.15pm) now SOLD OUT, director Whit Stillman has kindly agreed to give an in-person introduction to a second screening of Metropolitan on Thursday 31st July at 9pm. Tickets now on sale.

Presented in partnership with Geoffrey M. Badger and Lost Reels (lostreels.co.uk). Special thanks to Whit Stillman for his support and participation.

Reviews

‘Stillman films these rounds of romance and jealousy, old mind-sets and new friendships, as scintillating dialectical jousts in which verbal blows take the place of action and leave lasting emotional wounds.’
Richard Brody, The New Yorker

Sorry - you missed it!

We showed Metropolitan + Director Q&A between July 31, 2025 and July 31, 2025.

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What else is on?

Today (Sunday 26th July)

12:30

Freaky Friday PG
Kino Kids Cinema Club
1h 37m
When a mother and her teenage daughter mysteriously swap bodies, everyday life becomes chaos. Forced to experience each other’s worlds, they stumble through school disasters, family tensions, and embarrassing misunderstandings.

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15:00

The Invite 15
1h 47m
Joe and Angela's shaky marriage faces its biggest test yet when dinner with their enigmatic upstairs neighbours takes a wild turn. Rashida Jones's razor-sharp script and Olivia Wilde's direction fuel this riotous relationship comedy, with Seth Rogen, Penélope Cruz and Edward Norton on scene-stealing form.

Book here

17:30

A Private Life 15
1h 43m | French w/ English subtitles
A patient's sudden death sends a renowned psychiatrist chasing murder, secrets and lies, with her charming ex-husband along for the investigation. Jodie Foster dazzles in fluent French and comic form in this stylish mystery thriller from director Rebecca Zlotowski (Other People's Children).

Book here

20:00

R.E.M x Sherlock Jr 12A
+ Introduction
1h 13m
From the team behind Silents Synced, Buster Keaton's dreamlike 1924 masterpiece gets an electrifying makeover, scored to R.E.M.'s Monster and New Adventures in Hi-Fi. Part of the Oxford Comedy Festival 2026.

Book here


Tomorrow (Monday 27th July)

18:15

R.E.M x Sherlock Jr 12A
+ Introduction
1h 13m
From the team behind Silents Synced, Buster Keaton's dreamlike 1924 masterpiece gets an electrifying makeover, scored to R.E.M.'s Monster and New Adventures in Hi-Fi. Part of the Oxford Comedy Festival 2026.

Book here

20:15

The Invite 15
1h 47m
Joe and Angela's shaky marriage faces its biggest test yet when dinner with their enigmatic upstairs neighbours takes a wild turn. Rashida Jones's razor-sharp script and Olivia Wilde's direction fuel this riotous relationship comedy, with Seth Rogen, Penélope Cruz and Edward Norton on scene-stealing form.

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 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!