Nickel Boys12A

Directed by RaMell Ross | USA | 2024 | 2h 20m | Starring Ethan Herisse, Brandon Wilson, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Ethan Cole Sharp, Najah Bradley

In 1960s America, a young man’s college aspirations are left in ruins when he is falsely convicted and sent to the Nickel Academy, a corrupt reform school in Florida. While incarcerated, he forms a bond with a fellow teenager who offers a glimmer of hope amidst the escalating trauma. With a distinct and innovative style, director RaMell Ross interprets Colson Whitehead’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel as an immersive and emotional exploration of America’s buried history. Nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Adapted Screenplay.

Reviews

‘Nickel Boys is a masterpiece – moreover, it is a miracle. The defining American film of the 2020s.’
★★★★★
Sam Bodrojan, Little White Lies

‘There are outstanding performances here from Ellis-Taylor, Herisse and Wilson, and Jomo Fray’s cinematography and Nora Mendis’s production design are exceptional too. This is a survivor’s coming of age: tough, disillusioned, brilliant.’
★★★★★
Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian

Sorry - you missed it!

We showed Nickel Boys between January 17, 2025 and January 28, 2025.

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What else is on?

Tomorrow (Monday 15th June)

18:00

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1h 26m
Join us in person for a free screening of North Cormorant Island, an award-winning documentary film about time, place, mortality and human relationships with the land and the sea. Followed by a Q&A with writer, producer, and director John Williams (Oxford Brookes).

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20:30

Backrooms 15
Descriptive Subtitles
1h 45m
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Tuesday 16th June

17:45

Fairyland 15
£6 for Members
1h 56m
Set in San Francisco from the 1970s to 1980s, this drama follows a father and daughter navigating bohemian life and social change as their bond is tested by the AIDS crisis. Adapted from Alysia Abbott’s memoir, it’s a tender coming-of-age story of love and resilience.

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20:30

The Holy Mountain U
£6 for Members
1h 45m
Made in 1926 by Arnold Fanck, The Holy Mountain is a landmark German Bergfilm featuring Leni Riefenstahl. Set in the Alps, it blends a romantic triangle with spectacular mountaineering, skiing and avalanches. Presented by Rethinking Weimar Cinema.

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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!