On Becoming a Guinea Fowl12A

Directed by Rungano Nyoni | Zambia | 2024 | 1h 40m | Bemba w/ English subtitles | Starring Susan Chardy, Roy Chisha, Blessings Bhamjee, Chungu Bwalya, Maggie Mulubwa

Late one night, on an empty road, Shula discovers the body of her uncle. As funeral preparations unfold, she and her cousins unearth long-buried family secrets. Rungano Nyoni’s follow-up to her BAFTA-winning debut I Am Not a Witch is a gripping and evocative exploration of tradition, abuse, and resilience within a middle-class Zambian family.

Reviews

‘Nyoni weaves allegory with realism in a manner that nods to her Zambian and Welsh heritage, both possessing a rich folklore history.’
★★★★
Hannah Strong, Little White Lies

‘Writer-director Rungano Nyoni has a wonderful way of drawing you into a world and intriguing you from the start, gradually peeling back the layers of enigmatic characters to explore Zambian culture.’
★★★★
Anna Smith, Time Out

Sorry - you missed it!

We showed On Becoming a Guinea Fowl between December 27, 2024 and January 2, 2025.

Join our mailing list and we'll make sure you always know what's on and when.

What else is on?

Today (Sunday 19th April)

12:45

Spy Kids U
Kino Kids Cinema Club
1h 24m
Two children become spies to rescue their captured agent parents from a villainous mastermind. Armed with futuristic gadgets, they traverse skies, seas, and cities, facing danger while protecting their family, and possibly saving the world, in this thrilling family adventure.

Book here

15:00

Caravaggio 15
35mm Presentation
1h 33m
Rebellious painter Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio comes vividly to life in Derek Jarman’s bold, sensuous portrait. Love, violence and artistic inspiration collide in striking tableaux that blend Renaissance beauty with daring modern touches. Presented on 35mm film.

Book here

17:30

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.

Book here

20:30

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.

Book here


Tomorrow (Monday 20th April)

17:45

The Magic Faraway Tree U
Descriptive Subtitles
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

20:15

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.

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!