Past Lives12A

Directed by Celine Song | South Korea/USA | 2023 | 1h 46m | Korean w/ English subtitles | Starring Greta Lee, Teo Yoo, John Magaro, Moon Seung-ah, Leem Seung-min

Inseparable childhood friends Nora and Hae Sun are wrest apart when Nora’s family emigrates from South Korea. Twenty years later they are reunited in New York for one week. During this time, they come face to face with their shared history and the fateful decisions of their lives. This outstanding debut feature by Celine Song is a beautifully acted and deeply romantic modern love story that embraces destiny, nostalgia, and the immigrant experience. Nominated for 3 BAFTA Awards, including Best Original Screenplay.

Reviews

‘A transcendent debut for South Korean-Canadian filmmaker Celine Song, this romantic drama is a masterclass in slow, simmering storytelling. It will stay with you, maybe even into your next life.’
★★★★★
Nick De Semlyen, Empire Magazine

‘This heart-meltingly romantic and sad movie from Korean-Canadian dramatist and film-maker Celine Song left me wrung out and empty and weirdly euphoric…It’s a must-see.’
★★★★★
Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian

Sorry - you missed it!

We showed Past Lives between September 22, 2023 and January 27, 2024.

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What else is on?

Today (Wednesday 4th June)

18:15

Good One 15
1h 30m
On a three-day backpacking trip, 17-year-old Sam navigates the tense dynamics between her father and his oldest friend. When boundaries are crossed and trust is broken, simmering conflicts erupt in India Donaldson's perceptive debut.

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20:30

Come and See 15
+ Introduction
2h 20m | Russian w/ English subtitles
A young boy joins the Soviet fight against the Nazis, witnessing war’s unspeakable horrors. Elem Klimov’s harrowing masterpiece is an unflinching, nightmarish vision of World War II and one of cinema’s most devastating antiwar films.

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Tomorrow (Thursday 5th June)

15:45

Good One 15
1h 30m
On a three-day backpacking trip, 17-year-old Sam navigates the tense dynamics between her father and his oldest friend. When boundaries are crossed and trust is broken, simmering conflicts erupt in India Donaldson's perceptive debut.

Book here

18:00

Hallow Road 15
1h 20m
A frantic late-night call sets a family on a collision course with truth, guilt, and unraveling loyalty. Rosamund Pike and Matthew Rhys star in this tense, morally complex thriller from BAFTA-winning British-Iranian director Babak Anvari (Under the Shadow).

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20:00

Time Travel Is Dangerous! 15
1h 39m
Best friends Ruth and Megan discover a time machine and use it to stock their vintage shop – with risky consequences. Join us for this witty British sci-fi comedy followed by a Q&A with co-writers and producers Anna and Hillary Shakespeare.

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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 don’t show adverts, just a couple of trailers, so don't be late as the film itself starts very close to the advertised time!