Playground15

Directed by Laura Wandel | France | 2021 | 1h 12m | French w/ English subtitles | Starring Maya Vanderbeque, Günter Duret, Lena Girard Voss

When seven-year-old Nora sees her older brother Abel being bullied at school, she rushes to protect him. However, her attempts to help only make matters worse. Featuring an extraordinary performance from young actress Maya Vanderbeque, Laura Wandel’s hard-hitting debut presents a child’s-eye-view of the harsh world of playground politics.

Shortlisted for the Academy Award for Best International Film and winner of the FIPRESCI Prize at Cannes Film Festival.

Reviews

‘A claustrophobic portrait of pre-adolescent turmoil, this is an exceptionally taut drama. It’s Wandel’s debut feature, and it feels like she’s been preparing for it her whole life.’
★★★★★
Alex Godfrey, Empire Magazine

Sorry - you missed it!

We showed Playground between May 21, 2022 and May 25, 2022.

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What else is on?

Today (Wednesday 25th June)

15:45

The Ballad of Wallis Island 12A
1h 40m
A reclusive lottery winner reunites his favourite band (and old flames) for one last gig. But as memories resurface, so do old wounds. A melancholic British comedy starring Carey Mulligan and Tim Key about lost love and music.

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18:00

A State of Passion Cert-TBC
+ Q&A
1h 30m | Arabic w/ English subtitles
After 43 harrowing days in Gaza’s hospitals, surgeon Ghassan Abu Sittah becomes a symbol of Palestinian resistance. This documentary follows his and his family’s journey and steadfast commitment to a homeland under siege. SAFAR Film Festival 2025 screening plus Q&A.

Book here

20:45

Victim PG
1h 40m
This landmark 1961 film broke taboos as the UK’s first to confront homosexuality head-on. Dirk Bogarde delivers a career-defining performance in a brave, compassionate legal thriller that helped change public attitudes.

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Tomorrow (Thursday 26th June)

12:30

The Ballad of Wallis Island 12A
Parent + Baby Screening
1h 40m
A reclusive lottery winner reunites his favourite band (and old flames) for one last gig. But as memories resurface, so do old wounds. A melancholic British comedy starring Carey Mulligan and Tim Key about lost love and music.

Book here

15:00

The Salt Path 12A
Deaf/HOH Subtitles
1h 55m
Evicted and facing illness, a couple embarks on a 630-mile walk along England’s coast. Starring Gillian Anderson and Jason Isaacs, this moving adaptation of Raynor Winn’s memoir is a story of love, survival, and resilience.

Book here

17:30

Disco Afrika: A Malagasy Story 18
1h 21m | Malagasy w/ English subtitles
In Madagascar, a young miner is torn between fast money and his principles. A political, personal debut from Luck Razanajaona, blending 1970s radical spirit with a gripping tale of identity, justice, and survival.

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 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!