Saint Omer12A

Directed by Alice Diop | France | 2022 | 2h 3m | French w/ English subtitles | Starring Kayije Kagame, Guslagie Malanda, Valérie Dréville, Aurélia Petit, Xavier Maly

Rama, a young literature professor and novelist, travels to northern France to observe the trial of a Senegalese migrant accused of killing her own daughter. As she listens to the various testimonies, Rama’s own perspective – as an artist, a mother-to-be, and a Black woman living in France – also falls into a question. A gut-punching emotional courtroom drama directed by award-winning documentary filmmaker Alice Diop (Nous) and co-written by acclaimed author Marie NDiaye. Winner of the Grand Jury Prize at the 2022 Venice Film Festival.

Reviews

‘This is a rich text, bracing for the minutiae it includes and for what it excises. Its power comes from a director who knows exactly what story they want to tell and how to tell it well.’
★★★★★
Murtada Elfadi, The AV Club

‘The powerhouse denouement is a staggering insight into how colonial legacies continues to affect lives today.’
★★★★
Kaleem Aftab, Time Out

Sorry - you missed it!

We showed Saint Omer between February 18, 2023 and February 23, 2023.

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What else is on?

Tomorrow (Wednesday 25th February)

15:00

Ben Wheatley Filmmaking Workshop /
Are you aged 16-25, have an amazing idea for a film, but don't have the budget? Join us to hear from some young BFI Film Academy funded filmmakers, as well as special guest speaker Ben Wheatley. Tickets cost £5 (and includes entry to our Q&A screening of Bulk).

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18:00

Bulk 15
+ Director Q&A
1h 35m + 30m Q&A
When an ambitious scientist takes his string theory experiments too far, his “brane” explodes, and someone is left to deal with the consequences. Join us for a one-off screening of Ben Wheatley’s mind-bending sci-fi thriller, and a playful love letter to filmmaking.

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20:45

Nouvelle Vague 12A
1h 46m | French w/ English subtitles
Paris, 1959. Aspiring filmmaker Jean-Luc Godard sets out to make Breathless, unknowingly igniting a cinematic revolution. Directed by Richard Linklater (Boyhood), this lively, affectionate comedy-drama captures the birth of the French New Wave.

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Thursday 26th February

15:30

Nouvelle Vague 12A
1h 46m | French w/ English subtitles
Paris, 1959. Aspiring filmmaker Jean-Luc Godard sets out to make Breathless, unknowingly igniting a cinematic revolution. Directed by Richard Linklater (Boyhood), this lively, affectionate comedy-drama captures the birth of the French New Wave.

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18:00

H Is for Hawk 12A
1h 55m
Grieving her father’s death, Helen finds solace in training a wild goshawk, forcing her to confront her own emotional isolation. Claire Foy gives a career-best performance in this deeply moving adaptation of Helen MacDonald’s acclaimed memoir.

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20:45

No Other Choice 15
2h 19m | Korean w/ English subtitles
After losing his job of 25 years, a desperate family man turns to murder to eliminate his rivals. Adapted from Donald E. Westlake’s The Ax, Park Chan-wook (Decision to Leave) delivers a wicked, stylish thriller with razor-sharp dark humour.

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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!