Sansho the BailiffPG

Directed by Kenji Mizoguchi | Japan | 1954 | 1h 57m | Japanese w/ English subtitles | Starring Kinuyo Tanaka, Yoshiaki Hanayagi, Kyôko Kagawa, Eitarô Shindô, Akitake Kôno

In medieval Japan, a young brother and sister are torn from their aristocratic family and sold into slavery by corrupt officials. Sent to the estate of a cruel and oppressive bailiff named Sansho, the two endure years of hardship. As they grow older, they seek to escape and reunite with their long-lost mother. Renowned for its beautiful cinematography and long, flowing takes, Kenji Mizoguchi’s heartrending exploration of human dignity and empathy has earned the film a place among the most significant works of Japanese cinema.

Our Sunday 29th October screening will be introduced by Alexander Jacoby, Senior Lecturer in Japanese Studies, Oxford Brookes University

Reviews

‘At some point during the watching, “Sansho the Bailiff” stops being a fable or a narrative and starts being a lament, and by that time it is happening to us as few films do.’ 
★★★★★
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

Sorry - you missed it!

We showed Sansho the Bailiff between October 29, 2023 and October 30, 2023.

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What else is on?

Today (Wednesday 15th July)

17:45

Blue Heron 15
1h 31m
Eight-year-old Sasha's family move to Vancouver Island seeking a fresh start, but her eldest brother increasingly dangerous behaviour casts a long shadow. Sophy Romvari's lyrical feature debut is a deeply felt study of family bonds and the elusive nature of memory.

Book here


Tomorrow (Thursday 16th July)

15:45

Blue Heron 15
1h 31m
Eight-year-old Sasha's family move to Vancouver Island seeking a fresh start, but her eldest brother increasingly dangerous behaviour casts a long shadow. Sophy Romvari's lyrical feature debut is a deeply felt study of family bonds and the elusive nature of memory.

Book here

18:15

Lady Bird 15
Craft-A-Long Screening + Intro
Greta Gerwig's bittersweet directorial debut earned five Oscar nominations, including for Saoirse Ronan's performance as a strong-willed Sacramento teenager navigating college applications and a combustible bond with her mother. A Craft-A-Long screening, presented by Close Knit.

Book here

20:30

Fall of Sir Douglas Weatherford 15
1h 35m
Amateur historian Kenneth (Peter Mullan) makes his living impersonating the town's most celebrated historical figure, a man he claims as his own ancestor. But when a fantasy TV production arrives, obsession takes hold and the results are darkly comic and quietly devastating.

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!