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 (Saturday 2nd May)

14:00

The Metamorphosis PG
2h 40m
Join us in person for a unique screening of ‘The Metamorphosis’, inspired by Kafka’s classic novella. Dive into this surreal story brought to life on the big screen. This event has been arranged by the filmmaker, tickets are on sale via Eventbrite.

Book here

17:30

Father Mother Sister Brother 15
1h 50m
Acclaimed director Jim Jarmusch weaves stories across New Jersey, Dublin and Paris, where siblings reunite amid family tensions and tragedy. Starring Adam Driver, Cate Blanchett and Vicky Krieps, this Golden Lion-winning triptych blends quiet humour with poignant insight.

Book here

20:15

Miroirs No. 3 15
1h 26m | German w/ English subtitles
A young piano student survives a car crash and is taken in by a woman whose intense care turns deeply unsettling. Starring Laura Beer and directed by Christian Petzold, this haunting psychological complex drama probes trauma, memory and hidden pasts.

Book here


Tomorrow (Sunday 3rd May)

12:45

How to Train Your Dragon PG
Kino Kids Cinema Club
1h 39m
Shy Viking Hiccup must face a dragon as a rite of passage but instead befriends one. Together, they challenge fear, fight for peace, and unite humans and dragons in this heartfelt, humorous, and action-packed computer-animated adventure.

Book here

15:00

Man of Iron 12A
2h 32m | Polish w/ English subtitles
Blurring fact and fiction, Andrzej Wajda depicts workers’ protests and political awakening in 1980s Poland, as a journalist confronts propaganda, ethics, and social change. Part of Kinoteka On Tour – Polish Film Festival.

Book here

18:15

Miroirs No. 3 15
1h 26m | German w/ English subtitles
A young piano student survives a car crash and is taken in by a woman whose intense care turns deeply unsettling. Starring Laura Beer and directed by Christian Petzold, this haunting psychological complex drama probes trauma, memory and hidden pasts.

Book here

20:30

Father Mother Sister Brother 15
1h 50m
Acclaimed director Jim Jarmusch weaves stories across New Jersey, Dublin and Paris, where siblings reunite amid family tensions and tragedy. Starring Adam Driver, Cate Blanchett and Vicky Krieps, this Golden Lion-winning triptych blends quiet humour with poignant insight.

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!