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.

Join our mailing list and we'll make sure you always know what's on and when.

What else is on?

Tomorrow (Sunday 25th May)

15:00

Mirror U
+ Intro
1h 47m | Russian w/ English subtitles
Tarkovsky’s dreamlike, deeply personal masterpiece exploring memory, identity, and Soviet life. Through poetic imagery and nonlinear storytelling, a dying man revisits childhood, war, and family in a haunting reflection on time. A landmark of world cinema.

Book here

17:30

Riefenstahl 15
1h 55m | German w/ English subtitles
A complex portrait of pioneering filmmaker and Nazi propagandist, Leni Riefenstahl. This critical documentary interrogates her legacy, exploring the enduring tension between artistry, denial, and complicity in the darkest chapter of cinema history.

Book here

20:00

Two to One 12A
1h 55m | German w/ English subtitles
A hilarious race against time begins when a family finds old East German cash just as it’s losing value. Sandra Hüller stars in this warm-hearted comedy about capitalism, community, and socialist values colliding with newfound consumerist freedom.

Book here


Monday 26th May

15:45

The Wedding Banquet 15
1h 43m
A green-card marriage plan goes off the rails when a gay man's grandmother unexpectedly arrives in America expecting a traditional Korean wedding. This vibrant remake of Ang Lee’s classic celebrates queer love, family chaos, and cultural identity.

Book here

18:15

Mirror U
1h 47m | Russian w/ English subtitles
Tarkovsky’s dreamlike, deeply personal masterpiece exploring memory, identity, and Soviet life. Through poetic imagery and nonlinear storytelling, a dying man revisits childhood, war, and family in a haunting reflection on time. A landmark of world cinema.

Book here

20:45

The Surfer 15
1h 40m
A father-son surfing trip spirals into paranoia and humiliation when a local conflict escalates dangerously. Nicolas Cage stars in this sun-scorched, hallucinatory thriller blending psychological tension with the anarchic spirit of Ozploitation classics.

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!