Saving Face15

Directed by Alice Wu | USA | 2004 | 1h 33m | Starring Michelle Krusiec, Joan Chen, Lynn Chen, Jin Wang, Guang Lan Koh, Jessica Hecht, Ato Essandoh

Wil is a lesbian, but she has never told her widowed mother, Hwei-lan, or her traditional grandparents. When she discovers that her 48-year-old mother is pregnant, she realises she is not the only one in the family keeping romantic secrets. Set in a vibrant, multicultural New York City, Alice Wu’s acclaimed feature debut brought fresh energy to the romantic comedy genre. Quietly groundbreaking, the film explores the allyship between queer and straight women navigating family expectations and patriarchal tradition with warmth, humour, and compassion.

This Pride Month screening is curated by the Oxford University Filmmaking Foundation.

Reviews

‘Alice Wu’s debut film is so deft, natural and exquisitely specific, it feels fresh.’
★★★★
Carina Chocano, The LA Times

Sorry - you missed it!

We showed Saving Face between June 3, 2026 and June 3, 2026.

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What else is on?

Today (Thursday 11th June)

17:30

Gattaca 15
1h 46m
Vincent is an all-too-human man who dares to defy a system obsessed with genetic perfection. He is an “In-Valid” who assumes the identity of a member of the genetic elite to pursue his goal of traveling into space with the Gattaca Aerospace Corporation.

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20:30

The Christophers 15
1h 40m
A reclusive London artist (Ian McKellen) becomes the target of a scheme by his estranged children, who recruit a young painter (Michaela Coel) to infiltrate his home and uncover hidden works. Steven Soderbergh’s darkly comic chamber piece explores deception, legacy and artistic value.

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Tomorrow (Friday 12th June)

15:15

The Christophers 15
1h 40m
A reclusive London artist (Ian McKellen) becomes the target of a scheme by his estranged children, who recruit a young painter (Michaela Coel) to infiltrate his home and uncover hidden works. Steven Soderbergh’s darkly comic chamber piece explores deception, legacy and artistic value.

Book here

17:45

Backrooms 15
1h 45m
When a patient vanishes through a strange basement doorway of a furniture showroom, his therapist follows him into a disorienting dimension. Expanding Kane Parsons’ cult online series, this feature-length adaptation stars Chiwetel Ejiofor and Renate Reinsve and bringing “liminal horror” to the big screen.

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20:15

Fairyland 15
1h 56m
Set in San Francisco from the 1970s to 1980s, this drama follows a father and daughter navigating bohemian life and social change as their bond is tested by the AIDS crisis. Adapted from Alysia Abbott’s memoir, it’s a tender coming-of-age story of love and resilience.

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23:00

Army of Darkness 15
1h 21m
To celebrate 10 amazing and chaotic years of Oxford’s underground, gonzo movie night, Cinema Under the Stairs, the gang bring Sam Raimi’s Army of Darkness to the UPP for a special evening of midnight movie mania. Book now to avoid disappointment. GROOVY!

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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!