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

Book tickets

Wednesday 3 June

 8.00pmBook tickets

What else is on?

Today (Saturday 23rd May)
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16:00

Dreamers 15
+ Introduction
1h 19m
After fleeing persecution in Nigeria, Isio is held in a removal centre awaiting an asylum decision. When she falls for her outspoken roommate Farah, she must choose between trusting the system or risking everything for love and freedom. Screening introduced by Asylum Welcome.

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18:15

Space Is the Place 18
1h 22m
Director's Cuts: Peter Strickland
Sun Ra leads his Arkestra on an interstellar journey to forge a new utopia. Blending sci-fi, performance, and radical politics, this electrifying film boldly channels Afrofuturist vision into a vibrant, cosmic experience where music, myth, and liberation collide.

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20:15

Rose of Nevada 15
1h 54m
When a long-lost fishing boat returns to a Cornish village, hope rises for renewal. Nick and newcomer Liam join a voyage, but return transformed and caught in a haunting time loop. Shot on grainy 16mm, Mark Jenkin (Bait) delivers a haunting, mind-bending folktale.

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Tomorrow (Sunday 24th May)
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14:45

Space Is the Place 18
1h 22m
Director's Cuts: Peter Strickland
Sun Ra leads his Arkestra on an interstellar journey to forge a new utopia. Blending sci-fi, performance, and radical politics, this electrifying film boldly channels Afrofuturist vision into a vibrant, cosmic experience where music, myth, and liberation collide.

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17:00

Gentle, Angry Women 12A
+ Q&A
1h 3m + 30m Q&A
Special Events
A new generation of young activists uncovers the overlooked history of the Greenham Common Women’s Peace Camp. Retracing a 110-mile protest march, they connect past and present, exploring feminist activism and intergenerational resistance.

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19:15

Kokuho 15
2h 55m | Japanese w/ English subtitles
In 1964 Nagasaki, orphaned Kikuo is taken in by a renowned kabuki actor and raised alongside his son. As both boys become devoted performers, friendship turns to rivalry in Sang-il Lee’s sweeping drama exploring ambition and artistic mastery. Japan’s highest-grossing live-action film.

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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!

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