The Barnabáš Kos Case12A

Directed by Peter Solan | Czechoslovakia | 1964 | 1h 32m | Slovak w/ English subtitles | Starring Jan Bzduch, Dagmar Kákosová, Josef Kemr, Jarmila Kostova, Viliam Polónyi

A shy, overlooked triangle player in a state orchestra is unexpectedly promoted to Musical Director. But power changes him fast. The once modest Barnabáš Kos becomes arrogant and controlling, reshaping the orchestra to fit his ego. Directed by Peter Solan, this sharp, absurdist satire blends dark humour with a distinctly Kafkaesque edge, exposing how flawed systems reward mediocrity and nurture petty authoritarianism.

Our screening on Thursday 28th May features an in-person introduction by filmmaker Peter Strickland.

Director's Cuts: Peter Strickland

Sorry - you missed it!

We showed The Barnabáš Kos Case between May 27, 2026 and May 28, 2026.

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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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