The Beast15

Directed by Bertrand Bonello | France | 2023 | 2h 27m | French w/ English subtitles | Starring Léa Seydoux, George MacKay, Guslagie Malanda, Elina Löwensohn, Dasha Nekrasova

In a not-so-distant future where emotions pose a danger, a woman makes a bold choice: she opts to cleanse her DNA using a machine that will plunge her into her past lives, stripping away any intense feelings. Throughout these sessions, she crosses paths with a young man who she recognises from a previous life. Bertrand Bonello creates a gripping blend of sweeping melodrama and dystopian horror in this suspenseful sci-fi delving into various contemporary anxieties, from the unchecked ascent of AI to the dread of emotional connection and rejection.

Reviews

‘MacKay and Seydoux have a natural frisson together whatever the era, one sparked from the fact that he’s always changing, and she never does.’
★★★★★
David Ehrlich, IndieWire

‘A luxurious cinematic experience…created with such elan and attack, and the musical score amplifies its throb of fear.’
★★★★★
Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian

Sorry - you missed it!

We showed The Beast between June 14, 2024 and June 20, 2024.

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What else is on?

Today (Monday 11th May)

17:45

The Love Witch 15
2h 1m
A modern witch searches for love through spells and seduction, leaving chaos in her wake. Anna Biller’s stylised homage to Technicolor cinema blends horror, humour, and sharp feminist insight, transforming romance into a dangerous fantasy of obsession and desire.

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


Tomorrow (Tuesday 12th May)

17:30

The Stranger 15
+ Q&A / £6 for Members
2h 2m | French w/ English subtitles
Set in French Algeria, Meursault drifts through life until his mother’s death sparks judgment, conflict, and tragedy. François Ozon’s sensitive, queer-inflected adaptation illuminates the emotional and moral complexities at the heart of Albert Camus’s existential masterpiece.

Book here

20:45

The Blue Trail 15
£6 for Members
1h 25m | Portuguese w/ English subtitles
In a near-future dystopia, government relocates older citizens to remote colonies. Defying the mandate, Tereza pursues her dream of flight, embarking on an illegal Amazon journey. Silver Bear winner Gabriel Mascaro crafts a lyrical tale of resistance, freedom, and self-determination.

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!