The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant15

Directed by Rainer Werner Fassbinder | German | 1972 | 2h 4m | German w/ English subtitles | Starring Margit Carstensen, Hanna Schygulla, Katrin Schaake, Eva Mattes

Petra von Kant, a successful fashion designer, is engaged in a S&M relationship with her secretary Marlene, but soon finds herself drawn to a younger beautiful model. An exquisitely intense portrayal of obsession and tortured romance by legendary figure of the New German Cinema movement of the 1960s-80s, Rainer Werner Fassbinder (Ali: Fear Eats the Soul, The Marriage of Maria Braun).

Reviews

‘Offers a sensory feast that’s expanded on by the elaborate dialogue, which is poetic even as translated into English, and by the astonishingly sensual and fluid movements of the actors and the camera.’
★★★★★
Ed Gonzalez, Slant

‘A master class in the dynamic visual use of a constricted space, and proof that a tiny budget is no excuse.’
★★★★
Mike D’Angelo, The AV Club

Sorry - you missed it!

We showed The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant between April 3, 2022 and April 6, 2022.

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What else is on?

Today (Wednesday 29th November)

14:30

On the Adamant PG
1h 49m | French w/ English subtitles
Nicolas Philibert’s empathetic documentary set in a Parisian care centre for adults with mental health issues. Winner of the Golden Bear (Best Film) at the 2023 Berlin Film Festival.

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21:00

On the Adamant PG
1h 49m | French w/ English subtitles
Nicolas Philibert’s empathetic documentary set in a Parisian care centre for adults with mental health issues. Winner of the Golden Bear (Best Film) at the 2023 Berlin Film Festival.

Book here


Tomorrow (Thursday 30th November)

12:30

Typist Artist Pirate King 12A
Parent + Baby Screening
1h 48m
Monica Dolan and Kelly Macdonald star in Carol Morley's (The Falling, Dreams of a Life) bittersweet drama based on the real-life of forgotten British artist Audrey Amiss.

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16:00

Typist Artist Pirate King 12A
1h 48m
Monica Dolan and Kelly Macdonald star in Carol Morley's (The Falling, Dreams of a Life) bittersweet drama based on the real-life of forgotten British artist Audrey Amiss.

Book here

18:30

The Afterlight PG
+ Director Intro/Q&A
1h 22m
Existing as a sole 35mm print, Charlie Shackleton's otherworldly film essay assembles film clips from across space and time. One-off screening followed by a Q&A with the filmmaker.

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21:00

How to Have Sex 15
1h 31m
Three teenagers go to Crete on a rites-of-passage holiday full of boozing and clubbing in Molly Manning Walker's award-winning look at the joys and the horrors of a distinctly British youth culture.

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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 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!