The Perfect CandidatePG

Directed by Haiffa Al Mansour | Saudi Arabia | 2019 | 1h 44m | Arabic w/ English subtitles | Starring Mila Al Zahrani, Hamad Almutaani, Hussein Hassan Mohamed, Khalid Abdulraheem, Shafi Alharthy

A determined young doctor runs for city council after the incumbent repeatedly ignores her request to fix the muddy road leading to her clinic. Despite the community’s struggle to accept her as the town’s first female candidate, her creative and ambitious campaign becomes a symbol for a larger movement. As with her ground-breaking debut Wadjda, filmmaker Haifaa Al-Mansour explores the pressing issue of women’s rights through the microcosm of one character, showing that change may be slow to come, yet it can start with the smallest act of bravery.

Reviews

‘The framing of one woman against the world could seem overfamiliar, but is played with brilliant confidence. Every woman’s uphill battle will look different, and here is one fleshed out admirably.’
★★★★
Ella Kemp, Little White Lies

‘The Perfect Candidate is fiery and headstrong, and instantly gets you on its side.’
★★★★
Xan Brooks, The Guardian

Sorry - you missed it!

We showed The Perfect Candidate between March 6, 2023 and March 7, 2023.

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What else is on?

Tomorrow (Friday 8th December)

15:30

Saltburn 15
2h 11m
Barry Keoghan, Rosamund Pike, and Richard E Grant star in Oscar-winning filmmaker Emerald Fennell’s (Promising Young Woman) wicked comedic satire of privilege, desire, and the UK class system.

Book here

18:15

The Eternal Daughter 12A
1h 36m
An artist (Tilda Swinton) and her mother (Tilda Swinton) return to their former family home which is now a haunted hotel in Joanna Hogg's (The Souvenir) suspenseful and chilling Gothic ghost story.

Book here

20:30

Oxford Int. Film Festival 2023 15
The Oxford International Film Festival returns to the UPP for another programme of short films made by filmmakers from all around the world. One-off screening with intros and Q&As.

Book here


Saturday 9th December

15:45

Tótem 12A
1h 35m | Spanish w/ English subtitles
Mexican filmmaker Lila Avilés’ touching drama, following her acclaimed debut The Chambermaid, unfolds as an emotional portrayal of family upheavals told through the eyes of a child.

Book here

18:00

Saltburn 15
2h 11m
Barry Keoghan, Rosamund Pike, and Richard E Grant star in Oscar-winning filmmaker Emerald Fennell’s (Promising Young Woman) wicked comedic satire of privilege, desire, and the UK class system.

Book here

20:45

The Eternal Daughter 12A
1h 36m
An artist (Tilda Swinton) and her mother (Tilda Swinton) return to their former family home which is now a haunted hotel in Joanna Hogg's (The Souvenir) suspenseful and chilling Gothic ghost story.

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 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!