The Turin Horse15

Directed by Béla Tarr & Ágnes Hranitzky | Hungary | 2011 | 2h 35m | Hungarian w/ English subtitles | Starring János Derzsi, Erika Bók, Mihály Kormos

In the desolate Hungarian countryside, a frail farmer and his daughter struggle to eke out a living amidst harsh conditions. Their lives take a profound turn when their horse unexpectedly refuses to work. Inspired by an anecdote involving German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, late master filmmaker Béla Tarr creates an melancholic parable that captivates with its thought-provoking exploration of the universe’s unsettling indifference toward humanity. Winner of the Silver Bear (Jury Grand Prize) at the 2011 Berlin Film Festival.

Bleak Week 2026: Cinema of Despair

Reviews

‘A magnificent, towering achievement.’
★★★★★
Matthew Thrift, Little White Lies

‘It feels like the creation story in reverse — a terrible, unavoidable walk into the dark.’
★★★★★
Dave Calhoun, The Times

Book tickets

Saturday 20 June

 2.30pmBook tickets

What else is on?

Today (Wednesday 22nd April)
Find out more

14:45

Two Prosecutors 12A
1h 58m | Russian & Ukrainian w/ English subtitles
Soviet Union, 1937. Amidst rampant injustice, a prisoner’s letter reaches prosecutor Alexander Kornyev, igniting a pursuit of truth in a totalitarian system. Sergei Loznitsa’s gripping historical drama, based on Georgy Demidov’s novel, starkly explores stifling Soviet bureaucracy and state oppression.

Book here

Find out more

17:30

The Magic Faraway Tree U
1h 50m
The Thompson children discover a magical tree leading to fantastical lands. Facing quirky inhabitants and wondrous adventures, they reconnect and grow closer. Enid Blyton’s beloved classic comes to life in this enchanting adaptation starring Andrew Garfield, Nicola Coughlan, and Claire Foy.

Book here

Find out more

20:00

Innocent Sorcerers 12A
1h 26m | Polish w/ English subtitles
Kinoteka On Tour 2026
A jazz-filled night of flirtation captures Poland’s modern, disillusioned youth in Andrzej Wajda’s French New Wave-inspired social portrait. Part of Kinoteka On Tour – Polish Film Festival.

Book here


Tomorrow (Thursday 23rd April)
Find out more

15:15

The Magic Faraway Tree U
1h 50m
The Thompson children discover a magical tree leading to fantastical lands. Facing quirky inhabitants and wondrous adventures, they reconnect and grow closer. Enid Blyton’s beloved classic comes to life in this enchanting adaptation starring Andrew Garfield, Nicola Coughlan, and Claire Foy.

Book here

Find out more

17:45

Dead Man's Wire 15
1h 46m
In 1977, businessman Tony Kiritsis takes a mortgage broker hostage with a deadly “dead man’s switch,” demanding millions and an apology. Gus Van Sant’s tense, darkly comic thriller brings this bizarre true story to life with Bill Skarsgård, Al Pacino, and Colman Domingo.

Book here

Find out more

20:15

NTLive: All My Sons 12A
2h 31m
A family faces the cost of ambition as wartime profits, criminal charges, and a missing son test them. Bryan Cranston and Marianne Jean-Baptiste lead this live West End filming of Arthur Miller’s classic, directed by Ivo Van Hove.

Book here


See all upcoming films

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!

Find out more