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 10th June)
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14:45

Rose of Nevada 15
1h 54m
When a long-lost fishing boat returns to a Cornish village, hope rises for renewal. Nick and newcomer Liam join a voyage, but return transformed and caught in a haunting time loop. Shot on grainy 16mm, Mark Jenkin (Bait) delivers a haunting, mind-bending folktale.

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17:30

Orphan 15
2h 13m | Hungarian w/ English subtitles
In Budapest, 1957, a Jewish boy awaiting his father’s return from the camps is confronted by a mysterious man claiming to be his real parent. Oscar-winner László Nemes (Son of Saul) directs this powerful drama about identity, trauma and postwar Hungary.

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20:30

Reflection in a Dead Diamond 15
1h 27m | French & Italian w/ English subtitles
When a mysterious woman vanishes from the room next door, an ageing former spy living on the Côte d’Azur is drawn back into a world of fractured memories and buried secrets. Hélène Cattet and Bruno Forzani’s stylised thriller blends espionage, psychological intrigue and grindhouse homage.

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Tomorrow (Thursday 11th June)
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12:30

The Christophers 15
Parent + Baby Screening
1h 40m
A reclusive London artist (Ian McKellen) becomes the target of a scheme by his estranged children, who recruit a young painter (Michaela Coel) to infiltrate his home and uncover hidden works. Steven Soderbergh’s darkly comic chamber piece explores deception, legacy and artistic value.

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15:00

The Christophers 15
Descriptive Subtitles
1h 40m
A reclusive London artist (Ian McKellen) becomes the target of a scheme by his estranged children, who recruit a young painter (Michaela Coel) to infiltrate his home and uncover hidden works. Steven Soderbergh’s darkly comic chamber piece explores deception, legacy and artistic value.

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17:30

Gattaca 15
1h 46m
Special Events
Vincent is an all-too-human man who dares to defy a system obsessed with genetic perfection. He is an “In-Valid” who assumes the identity of a member of the genetic elite to pursue his goal of traveling into space with the Gattaca Aerospace Corporation.

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20:30

The Christophers 15
1h 40m
A reclusive London artist (Ian McKellen) becomes the target of a scheme by his estranged children, who recruit a young painter (Michaela Coel) to infiltrate his home and uncover hidden works. Steven Soderbergh’s darkly comic chamber piece explores deception, legacy and artistic value.

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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 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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