While We Watched15

Directed by Vinay Shukla | India/UK | 2022 | 1h 35m | Hindi w/ English subtitles

Ravish Kumar, an intrepid titan of Indian primetime journalism renowned for his unwavering exposés of the ruling elite, finds himself in the eye of a media storm. As financial troubles plague the network and press freedoms are gradually eroded, Ravish’s nerves begin to fray. Vinay Shukla’s thought-provoking documentary delves into the increasing threats faced by independent news reporting in India and beyond, from budgetary cuts to extremists exploiting alternative platforms to propagate misinformation.

Reviews

‘This is tense, essential film-making that argues for the importance of serious, balanced journalism in today’s world of factional infotainment, while also showing the cost to those who stand against the tide.’ 
★★★★
Wendy Ide, The Observer

‘Speaking truth to power has gone dangerously out of style. Such is the dark message of While We Watched, the kinetic and bleakly effective new documentary about media and democracy from Vinay Shukla.’
★★★★
Danny Leigh, The FT

Sorry - you missed it!

We showed While We Watched between July 22, 2023 and July 27, 2023.

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What else is on?

Today (Friday 27th February)

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My Father's Shadow 12A
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During Nigeria’s 1993 election crisis, two brothers journey across Lagos with their estranged father, discovering the city’s vastness and political unrest. Told through a child’s eyes, this is a vivid and deeply personal debut from British-Nigerian filmmaker Akinola Davies Jr.

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Tomorrow (Saturday 28th February)

15:15

My Father's Shadow 12A
1h 33m
During Nigeria’s 1993 election crisis, two brothers journey across Lagos with their estranged father, discovering the city’s vastness and political unrest. Told through a child’s eyes, this is a vivid and deeply personal debut from British-Nigerian filmmaker Akinola Davies Jr.

Book here

17:30

It's Never Over, Jeff Buckley 15
1h 46m
Rising musician Jeff Buckley had only released one album when he died suddenly in 1997. Now, never-before-seen footage, exclusive voice messages, and accounts from those closest to him offer a portrait of the captivating singer.

Book here

20:30

The Chronology of Water 18
2h 8m
In the 1980s, a talented swimmer’s dreams are upended, sending her on a journey through love, loss, and self-discovery. Kristen Stewart makes her directorial debut with an intimate, compelling portrait of resilience, creativity, and finding one’s voice through art.

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!