Presented in partnership with the American Cinematheque, ‘Bleak Week: Cinema of Despair’ is an annual film festival showcasing some of the greatest works of cinema from across the globe that venture into the darkest sides of humanity and the bleakest points in human history.
The fifth annual edition in June 2026 expands to nearly 100 theatres across the U.S., Canada, U.K. and South and Central America, with each venue presenting its own original curated lineup of uncompromising films defined by unpleasant truths and raw empathy.
Oldboy (Park Chan-wook, 2003)
Friday 19 June 5.45pm
Sunday 21 June 8pm (Father’s Day)
The Turin Horse (Béla Tarr, 2011)
Saturday 20 June 2.30pm
Red Rooms (Pascal Plante, 2023)
Saturday 20 June 8.30pm
Thursday 25 June 6pm
The Ascent (Larisa Shepitko, 1977)
Sunday 21 June 2.45pm
Tuesday 23 June 6pm (£6 for UPP Members)
Naked (Mike Leigh, 1993)
Monday 22 June 8.30pm
Wednesday 24 June 4.45pm
Gummo (Harmony Korine, 1997)
Wednesday 24 June 8.30pm (35mm presentation)
Presented in partnership with the American Cinematheque and Prince Charles Cinema.
After fifteen years of mysterious imprisonment, Oh Dae-su is suddenly released and is fuelled by a need for answers and revenge. Oldboy is a gripping, shocking thriller from Park Chan-wook that became a global cult hit.
Inspired by an anecdote involving philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, Béla Tarr’s award-winning parable follows a frail farmer and his young daughter struggling to eke out a living amidst harsh conditions in the Hungarian countryside.
A young woman becomes fixated on a high-profile murder trial, drawn into a disturbing online underworld. Red Pascal Plante’s tense, chilling thriller explores obsession, true crime, and the darker edges of internet culture.
Two soldiers on a wartime mission face betrayal and impossible choices. Larisa Shepitko’s powerful, haunting war drama is both a gripping survival story and a deeply moving meditation on sacrifice and moral courage during conflict.
A restless drifter prowls London’s night streets, clashing with everyone he meets. Mike Leigh’s darkly comic, provocative character study is driven by David Thewlis’s electrifying performance as one of cinema’s most unforgettable antiheroes.
In a forgotten Midwestern town, a group of outsiders drift through a series of strange, unsettling encounters. Gummo is a raw, unconventional cult film that captures the surreal edges of everyday life in America. Presented on 35mm film.
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!