Films we’ve shown

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Monday 12th January 2026 Vermiglio 2024 Italian

In the mountainous village of Vermiglio in 1944, Pietro (a deserter) is taken in by the family of the local teacher. His ensuing love for the teacher’s eldest daughter will change the course of everyone’s life.

Rating: 95% A-18, B-4

We had a good audience for this film, 53 in total, possibly a record. And January is usually a quiet month.

Comments: Beautiful film; Brilliant cinematography and editing; Charming, special film; Atmospheric and good story; Touching; immersive.

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Monday 8th December 2025     The Crime is Mine 2023 French

In 1930s Paris, Madeleine, a pretty, penniless and talentless actress, is accused of murdering a famous producer. Helped by her best friend, she is acquitted on the grounds of self-defence, and a new life of fame and success begins – until the truth comes out. With alluring razzmatazz, The Crime is Mine will seduce farce lovers and Francophiles alike. (Rotten Tomatoes)

Rating 78% A-8, B-9, C-5

Comments: Great fun – tres bon et amusant; Good film, enjoyable – as described, a fun romp. Better than good but not quite excellent; Very French!; Fun; Delightfully wicked and insightful – great fun!; Fun;

Monday 10th November 2025    I’m Still Here 2024 Portuguese

As Brazil faces the tightening grip of a military dictatorship the 1970s, Eunice Paiva must reinvent herself and her family when authorities abduct her husband. I’m Still Here poignantly explores a nation’s upheaval through one family’s search for answers. Academy Award for Best International Feature Film 2025. (Rotten Tomatoes)

Rating: 97% A – 15, B – 2

Comments: A tough watch – brilliant!; The actor who played Eunice is phenomenal; Brilliant film; What an actress!

PS – For info, Marcelo became tetraplegic after spinal injuries from jumping into a shallow lake. He wrote the book of this time in their family life (as well as many others) Also…. old Eunice was actually played by young Eunice’s real life mother! She was also nominated for an Oscar in the past, in 1999 for her part in the film Central Station (also directed by Walter Salles)

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Monday 13th October 2025   The Innocent 2022 French

When Abel learns that his mother is about to marry a man in prison, he freaks out. With the help of his best friend, he will do whatever it takes to protect her. The Innocent is a screwball romcom-come-heist movie with a genuinely surprising storyline that keeps you guessing to the end. (IMDB; Guardian)

Rating: 92% A – 15, B – 7

Comments: Funny, unexpected; Excellent distraction; Very enjoyable; Great fun!!; Good fun, lovely start to the season; Brilliant.

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Monday 12th May 2025 Blind Ambition (2021; English, Shona, French) Dir: Robert Coe, Warwick Ross

Blind Ambition follows four friends with a passion for their craft and a sense of national pride, who form Zimbabwe’s first national wine tasting team, setting their sights on the coveted title of “World Wine Tasting Champions”. A sort of Cool Runnings for oenophiles with a documentary twist, Blind Ambition draws on its rich terroir to tell a savoury story with several subtle notes. (Rotten Tomatoes)

Rating: 86% A – 10, B – 9, C – 1

Comments:Very positive; Really great; A very appropriate and important message; Wonderful feel good film; Resonated with us S Africans; Right up my street!; Life affirming, great characters; A good one to finish the 24/25 season!;Inspiring; Hadn’t realised it was a documentary, but very interesting and great music. Excellent choice – would not have found otherwise.

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Monday 10th March 2025  Driving Madeleine (2022; French) Dir: Christian Carion

A seemingly simple taxi ride across Paris evolves into a profound meditation on the realities of the driver Charles, whose personal life is in shambles, and his fare, Madeleine, an elderly woman being taken to her retirement home where she will be living.Travelling through the streets of Paris, her extraordinary past is revealed. (Rotten Tomatoes)

Rating : 97% A – 17, B – 2

Comments: One of the best; It avoided being ‘cheesy’, very good!; Beautiful film – scenery superb, lovely story; Excellent!; Brilliant film; Enjoyed it very much.

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Monday 14th April 2025     Fallen Leaves (2023; Finnish) Dir: Aki Kaurismäki

In modern-day Helsinki, two lonely souls in search of love meet by chance in a karaoke bar. However, their path to happiness is beset by obstacles – from lost phone numbers to mistaken addresses, alcoholism, and a charming stray dog. A quirky tale of star-crossed lovers, Fallen Leaves is a life-affirming gem from Finnish filmmaker Kaurismäki. (Rotten Tomatoes)

Rating: 86% A – 9, B – 12

Comments: I loved it – very dry and very funny; Gripping; Thought provoking; Very dry, dour; Slow and very grey, but ended well.

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10th February Past Lives (2023; English, Korean, French) Dir: Celine Song

Nora and Hae Sung, two deeply connected childhood friends, are wrested apart after Nora’s family emigrates from South Korea to North America. Twenty years later, they are reunited for one fateful week as they confront notions of love and destiny. A delicate and sophisticated story of lost loves, childhood crushes and changing identities. (IMDB; Guardian)

Rating 78%  A – 5, B – 11, C – 3

Comments – Completely credible and profound; Very thoughtful and thought-provoking, I enjoyed it more than I expected; Slow burn but very moving, and that final scene was heartbreaking; A bit slow, but worth watching; Very moving; Lovely – but slow; Saved by the acting.

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13th January 2025 Blackbird, Blackbird, Blackberry (2023; Georgian) Dir: Elene Naveriani 110 mins (15)

Etero, a 48-year-old woman living in a small village in Georgia, has chosen to remain unmarried, cherishing her freedom as much as her cakes. Unexpectedly, she finds herself falling passionately for a man, and must grapple with her newfound feelings to decide how to find her own path to happiness. A gentle gem about mid-life love and loneliness. (Rotten Tomatoes; Guardian)

Rating 80% A – 7, B – 11, C – 3

Comments: Beautifully acted; Entertaining; Pleasurable; Beautiful cinematography and colours, really enjoyed; Very unusual, quite tender; Quite dark, but enjoyed the twist; Very different; Atmospheric – but wouldn’t see it again; Tender, but very slow, good ending; Different.

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9th December 2024 The Taste of Things (2023; French) Dir: Anh Hung

Cook Eugenie’s (Juliette Binoche) romance with her gourmand employer Dodin gives rise to dishes that impress even the world’s most illustrious chefs. When Dodin is faced with Eugenie’s reluctance to commit, he begins to cook for her.

Rating: 86% A-11, B-2, C-2, D-1

Comments: Mesmerising, slow, very French – I loved it! A feast for the senses – beautiful; Delicious; Slow and different; Boring – sorry!

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11th November 2024  Perfect Days (2023; Japanese) Dir: Wim Wenders

Hirayama seems utterly content with his simple life as a cleaner of toilets in Tokyo, following a very structured daily routine whilst enjoying his passion for music, books, and trees. A series of unexpected encounters gradually reveal more of his past. A deeply moving and poetic reflection on finding beauty in the everyday world around us.

Rating: 87%, A – 9, B – 4, C – 2

Comments: Charming; Wicked; Don’t know why, but it kept me entertained the whole time, but about 20 minutes too long; Soothing; The importance of a simple life; A sweet film.

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14th October 2024 The Good Boss (2021; Spanish) Dir: Fernando Leon de Aranoa

Seeking an award for excellence, the owner of a manufacturing business tries to resolve any hindrances from his workers. Led by Javier Bardem’s charismatic performance and writer/director de Aranoa’s sharp humour

Ratings: 84% A-9, B-12, C-1

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13th May 2024 Utama (2022; Quecha/Spanish) Dir: Alejandro Loayza Grisi

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Monday 8th April 2024 Winners (2022; Farsi)  Dir: Hassan Nazer

In a small provincial Iranian town, the children work hard to support their families. One day nine-year-old Yahya and his friend Leyla find a precious statue. Sharing a passion for cinema, Yahya’s boss decides to help them find the owner. This gentle Persian-language homage to cinema brings to mind British classics such as Local Hero or Whisky Galore. (IMDB; Guardian)

Ratings: 59% A-1, B-5, C-3, D-1, E-1

Comments: Visually stunning, but I also found it quite mystifying; Clunky, but visually interesting.

Winners was sadly a bit of a loser for us. The story was all over the place, and what should have been interesting plot reveals came across as just hard-to-believe strange events. Some scenes were woefully under-rehearsed.

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Monday 11th March 2024 The Big Hit (2020; French)

Dir: Emmanuel Courcol 105 mins (15)

Etienne, an often out of work but endearing actor, runs a theatre workshop in a prison, where he brings together an unlikely troupe of prisoners to stage Samuel Beckett’s famous play Waiting for Godot. When he is allowed to take the colourful band of convicts on a tour outside of prison, Etienne finally has the chance to thrive. This feel good prison comedy drama, based upon a true story, crackles with charm and nervous energy. (IMDB; Guardian)

Ratings: 97% A-25, B-3

Comments: Existentially brilliant; Good fun; Thought-provoking and curiously funny; Very heartwarming; More!; Brilliant; Pity the French was difficult to hear; Brilliant – so French!

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Monday 12th February 2024  Three Colours: Red (1994; French)

Dir: Krzysztof Kieslowski 99 mins (15)

Red is the final part of the Three Colours trilogy, and the last film by acclaimed Polish director, Kieslowski. Liberty, equality and fraternity may well have been the starting points for Three Colours, but this is ultimately a trilogy about love in the 90s. Red follows the burgeoning relationship between an old judge and a younger girl, created by chance and moulded by circumstances, and the absorbing exploration of the lives of others (BFI; Guardian)

Ratings: 91% A – 15, B – 8

Comments: – Delightful; Classically French!; Well placed in the top 100; As good as billed.

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Monday 8th January 2024  Cairo Conspiracy (2022; Arabic)

Dir: Tarik Saleh 126 mins (12)

Adam, the son of a fisherman, is offered the privilege to study at the Al-Azhar University in Cairo, the centre of power of Sunni Islam. Following the sudden death of the chief imam, Adam is recruited as a government informant, and becomes a pawn in the conflict between Egypt’s religious and political elites. A taut, textured political thriller.

Ratings: 93% A – 22, B – 3, E – 1

We had good attendance, 36 members and 12 tickets on the door, particularly considering that it had been snowing earlier in the evening.

Comments – Slow burn!; Fascinating and revealing – the power play between religion and politics in a patriarchy!; Intimidating and believable, clever plotting; Great acting; Just like the Vatican!

Monday 11th December 2023  Official Competition (2021; Spanish)

Dir: Mariano Cohn, Gastón Duprat 115 mins (15)

A billionaire businessman decides to make a groundbreaking film, hiring a famous filmmaker, Lola Cuevas ,and two well-known actors who boast not only an enormous talent, but also even bigger egos. Through a series of increasingly hilarious tests set by Lola (Cruz), the actors must confront not only each other, but also their own legacies. Penélope Cruz is a deadpan dream in this wicked film-world satire. (IMDB; Guardian)

Ratings: 81% A – 11, B – 10, C – 5

Comments: Very, very clever. Loved the architecture!; Well crafted, funny, great choice; 5 star; My kind of film; Funny and clever and stylish and thoughtful; Cruz is sensational; Almost brilliant, but too long and a bit self-indulgent.

So last film of 2023 puts us on the up again – thanks to all your input.

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Quo Vadis Aida? (2020; Bosnian/English)

Dir: Jasmila Zbanic 101 mins (15)

Bosnia, July 1995. Aida is a translator for the UN in the small town of Srebrenica. When the Serbian army takes over the town, her family is among the thousands of citizens looking for shelter in the UN camp. Quo Vadis, Aida? uses one woman’s heartbreaking conflict to offer a searing account of war’s devastating human toll. (IMDB; Rotten Tomatoes)

Ratings: Based on slips returned 97%, but if we include comment “dreadful” it drops to 86%

Comments: Excellent, but dreadful; Gruesome but necessary; Deeply thought provoking; A very hard watch; Very powerful, but very harrowing; Lest we forget.

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Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom (2019; Dzongkha/English)

Dir: Pawo Choyning Dorji 110 mins (PG)

A young teacher in modern Bhutan shirks his duties while planning to go to Australia to become a singer. As a reprimand, his superiors send him to the most remote school in the world to complete his service. This is a simple story, with breath-taking scenery and a big heart. (IMDB; Rotten Tomatoes; Guardian)

Rating of 99%  A – 17, B – 1    A cracking start to the season. Surprisingly few comments, but both expressed the feelings of the audience. Suffice to say that spontaneous applause broke out! Comments: Brilliant; Super film.

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Monday 8th May 2023      8.00pm

Hive (2021; Albanian)

Dir: Blerta Basholli 84 mins (15)

Fahrije’s husband has been missing since the war in Kosovo. She sets up her own small business to provide for her kids, but as she fights against a patriarchal society that does not support her, she faces a crucial decision. Winner Best International Film Sundance 2021. (IMDB)

Ratings: 99%   A – 17, B – 1    Our best this season, depending on how you count the unrated comment sheets for “Flee”

Comments: Very moving; Wonderful; Powerful, heartbreaking; Moving; Very moving.

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Monday 17th April 2023     8.00pm

Petite Maman (2021; French)

Dir: Celine Sciamma 73 mins (U)

Following the death of her beloved grandmother, 8-year-old Nelly accompanies her parents to her mother’s childhood home to begin the difficult process of cleaning out its contents. As Nelly explores the house and nearby woods, she is immediately drawn to a neighbour her own age building a treehouse. What follows is a tender tale of childhood grief, memory and connection. (IMDB)

Ratings: 74% (Our lowest this season)   A – 5, B – 9, C – 4, D – 1

Comments: Brilliant – confusing; Happy to see a film without any “noir`’; Complex – well acted, loss of grandparent, daughter swapped roles; Nice and sweet; Bit weird but beautifully done and lovely looking; I couldn’t understand it, but well acted; Too loud; Dull.

NB: April film was preceded by Annual General Meeting

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Monday 13th March 2023   7:30pm

The Quiet Girl (2022; Irish Gaelic/English)

Dir: Colm Bairéad  94 mins (12)

Set in 1981, this film tells the story of a young girl, Cáit, who is sent away for the summer from her dysfunctional family to live with “her mother’s people”. These are Seán and Eibhlín Cinnsealach; a middle-aged couple she has never met. Slowly, in the care of this couple, Cáit blossoms and discovers a new way of living, but in this house where affection grows and there are meant to be no secrets, she discovers one. (IMDB)

Ratings: 92%     A – 15, B – 5, C – 1

Comments: Lovely ending; Not good sound quality; Very moving; A beautiful film, very poignant and really well shot; Excellent film; Beautiful acting and visuals; Wonderful; Very sentimental; Lovely film, beautifully ambiguous ending; Overly sentimental and over indulgent cinematography.

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Monday 13th February 2023  7:30pm

Night of the Kings (2020; French/Dyula/Nushi)

Dir: Philippe Lacôte 93 mins (15)

Spectacular, thrilling and absolutely unique, Night of the Kings is both exhilarating and a tale of survival in one of the world’s most dangerous prisons and a beautiful ode to the power of storytelling. When a young man is sent to an infamous prison, located in the middle of the Ivorian forest and ruled by its inmates, he is chosen to take part in a storytelling ritual just as a violent battle for control bubbles to the surface. After discovering the grim fate that awaits him at the end of the night, Roman begins to narrate the mystical life of a legendary outlaw to make his story last until dawn and give himself any chance of survival. (Cinema for All)

Ratings: 88%    8 – A, 8 – B  (+ 1 with no rating, but had a comment)

Comments:

Gripping; Hard watch though; Horrific, brutal – enjoyed. Glad I’ve seen it; Grippingly authentic, very African; A fairy tale African style; Rip-off of Lord of the Flies; Stylish; Interesting; A++

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Monday 9th January 2023  7:30pm

Flee (2021; Danish/English/Dari)

Dir: Jonas Poher Rasmussen 89 mins (15)

An animated documentary, blended with archival footage, telling the true story about a man’s need to confront his past in order to truly have a future. Amin arrived as an unaccompanied minor in Denmark from Afghanistan. Today, at 36, he is a successful academic and is getting married to his long-time boyfriend. A secret he has been hiding for over 20 years threatens to ruin the life he has built for himself. For the first time, he is sharing his story with his close friend. A remarkable refugee story told with heart and audacity. (IMDB; Guardian)

Ratings: 100%  A – 21 (Plus 2 comment returns with no rating)

Comments: Stunning and powerful; Very good and very distressing; Shattering – brilliant; Excellent film; Thank goodness it had a happy ending; Thoughtful; I was surprised that it was more graphic in the animated form; Stunning; Superb; Brilliant images; Thought provoking, traumatic life of refugees. Good animation; Brilliant; No idea if good or bad, very thought provoking emotional story – not sure about the animation.

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Monday 12th December 2022

Compartment No. 6 (2021; Finnish/Russian) Dir: Juho Kuosmanen

A young Finnish woman escapes an enigmatic love affair in Moscow by boarding an Arctic-bound train. Forced to share the long ride and a tiny sleeping car with a Russian miner, the unexpected encounter leads the wildly mismatched occupants of Compartment no. 6 to face the truth about their own yearning for human connection in this beguiling romance.

Ratings: 83% 11A, 8B, 2C

Comments: Charming and unexpected; Very funny; Very good.

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Monday 14th November 2022

Parallel Mothers (2021; Spanish) Dir: Pedro Almodóvar

The story of two mothers who bond in unexpected way after giving birth the same day. The few words they exchange in these hours will create a very close link between the two, which by chance develops and complicates, and changes their lives in a decisive way.

Ratings: 94% 19A, 6B

Comments: Excellent; Very relevant, as still finding remains in Spain, thanks; Powerful; Incomparable, but interestingly flawed; Thought provoking; Almodovar playing straight for a change.

We were pleased to have 57 viewers for this film, up from 35 or so recently. The move to Monday is a success.

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Monday 10th October 2022    7.30pm

I’m your Man (2021; German) Dir: Maria Schrader 108 mins (15)

In order to obtain research funds for her studies, a scientist accepts an offer to participate in an extraordinary experiment: for three weeks, she is to live with a humanoid robot, created to make her happy.

Ratings: 97% 21A, 3B

Comments: Very good; Fun + serious, a bit different; Thought provoking, tender and funny; Very good; Better than I expected

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Sunday 8th May 2022    

Minari (2020; Korean/English)    Dir: Lee Isaac Chung

Infused with a wonderful sentimentality, Lee Isaac Chung’s fictionalised account of his rural US childhood explores the growing pains of a family farm. This Oscar-nominated tale of a Korean family putting down roots in 1980s Arkansas balances the feel-good and the gritty, and offers an intimate and heart-wrenching portrait of family and assimilation in 1980s America.

Ratings   86%   10A, 6B, 2C

Comments: – Fine art and riveting; Very sensitive and realistic; Very well acted but very slow.

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Sunday 10th May 2020 

I Got Life (2017; French  Dir: Blandine Lenoir

Blandine Lenoir’s lovely, intricate film tackles a subject that rarely gets addressed in the arts, with a comical lilt. The ‘everyday heroine’ of this film defies convention to show the realities of age discrimination, menopause – and happiness – post-50. A life-affirming French rom-com to round off the season!

Rating 100% 16A   Our first 100% this season and well deserved

Comments: Haven’t laughed so much in ages, loved it!; Wonderful!!!; Great choice; Uplifting!!!; Pure genius, a stunner; Excellent despite subject.

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Sunday 13th March 2022

And Then We Danced (2019; Georgian)  Dir: Levan Akin

A passionate coming-of-age tale set amidst the conservative confines of modern Tbilisi, the film follows Merab, a competitive dancer who is thrown off balance by the arrival of Irakli, a fellow male dancer with a rebellious streak.

Rating 87%  9A, 5B, 1D

Comments: Made me feel what he was feeling; Fantastic music and dancing; Super; Brilliant, well paced and authentic; Interesting and great dancing; I enjoyed this; Bit slow; Interesting, good timing with current war.

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Sunday 13th February 2022

The Perfect Candidate  (2019; Arabic) Dir: Haifaa Al-Mansour

A determined young Saudi doctor’s surprise run for office in the local city elections sweeps up her family and community as they struggle to accept their town’s first female candidate. A message movie admirable for its subtlety as well as its execution, The Perfect Candidate faces oppression and powerfully advocates for change.

Rating 90% 10 A, 4 B, 1 C

Comments: Beautiful; Nice to see something set in Saudi Arabia – thank you!; Loved it, songs hard to sing along to!; Fascinating; Excellent film; A bit slow!

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Sunday 9th January 2022 

The Farewell (2019; Chinese/English) Dir: Lulu Wang

A Chinese family discovers their grandmother has only a short while left to live and decide to keep her in the dark, scheduling a wedding to gather before she dies. The Farewell deftly captures complicated family dynamics with a poignant, well-acted drama that marries cultural specificity with universally relatable themes.

Rating 90%  A-8, B-4, B/C-1

Comments: Engaging, poignant, philosophical, universal – Xie Xie!; Mmm – OK.

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Sunday 12th December 2021

Another Round (2020; Danish) Dir: Thomas Vinterberg,

Four high school teachers consume alcohol on a daily basis to see how it affects their social and professional lives. Take one part deftly directed tragicomedy, add a dash of Mads Mikkelsen in vintage form, and you’ve got Another Round — an intoxicating look at midlife crises. Winner of Foreign Language Oscar and BAFTA 2021.

Rating  93%  A-11, B-2, C-1

Comments: Interesting and a bit uneven, but fun, not as good as expected; this image made for Mads!; Great choice, thank you and Happy Christmas; Moving, tragic/comic, thoughtful; Sober for life!

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Sunday 14th November 2021

Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019; French)Dir: Céline Sciamma,

In 18th century France a young painter, Marianne, is commissioned to do the wedding portrait of Héloïse without her knowing. Therefore, Marianne must observe her model by day to paint her portrait at night. Day by day, the two women become closer as they share Héloïse’s last moments of freedom before the impending wedding. A singularly rich period piece, Portrait of a Lady on Fire finds stirring, thought-provoking drama within a powerfully acted romance.

Rating 88%  A-10, B-3, E-1

Comments: Brilliant women-only characters; Beautifully filmed, lovely film; Wonderful; Beautifully done; Brilliant, thank you; Mesmerizing; Totally inauthentic.

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Sunday 10th October 2021

Nae Pasaran (2018; English/Spanish) Dir : Felipe Bustos Sierra 

In a Scottish town in 1974, factory workers refuse to carry out repairs on warplane engines in an act of solidarity against the violent military coup in Chile. 40 years after their defiant stand in protest against Pinochet’s Air Force, Scottish pensioners discover the dramatic consequences of their solidarity in this heartfelt and poignant documentary.

Rating 93% A-10, B-4

Comments:

Wonderful; Fascinating; Very good; Good to see a documentary; Very moving and uplifting to have one’s belief in democracy renewed; It’s good to see a factual documentary; Seemed particularly timely.

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Sunday 8th March 2020

Pain and Glory (2019; Spanish) Dir: Pedro Almodóvar

A film director reflects on the choices he’s made in life as past and present come crashing down around him. Almodóvar is in an introspective mood in this his 21st feature film, a sensuous and deeply personal gem.

Rating 93% A-15, B-3, C-1

Comments: Interesting, slow start, good ending; Best for years since Volver; Excellent – need to see it again; Fabulous, it is best since Volver; Gripping, difficult, brilliant; Perfecto; Completely gripped; Brilliant, lots to think about; Tedious and boring, very nice to look at.

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Sunday 9th February 2020

Transit (2018; German) Dir: Christian Petzold

A man attempting to escape occupied France falls in love with the wife of a dead author whose identity he has assumed. Adapted from Anna Seghers’ 1942 novel of the same name, with the drama transplanted to present-day Marseilles to combine the continent’s moral failings, past and present.

Rating 92% A-19, B-3, C-1, D-1

Comments: Intriguing plot; Odd, confusing; Good to see it shot in present day Marseille – hope I don’t win this in the raffle!; Pleasingly weird; Excellent, like a Casablanca; Brutal.

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Sunday 12th January 2020

Shoplifters (2018; Japanese) Dir: Hirokazu Koreeda

Rating 85%  A-11, B-9, C-2

This Palme d’Or-winning drama {2018) follows a marginalised band of thieves living in the poverty-stricken fringes of Japan and who have made common cause with each other.

Comments: Some parts were hard to follow, Lin was a brilliant actress!; Sad and very Japanese, but good insight into life below breadline that country; H Koreeda = Ken Loach?; Very good, excellent; Very moving, but a bit confusing; Intriguing; Great story; Brilliant and confusing.

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Sunday 8th December 2019

Woman at War (2018; Icelandic) Dir: Benedikt Erlingsson

Rating 95%  A-18, B-4An off-the-wall comedy and contemporary environmental fable about a woman fighting to save the planet and adopt a child at the same time.

Comments: Very different story, thought provoking, lovely music; Think a little too long, as some laboured points; Very different and thought-provoking, fabulous scenery; Quirky and most amusing; Quirky, fantastic; Brilliant; Is there hope?; Amazing scenery, want to visit Iceland; Loved.

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Sunday 10th November 2019 

Capernaum (2018; Arabic) Dir: Nadine Labaki

Rating 100% A – 21

Comments: Solution?; Heartbreaking, amazing child; Realistic; Shocking; Depressing but excellent; heavy – feeling so guilty now; How little we are aware/know/do anything; Bit too neat an ending. Required viewing for all at school (as Paradise was 12 years ago); How do you rate that – no idea.

This extraordinary film starred the boy who’s story it was. A 12 year old child of a poor family, whose attempts to do the right thing for his friends and family in spite of appalling circumstances was heart breaking.

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Sunday 13th October 2019

Faces Places (2017; French) Dir: Agnès Varda

Rating 89% A – 16, B – 5, C – 3

Comments: A lovely film and brilliant start to the 19/20 season; Charmant!; Great first film for this season; Wonderfully sympathetic and optimistic; Beautiful; Delightful; Wonderful insight into simple French lives; Interesting; Very enjoyable; Exactly my kind of film; Bit too long.

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Pre-Release Film Showing and Talk from Mike Pruss

Mike Pruss is a Lymington lad who has made it big in Hollywood, in a very senior position at Ridley Scott’s “Scottfree Productions”.

Following last year’s highly successful showing of Mike’s film “Equals” we showed “American Woman” with Sienna Miller on July 28th at 7 pm in the Malt Hall. The film was preceded by a brief introduction, and followed by a Q&A session with Mike.

The film was wonderful. Comments from the audience included “This is the best American film I’ve ever seen” It was particularly appreciated as it had many of the qualities of the European arthouse films that the Film Society so much enjoys. The portrayal of the intense emotional experiences of an “ordinary person in extraordinary circumstances”, and the way that her life changed over a 12 year period.

After the film, Mike gave a fascinating account of the making of the film, from the screenwriter’s original inspiration, through the evolution of the script, to the casting, shooting and editing. His description of the preparatory work by the star Sienna Miller, living for months with a family like the one in the film, and visiting the woman who’s tragic story inspired the film, again over a period of months, was a fascinating insight into the dedication of a world class actor.

At the suggestion of Mike’s father Tony, a collection was made in support of the Lymington Centre, and we raised almost £300. Thanks to all who attended, and of course to Mike for such an inspiring evening. This was actually the first showing in the UK, and was only possible through Mike’s ability to persuade Sony pictures to allow the showing, and the creation of a custom Blu-Ray disc especially for us. What a privilege.

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Sunday 12th May 2019

Hotel Salvation Hindi Dir: Shubhashish Bhutiani

Rating 87%. A – 13, B – 8, C – 2

Comments: Charming and slow – India is the star; Nicely filmed; How did they keep so clean? Nice characters; Universal theme; Charming but rather slow; I agree with Mr Kermode; Very very interesting; Thank you!; The best film of this season; Very fitting on this occasion; Very realistic; Different; Really enjoyed.

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Sunday 14th April 2019

A Fantastic Woman Dir : Sebastian Lelio

Rating 80%. A – 8, B – 11, C – 2, D – 1

Comments: Very dignifying transgender story; Terrific; Incredible performance by the lead – a beautiful, powerful and sensitive film; Surprised!; Good but not very enjoyable; A touching love story; Weird, emotional; Confusing plot and direction; Tedious; Slow-moving; I couldn’t see the point; Most peculiar. (preceded by Annual General Meeting )

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Sunday 10th March 2019

The Nile Hilton Incident Dir: Tariq Saleh

Rating 62% Not so popular, this one. Can’t win ’em all.

Comments: Brilliant but horrifying; Bit confusing; Gripping, chaotic, ambitious – hate the music; Why a crime thriller – so many on telly; Complicated plot; Dull and predictable; For me, a good film; Really didn’t like it – depressing; Horrible!; Sorry – very boring; Bad music, too violent; depressing, didn’t like it.

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Sunday 10th February 2019

Cold War 2018 Dir: Pawel Pawlikowski

Rating 89%

Comments: Great film, thank you, B/W excellent; Good ending; Excellent – took me back to the late 69s cinema but kind of fresher take; Totally absorbing; The best, most beautiful film – since Saja Rai; Really good and sad; Magnificent; Wonderful film, very good in B/W, very raw beautiful singing!; Beautiful; A stylish heady mix of a film; Very good; Luminous and beautiful; Rather disconnected at times, not sure; Too dismal, after too many depressing films – please choose some more cheerful ones next time.

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Sunday 13th January 2019

Land of Mine 2015 Dir: Martin Zandfliett

Rating: 94%

Comments: Brutal; Excellent performances…overall narrative predictable but performances made it very engaging; Unbearable tensions and violence, excellent filming – Not good Sunday viewing; Thank goodness for a slightly happy ending, fantastic acting; Utterly breathtaking; Brutal, no to war; Both excellent and dreadful, Shocking; Fantastic but harrowing; Simply heartbreaking; Brutal but honest, and amazing acting.

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Sunday 9th December 2018 

The Divine Order 2017; Dir: Petra Volpe

Rating: 73%

Comments: Humorous; Story good, filming average; Acting good – story nothing special (hmm – rather contradictory methinks!) Great choice for 2018; Amazing; Greatly enjoyed; There is no stop to change!! so sad yet uplifting, shockingly recent; very entertaining

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Sunday 11th November 2018

Custody 2017; Dir: Xavier Legrand

Rating 73%. A mixed response, which is understandable given the heavy-hitting subject.

Comments: “Crikey!; Brilliant; Very dark; Close to a nightmare; Harrowing; Very good, too good!; Predictable but great tension; Loved it – cried – I never cry!; I am too traumatised to give a comment; Did the boy get an Oscar?; Well played, especially the young boy; Sub-title translation poor; Tough – realistic?, uncomfortable.”

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Sunday 14th October 2018 

The Fencer 2015 Dir: Klaus Härö

Rating: 93%.

Comments:”Splendid; Beautiful but shocking; Very well acted, believable; Fantastic acting all round, super photography and scenery; Simple and realistic of oppressive times; Gentle but could have done with more cinematography Brilliant; Very touching, excellent start of season; Loved!!!”

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Sunday 29th July Mike Pruss Talk

A special talk and film showing by Mike Pruss of Ridley Scott’s Scott Free production company

The introduction was at 7:15 with the film “Equals” starting at 7:30. After the film we had a talk and Q&A with Mike.

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Sunday 13th May 2018

The Olive Tree (2016)

Dir Icíar Bollaín (Spain/Germany)

Rating 98% 20 A’s and 2 B’s. Thanks for the great feedback.

Comments: An achingly beautiful film – so funny and so sad; Moving – and funny; Really excellent; Fantastic; Brilliant; Great story to finish the season; Excellent to end with; Brilliant choice; Delightful; Best of the season.

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Sunday 8th April 2018

Annual General Meeting (Members only) followed by The Other Side of Hope (2017)

Dir Aki Kaurismäki (Finland)

Rating 80%. A few A’s and lots of B’s for this film. I gave it a B.

Comments: Quite a large nod to surreal films from the last century; v good film; Well chosen frank film; Very much enjoyed the humour too; Unusual, never seen a Finnish film, enjoyed it; Thought provoking (x2); Curate’s egg, good in parts; Apart from end (referring to rating of “B” from that member, which was deserved for all of the film except the end, which was sudden and unfulfilled)

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Sunday 11th March 2018

Frantz (2016)

Rating 97%

Comments: Beautiful and tragic; Again very interesting; Wonderful photography, but so sad; Intriguing

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Sunday 11th February 2018

Graduation (2016)

Dir Christian Mungiu (Romania)

Rating: 67%

Comments: Very enthralling – brilliant 2 hrs of dialogue; very interesting; v. thought provoking, liked the complexity of the story; v. atmospheric; interesting though a bit gloomy; rather slow; flashing lights a nuisance – (this last comment to the fact that the rear safety light was flashing throughout the show)

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Sunday 14th January 2018

The Innocents (2016)

Dir Anne Fontaine (France/Poland)

Rating 86%

Comments: Amazing (x2), great but hard work, beautiful & v sad, really enjoyed, excellent & beautifully filmed, hard to watch (x2), powerful, great film work & characters, another excellent film, once again very thought provoking, a moving excellent film, interesting, difficult subject well done, original & interesting.

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Sunday 10th December 2017

A Man Called Ove (2015)

Dir Christian Petzold (Sweden) Ihr 56mins Colour, 15

Thanks to the committee for the mince pies before this film.

Rating 95%

Comments: Good Christmas film; Love conquers all; So good it made me cry; Amazing; Very powerful – the power of love; Very true to the book, and well represented; Fab; Just the right film for December.

Best wishes to all of our members for a wonderful Christmas, and here’s looking forward to more great films next year

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Sunday 12th November 2017

Heal the Living (2016)

Dir Katell Quillévéré (France/Belgium))

Rating 82%

Comments: Very moving, not always terribly realistic; Very good, bit like a documentary; Very powerful, but very medicalised for some people; Not my cup of tea; Very good – a bit slow; Very interesting; Predictable; Good topic, educational; I say emotional; Very moving and powerful; Touching; Brilliant and dignified; Well acted and sensitive, and great to raise the topic, some medical “mistakes”

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Sunday 8th October 2017 First of the new season

Truman (2015; Spanish, subtitled)

Dir Cesc Gay (Spain/Argentina)

Rating: 89%

Comments: Difficult subject, well done; Excellent; Really enjoyed; Very good; Uplifting; Bit dreary but well made and acted.

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Sunday 14th May 2017

Phoenix  Dir Christian Petzold (Germany/Poland) 2014

Rating 88.3%

Comments: Wow! Excellent; So stylish; Great ending: Excellent – brilliant ending; Fine story; Mysterious; Curious but good; Very good ending, much of the rest was unengaging.

Thanks to you all for a great 8th Season!!

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Sunday 9th April 2017

Annual General Meeting  followed by the film:

Taxi Tehran  Dir Jafar Panahi (Iran) 2015

Rating 83%

Comments: Brave film; Fascinating and depressing, but as a film a bit different; Clever film; Excellent brave film; Thought provoking; I hope he is not in prison, brave film.

Not our highest rating. The film was conspicuously lacking in production values, being shot on small cameras in a taxi. But it’s an important film, made by a director who was banned from film making by the regime. The characters in the film were passengers he picked up, and their combination of basic humanity along with resignation to the edicts of the authorities told a story that we need to hear, but are generally prevented from hearing. 

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Sunday 12th March 2017

Difret  Dir Zeresenay Mehari (Ethiopia/USA) 2014

Rating 96%

Comments: More!; Shocking and realistic, but maybe not a big film; Great choice; Hard to watch but worth it; Very moving; Awesome; Excellent insight into a ‘Christian’ culture.

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Sunday 12th February 2017

Brand New Testament Dir Jaco Van Dormael (Belgium) 2015

Rating 94%.

Comments: Bizzare, crazy, fun; Delightfully wacky; Crazy but amusing; Wonderful; Women should rule; Best yet – why no Oscar?; Delightfully bonkers.

Once more we had spontaneous applause from the 63-strong audience. Very encouraging.

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Sunday 8th January 2017

Mustang  Dir Deniz Gamze Erguven (France/Germany/Turkey)

Rating 93%

Comments: Triumph of the human spirit; Why was it called Mustang?; Different; What a performance by Lale; Scary; Lale wonderful; Music very good

Spontaneous applause followed this Oscar nominated film from Turkey about five spirited teenage girls’ coming of age in an oppressive society where marriage and “purity” are the only important considerations. Also a nice high attendance for this first film of 2017.

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Sunday 11th December 2016

Marshland Dir Alberto Rodriguez (Spain)

Rating 79%

Comments: Atmospheric/authentic; Complicated; Stunning; Great cinematography; Dirty Harry; Not sure I understand it all; Loved it; Excellent; Clever take on cop thriller; An allegory of reconciliation in Spain; Too gratuitous; Loose ends; Too violent, though well made.

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Sunday 13th November 2016

Tangerines Dir Zaza Urushadze (Estonia, Georgia)

Rating of 95%

Comments – Really good choice for 11 11; ***!!!; Should be compulsory viewing for all; Excellent and thought provoking; Great cinema; Very atmospheric; Devastating, the best and the worst of mankind; Excruciatingly real; Where did they get all the food? Another one on the futility of war, but still excellent.

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Sunday 9th October 2016

La Famille Bélier Dir Eric Lartigau (France) 2014 French.

Rating of 91%. A great start to the season. Applause at the end – always nice.

Comments: Fantastic; More like that please; Great fun; Brilliant; Fab film to start the season; Best ever; Excellent, uplifting; More like that please; Just lovely; Charmingly ridiculous; Good photography and scenery; Ghastly.

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Sunday 08 May 2016

Two Days, One Night Dir JP and L Dardenne . (Belgium) 2014. 1hr 35 mins. French.

Overall rating 70%. Comments “Good analysis of someone recovering from a breakdown; Interesting but too French, went on and on; What a torture to watch such a situation; Slow but worth it; Hard subject;
Hope at the end; Interesting – many elements; A bit slow; Good acting but it could have been longer with more background; Depressing; Disappointing end to the season.”
A great central performance from Marion Cotillard, but really a bit slow and lacking in plot, resulting in something of an anti-climax to the year’s films. It’s been generally a very good year though, and we look forward to next year’s films starting in October.

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Sunday 10 April 2016

Force Majeur Dir Ruben Ostlund . (Swedish) 2014. 2 hrs. Swedish.

Attendance 41, 33 members and 8 tickets. Rating 61%. One of our worst! Comments “Thought provoking; Weird; The reviews rated it far better than it was; Hope I don’t win it in next year’s AGM raffle (a topical comment, as the film followed this year’s AGM, where we raffled off the films we’ve shown since the last AGM. One more reason to be a member!) Irritating music; Worst film I’ve seen at the LFS”

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Sunday 13 March 2016 7:30 PM

Ida Dir Pawel Pawlikowski. (Polish) 2013. 1hr 22 mins. Polish.

Attendance 56, 37 members and 19 tickets. Rating 96%. Comments: Very moving portrayal of that period after the war; Breathtakingly beautiful and sad; Great story, hopeless ending; Must have been a bad year for the BAFTA, Oscar.

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Sunday 14 February 2016 7:30 PM

The Women on the 6th Floor Dir Philippe Le Guay . (France) 2010. 1hrs 42 mins. French.

Good attendance and very well received. Quite a few laughs from the audience, and applause at the end. 33 members and 21 tickets. Comments: Uplifting; Delightful; Brilliant; Ab fab; More please; Vive l’amour; Very entertaining; Very French; Tres bien.

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Sunday 10 January 2016 7:30 PM

The Rocket Dir Kim Mordaunt . (Laos/Australia) 2013. 1hr 36mins . Lao.

Not terrific attendance but most of those who came enjoyed it. 30 members + 4 tickets. Rating 91% Comments: Amazing story writing – so real; Very touching; Sweet film; A few scary moments but very good, thank you; Boring

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Sunday 13 December 2015 7:30 PM

Ex-Machina Dir Alex Garland. (UK) 2015. 1hr 48mins. English.

A terrific film, made all the more fascinating by the talk from Ben Salisbury one of the two composers of the score. The film is effectively a three-hander – with the music being the “fourth character”. Long slow shots held together and given mood by the sound track. The film left more questions than it answered. Did the characters intend their fate? What would happen next? Will Alicia Vikander get the Golden Globe, and maybe more? We had 49 attendees, 37 members and 12 tickets. 20 slips returned with a rating of 89%. Comments: “Enthralling; Would not have picked a movie of this type – really enjoyed; Loved having the composer, the soundtrack was the 4th character; Very intelligent; AI is not possible in this world; Pity about the synch going wrong; Didn’t really get it; Intricate; Fascinating – great music; Too slow; Very unusual.” The comment about the synch referred to an unfortunate glitch in the Blu-Ray player which put the sound about 1/5 second early on the picture from the start of chapter 10 of the disc. Frustrating!

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 Sunday 10 January 2016 7:30 PM

The Rocket Dir Kim Mordaunt . (Laos/Australia) 2013. 1hr 36mins . Lao.

Not terrific attendance but most of those who came enjoyed it. 30 members + 4 tickets. Rating 91% Comments: Amazing story writing – so real; Very touching; Sweet film; A few scary moments but very good, thank you; Boring

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Timbuktu Dir Abderrahmane Sissako . (France/Mauritania) 2015. 1hr 37mins. French/Arabic . Shown 8/11/2015

A very different film this month. The all-pervading and ever tightening effects of living, or trying to live, in a jihadi-dominated area, where the local interpretation of Sharia law is administered via the barrel of a gun.
46 attendees. 32 members and 14 tickets. 22 slips returned (thank you). Rating 90%. Comments: “Grim but punchy; Harrowing; Tragic; Beyond words; Harrowing but achingly beautiful; Captivating and scary; Football scene very good”

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Wild Tales Dir Damian Szifron . (Argentina) 2014. 2hr 2mins. Spanish. Shown 11/10/2015

From the short – but sharp – intro right to the end this set of four short tales of personal battles, revenge, and their consequences kept a large audience laughing, and occasionally gasping, throughout. A great kickoff to the season.
Score of 92%. 47 members, 22 tickets on the door
Comments: Very funny; very clever and entertaining; amusing; more please!; harrowingly excellent; genius; terrific.

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 The Hedgehog Dir Mona Achache. (France) 2011. 1hr 40 mins. French. Cert 12 Shown: 10/05/2015

Inspired by the book “The Elegance of the Hedgehog” (Muriel Barbery), this touching film has us looking through the eyes of the lonely precocious 11 year old Paloma. Whilst making a documentary of the hypocritical world of the privileged haut-bourgeoisie in the smart Parisian apartment block where she lives, she befriends the concierge, who has an equally sour outlook on life. As friendship grows, they discover that change is always possible, and it’s never too late to embrace love or life.

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Come as You Are Dir Geoffrey Enthoven. (Belgium) 2011. 1 hr 55 mins. Flemish. Cert 15 Shown: 12/04/2015

Under the guise of a wine tour, three twenty year olds set out on a road trip to Spain, in search of independence and their first sexual experience. Nothing will stop them – not even their handicaps. “Warmly humorous, thoroughly uplifting, this tale of triumph of human spirit over disability is a true treat, making it a worthy companion to Untouchable” (Dave Aldridge, Radio Times). Won Peoples Choice Best European Film at the EFA 2012

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A Hijacking Dir Tobias Lindholm. (Denmark) 2012. 1hr 43 mins. Danish. Cert 15 Shown: 08/03/2015

Lindholm (The Hunt) has created a tense drama with this skillful rendering of the complex chess game of hostage negotiation in the Indian Ocean. A past master in high stakes drama, having scripted numerous episodes of the TV series Borgen, his scrupulous attention to the nuts and bolts of the situation provides gripping viewing

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The Past Dir Asghar Farhadi. (France) 2013. 2hrs 10 mins. French/Farsi. Cert 12A Shown: 08/02/2015

Attendance 57. 42 Members and 15 tickets. Rating 83%. Comments: Fab acting, good but bleak; Excellent; Brilliant; Terrific; Quite long, good acting; Well done but bleak; Bit too long, great performance; bleak; On the slow side; A barrel of laughs again!; Can we have a funny one next please?

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Blancanieves Dir Pablo Berger. (Spain) 2012. 1hr 44mins. Silent. Monochrome. Cert 12A Shown: 11/01/2015

49 members plus 13 tickets on the door. Rating 91% (25 rated A, 13 rated B). Comments” Stunning; great close-up shots; enchanting; enjoyed it much; macabre; very dramatic, excellent music; great fun – very different; weird but utterly compelling; the old ones are the best; enjoyable at panto level”. This Spanish black and white silent film was very Spanish, and very black and white, using the medium to be almost surreal in places. The wicked stepmother was fabulously vain and wicked. Snow White was wonderfully beautiful and innocent.

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Dir Ritesh Batra. (India) 2013. 1hr 44mins. Hindi. Cert PG Shown: 14/12/2014

A mistaken delivery leads to a touching correspondence and unexpected friendship in this charming film. 45 members and 26 tickets. The evening was enhanced by the mulled wine. Comments “Charming; Interesting to see that the Koula Cafe exists; delightful film; Just like Brief Encounter; Beautiful; Another good insight into a different culture”

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Metro Manila Dir Sean Ellis. (UK/Philippines) 2013. 1hr 55 mins. Tagalog. Cert 15 Shown: 09/11/2014

Attendance 59. Overall rating of 95% Comments: Brilliant; Depressing; Overwhelming: Shocking but excellent; Not too kitsch like last time; Tense, tragic, what an ending!; Harrowing but excellent; Very clever, but tragic story. Hard-hitting and moving, amazingly acted, beautifully shot. We were very fortunate to have Dave Pen who performed the final song on the film. Dave introduced the film and talked about the music sound track, which was excellent – haunting without being syrupy

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Populaire Dir Regis Roinsard. (French) 2012. 1hr 51 mins. French. Cert 12 Shown: 12/10/2014

What fun! Beautifully shot and acted with just enough French 50’s to keep you smiling. The eponymous Populaire turned out to be a typewriter, at the hands of our unlikely heroine in an international battle to be the fastest typist, with a romance thrown in for good measure. A nice meringue to start the season. Attendance 53 including 43 members. Rating 94%. Comments: Insane but brilliant; Sweet, good to see 50s style; Delightfully daft; Enjoyable candy floss; Fabuleux; Great to have a cheerful film; Fabulous vintage fun; Brilliant; Great fun; Uniquely French

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Superclasico – MEMBERS ONLY PRE-SEASON SCREENING Dir Ole Christian Madsen . (Danish) 2011. 1hr 39 mins. Danish. Shown: 28/09/2014

Attendance 35 for this Members only special in the Malt Hall. Rating of 96% – not bad! Comments include: Funny and correct ending; Great sound; Sweet and sad; Good story and cast; Very enjoyable; Very amusing; A thoughtful comedy; Excellent sound and visual quality; Very funny, clever entertainment.

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In the House Dir Francois Ozon . (France) 2012. 1hr 45mins. French. Shown: 11/05/2014

Attendance 61 including 39 members. Score 83%. Very varied comments. “Brilliant film”, “Drole”, Intriguing”, Clever plot”, through “Well made but irritating” to “Tedious” and “Disturbing”. A strong end to a good season.

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The Hunt Dir Thomas Vinterberg . (Denmark) 2012. 1hr 55mins. Danish. Shown: 13/04/2014

Attendance 34, including 29 members. Score 88%. Comments from “Absolutely brilliant”, “Good acting” to “Hackneyed theme”, “Another depressive Scandi-drama”

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Wadjda Dir Haifaa Al-Mansour . (Saudi Arabia) 2012. 1hr 38mins. Arabic. Shown: 09/03/2014

Comments: A lovely film; Very Sensitive and Informative; Vivid and Worthy; Great choice, fascinating insights. Attendance 53 (including 35 members) Rating 92%

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I Wish Dir Hirokazu Koreeda . (Japan) 2011. 2hrs 8mins. Japanese. Shown: 09/02/2014

With the lowest rating so far this year, this film definitely divided the ranks. Was it a sweet tale of a little boy hoping for a minor miracle to help with his family’s very real problems, or was just too slow moving to keep us involved? Positive comments “Delightful, will keep me smiling for days; very sweet and heart warming; fascinating insight into Japan; beautiful photography” Negative comments “Too long and slow, I wish it had ended sooner! Score 66%

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Rust and Bone Dir Jacques Audiard . (France) 2012. 2hrs. French. Shown: 12/01/2014

The lives of a struggling single father and a renowned whale trainer who suffers a horrific accident become entwined as a deep bond forms between them. Positive comments: “Well acted”.”Impressive CGI, she really didn’t seem to have any legs” Negative comments: “Difficult to feel sympathy for main character.” “Good, but not my cup of tea.” “Too many cliches, but at least he didn’t join the foreign legion.” Score 72%

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No Dir Pablo Larrain . (Chile) 2012. 1hr 58mins. Spanish. Shown: 08/12/2013

Gripping historical dramatisation of Chile’s “Berlin Wall” moment – an ad executive comes up with a campaign to defeat Augusto Pinochet in Chile’s 1988 referendum. Oscar nomination 2013. 37 members plus 22 paying guests. Positive comments “Brilliant, fascinating,very effective way of approaching subject, what do we make of freedom” Negative comments “Subtitles (at times too fast, too long, poorly translated), slow/not very gripping, quite boring”. Score 82%

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Lore Dir Cate Shortland. (Australia/Germany) 2012. 1hr 49mins. German. Shown: 10/11/2013

A fascinating insight into the social breakdown of Germany at the end of WWII, as children of Nazi parents struggle to cross a country that has turned against them. It was followed by a fascinating Questions and Answers session with screenwriter Robin Mukherjee. Comments “Spellbinding, Wonderful evening, Fascinating insights, Great to meet screenwriter, Could have heard a pin drop, Unusual subject very welcome, Excellent Q and A – more please!” Score 88%

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M Lazhar Dir Philippe Falardeau. (French) 2011. Shown: 13/10/2013

51 members and non-members attended this “Simple quiet start for this year’s programme”. “Very moving” Beautifully acted” “Loved music”…

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The Kid with a Bike Shown: 19/05/2013

Fine acting but a somewhat tired plot. The film went down well but it couldn’t come up to the previous one. Score: 80%

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Untouchable Shown: 14/04/2013

A fabulous film, played to a packed house (over 100) funny, tragic, and exciting all in one. Best film to date. Score: 98%

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Carancho Shown: 10/03/2013

Not widely enjoyed and suffered the lowest score to date. Score: 66%

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After the Wedding Shown: 10/02/2013

An audience just short of 60 people thoroughly enjoyed this movie. Interesting plot well acted. Fans of Birgen were reminded that this was Danish film! Score: 83.1%

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Even the Rain Shown: 13/01/2013

“Even the Rain” was a quite stunning movie enjoyed by a small but enthusiastic audience. The film scored extremely well on the feedback slips, one person commenting that this was a lot of film packed into 103 minutes! If you weren’t there and you get a chance to see this film in the future, take the chance to see it. Score: 94.6%

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A Royal Affair Shown: 09/12/2012

Bit of a brooding Scandinavian costume drama but very good for all that. Score: 84.6%

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Incendies Shown: 11/11/2012

Excellent movie with an amazing start and shocking ending. Went down very well with our audience. Score: 92%

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Le Havre Dir Shown 14/10/2012.

Well enjoyed film despite rather dated genre. Great story with a few somewhat obscure French movie references. Quite a fantasy, but very likeable for all that. Score: 76.92%

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The Chorus (Les Choristes) Shown: 13/05/2012

Lovely film which got the best score and comments of the season. Well attended and fully enjoyed. Score: 94%

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The Sea Inside Shown: 01/04/2012

“Brilliant;” “a tour de force” – just a couple of the comments made about this film. Low attendance but highly rated film! Score: 87%

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A Separation Shown: 11/03/2012

Very well received film which provoked much thought and discussion. Score: 91%

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Le Concert Shown: 12/02/2012

Very well received and enjoyed. Great music and nice story. Nearly 60 people came – pretty good for a cold night. Score: 91%

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