Press room

December 2021
barbican.org.uk/whats-on/cinema 

Curated by the Barbican: 

• T A P E Collective Presents: But Where Are You Really From?: Trippin’ Over My Tongue + live poetry
• Belarus Free Theatre: Alone + ScreenTalk
• New East Cinema: Wake Up on Mars + pre-recorded ScreenTalk with director Dea Gjinovci
• Family Film Club

Festivals: 

• London Palestine Film Festival
• London International Animation Film Festival 2021
• Oska Bright Film Festival – Best of the Fest

Event Cinema:

• Met Opera Live: Eurydice
• Royal Opera House Live: The Nutcracker
• Royal Opera House Live: Tosca

 Barbican Cinema On Demand: 

• Nowhere Inn
• Keyboard Fantasies: The Beverly Glenn-Copeland Story

In December the Barbican champions under-represented voices with two powerful documentaries from presenting partners: Alone, presented by Belarus Free Theatre as part of the Barbican’s Theatre and Dance programme, charts the political awakening of Andrei Khluvniuk, a multi-platinum-selling rock star from the Ukraine, who asks how his fame can make a difference; and New East Cinema’s: Wake Up on Mars + ScreenTalk, an empathetic documentary about a family from Kosovo who are awaiting the results of their asylum application in Sweden.

The London based T A P E Collective (whose co-founders are both Barbican Young Progammers’ alumni) present their second programme Trippin' Over My Tongue + live poetry; a series of short films by mixed heritage filmmakers around themes of identity and heritage, exploring othering, belonging and the trouble of melting pots. This screening will begin with live poetry performances by Shanay Neusum-James and other poets to be announced.

Further highlights this month include the Oska Bright Film Festival – Best of the Fest, which showcases the best films from around the world that are made by or featuring people with learning disabilities; and the second instalment of the London Palestine Film Festival and the final event in London International Animation Film Festival.

As Christmas approaches Event Cinema includes a screening of the Royal Ballet’s  The Nutcracker, Tchaikovsky's much-loved ballet, which is a festive treat for the whole family. Opera fans can also enjoy live screenings of Met Opera’s Eurydice and the Royal Opera House’s Tosca.

Barbican Cinema On Demand this month features two music documentaries The Nowhere Inn - which screened in venue in November’s Doc’N’roll – and is a funny, fractured tale of making a documentary about St Vincent, starring Carrie Brownstein (Portlandia, Sleater-Kinney) and Annie Clark (St Vincent) herself.

Also screening is the documentary Keyboard Fantasies: The Beverly Glenn-Copeland Story (UK 2019 Dir Posy Dixon), about the life and work of the trans folk-electronica musician, who finally finds his place in the world three decades after his debut album release.

Curated by the Barbican:

T A P E Collective Presents: But Where Are You Really From?
Trippin’ Over My Tongue (15*) + live poetry
Wed 8 Dec, 6.30 pm
Barbican Cinema 2
Running time tbc

The second in a three-part series presented by T A P E Collective, whose co-founders Angela Moneke + Isra Al Kassi, are both alumni of the Barbican Young Progammers’ scheme. This is a selection of short films by mixed heritage filmmakers around themes of identity and heritage, exploring othering, belonging and the trouble of melting pots.

Whether it’s learning or losing a language, this programme looks at the barriers raised when the mother tongue isn't as fluent as expected, or the words simply slip away.

Films include: Taarof: A Verbal Dance (UK 2018 Dir Alannah Olivia) in which a young woman attends the funeral of her estranged father and trips on the customs and traditional ideals of what it is to be an Iranian woman; On The Threshold Of Liberty (Finland 1992 Heidi Tikka), a record of a personal struggle in trying to construct meaning as an outsider in foreign culture; and Without Warning (UK 2020 Emily Macrander), about a girl who struggles to understand her heritage and identity as a sperm donor baby that grew up looking like neither of her parents. 

This screening will begin with live poetry performances by Shanay Neusum-James and other poets to be announced.

Belarus Free Theatre: Alone documentary screening + live Q&A
Dirs Nicolai Khalezin, Natalia Kaliada & Andrew Smith, UK 2020, 120 min
Fri 10 Dec 2021, 6.30 pm
Barbican Cinema 1

The documentary film Alone charts the astonishing political awakening of a multi-platinum-selling rock star from Ukraine as he asks how his fame can make a difference.

As front man of Ukrainian band Boombox, with millions of fans, Andrei Khluvniuk seems to have it all. Yet he is in turmoil, he can no longer turn a blind eye to Russia’s annexation of territories in his homeland nor the persecution of fellow artists, journalists and dissidents.

Inspired by the activism of his friends at Belarus Free Theatre, he decides to raise awareness of the Kremlin’s actions and campaign for the release of political prisoners, including the acclaimed film-maker, Oleg Sentsov. But what is the cost of using music to speak the truth as he challenges dictatorship, propaganda and lies?

This UK premiere of Alone is screened on International Human Rights Day and is complemented by a live in-person Q&A with the film’s directors and Belarus Free Theatre’s co-founders and chaired by BBC journalist and HARDtalk presenter Stephen Sackur.

Alone is the first in a series of events presented at the Barbican with Belarus Free Theatre, and is followed by the world premiere of Dogs of Europe in the Theatre in March 2022. Based on a novel by Alhierd Bacharevic – now banned in Belarus – the production looks at the dangers of ignoring the onset of authoritarianism.

On Tue 25 Jan New East Cinema also present Courage (Germany 2021, Dir Aliaksei Paluyan), this documentary, filmed in the course of the presidential elections in Belarus in the summer of 2020, follows three actors from an underground theatre in Minsk who get caught up in the maelstrom of mass protests.

New East Cinema: Wake Up on Mars (12A*) + pre-recorded ScreenTalk with director Dea Gjinovci
France/Sweden 2020, Dir Dea Gjinovci, 75 min
Tue 14 Dec, 8.45 pm
Barbican Cinema 2

A family from Kosovo await the results of their asylum application in Sweden while caring for their two daughters who lie in a coma-like state.

The Demiri family, forced to seek asylum in Sweden after fleeing persecution in Kosovo in 2007, await for the results of their asylum application while caring for their two daughters who have mysteriously fallen into a coma-like state diagnosed as ‘resignation syndrome’. In the midst of this uncertain reality, the family's youngest child, Furkhan, who dreams of outer space, is building a spaceship for a special mission to Mars.

Documentary and magical realism blend in Dea Gjinovci's fascinating, often playful film which, despite the potential bleakness of the subject matter, offers hope in the face of bureaucracy and cynicism, while Furkhan’s escapades act as a dynamic metaphor for the experience of many refugees.

Family Film Club
Every Saturday, 11 am
Barbican Cinema 2

In December, FFC celebrates all things wintry and festive with some family films and events. Look out for the regular show and tell introduction and the free monthly workshop.

Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Story (PG) +
Show and Tell introduction from Lisa Davina Phillip
US 2020, Dir David E. Talbert, 122min
Sat 4 Dec, 11am
Barbican Cinema 2

Time to get into the festive spirit with this musical adventure starring Forrest Whittaker, Keegan Michael Key, Hugh Bonneville, Ricky Martin, Anika Noni Rose and Lisa Davina Phillip. 

With jaw dropping steampunk inspired production design and tunes from Grammy Award winners Phillip Lawrence and John Legend this is a must see on the big screen.

Barbican Cinema is also delighted to welcome Lisa Davina Phillip, who plays the powerhouse post-mistress Ms Johnston, to introduce the film and tell us about her experience of making the film.

Festivals:  

London Palestine Film Festival
1 & 3 Dec 2021
Barbican Cinemas 1 & 3

The London Palestine Film Festival continues in December with two further screenings: As I Want (Egypt/ Norway/ France/ Palestine/ Germany 2021), in which Samaher Alqadi explores the chains of her childhood - through words left unsaid to
her mother - in this fierce and feminist film about revolutionary struggle; and the weird and wonderful Friendship’s Death (UK 1987, Dir Peter Wollen), starring Tilda Swinton, who plays alien on a peace mission who inadvertently lands in Amman during Black September (1970) where she is rescued by a journalist.

For further information: www.palestinefilm.org.uk/

London International Animation Film Festival 2021:
Closing Gala - The Best of the Fest (15*)
Sun 5 Dec, 5.30 pm
Barbican Cinema 1 
Running time: approx. 120 min

LIAF’s best of the fest brings the curtain down on another year’s programme. The films have been selected by several panels of industry experts and audience votes. 

Awards will be given for the ‘Best film of the Festival’, ‘Best British Film’, ‘and Best Sound ’, ‘Best children's film’, ‘Best Abstract film’ and ‘Best Late Night Bizarre film’.

For further information: www.liaf.org.uk

Oska Bright Film Festival – Best of the Fest (12A*)
Tue 7 Dec 6.30pm,
Barbican Cinema 3
Running time approx.. 75 min

Oska Bright Film Festival is the world’s leading festival for films made by or featuring people with learning disabilities or autism. This film programme presents a selection of highlights from the Festival, with films from the UK, Sweden and Australia.

From the Australian comedy Kill Off (2017 Dir Genevieve Clay-Smith), starring Jamie Brewer (American Horror Story), to Born to Dance with an Extra Chromosome (UK 2019 Dir Nikolay Nikolov), a fabulous doc featuring drag performers with Down’s syndrome, this rich selection, all made by or starring people with learning disabilities or autism, shows a rich diversity of talent.

For further information: www.oskabright.org/ 

Event Cinema

Met Opera Live: Eurydice (12A)
Sat 4 Dec 5.55pm
Barbican Cinema 1
Running time: 205 min, including one interval

The ancient Greek myth of Orpheus, who attempts to harness the power of music to rescue his beloved Eurydice from the underworld, has inspired composers since opera’s earliest days.

Rising American composer Matthew Aucoin now carries that tradition into the 21st century with a captivating new take on the story. With a libretto by MacArthur “Genius Grant” recipient Sarah Ruhl, adapted from her acclaimed 2003 play, the opera reimagines the familiar tale from Eurydice’s point of view.

Met Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin takes the podium, leading Aucoin’s evocative music and an immersive new staging by Mary Zimmerman. Soprano Erin Morley sings the title role, opposite baritone Joshua Hopkins as Orpheus and countertenor Jakub Józef Orliński as his otherworldly alter ego.

Royal Opera House Live: The Nutcracker (12A)
Sun 12 Dec 2pm
Barbican Cinema 3
Running time: 160 min

An enchanting, festive treat for the whole family. Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker is a family favourite at Christmas time and is one of the most delightful ways to discover the joy of ballet. The story of Clara, a girl on a magical Christmas Eve adventure, is accompanied by sparkling music and even dancing sweets! Watch the full company of The Royal Ballet in this much-loved ballet classic.

Starring Akane Takada (The Sugar Plum Fairy), Cesar Corrales (The Prince), Christopher Saunders (Herr Drosselmeyer), Isabella Gasparini (Clara) and Luca Acri (Hans-Peter/The Nutcracker), and conducted by Koen Kessels. 

Royal Opera House Live: Tosca
Wed 15 Dec 7.15pm
Barbican Cinema 3
Running time: 205 min, including two intervals

A romance, a tragedy and a thriller – travel to 19th century Rome with Puccini’s passionate, political opera.

Into the romantic world of an idealistic painter Cavaradossi and his sensuous lover Tosca comes the malevolence of Baron Scarpia, Chief of Police, with fatal results.
Elena Stikina, Bryan Hymel and Alexey Markov bring to life one of the best loved operas in The Royal Opera repertory: Puccini’s Tosca.

From the demonic chords with which it famously begins to the violent twist of the opera’s shock ending, the tension never lets up for a moment. Love and evil come – thrillingly – face to face in Jonathan Kent’s intense production.

Barbican Cinema On Demand

The Nowhere Inn
USA 2020, Dir. Bill Benz, 91 min
Available to stream: Fri 10 Nov – Fri 12 Dec
Pay per view: Full: £10.00 | Young Barbican: £4.00 | Barbican Members £8.00

Starring real-life friends Annie Clark (a.k.a. Grammy-winning artist St. Vincent) and Carrie Brownstein (Portlandia, Sleater-Kinney), this is a mischievous, metafictional
and frequently laugh-out-loud funny account of banding together to make a documentary about St. Vincent’s music, touring life and on-stage persona. But they quickly discover unpredictable forces lurking within the subject and the filmmaker that threaten to derail the friendship, the project, and the duo’s creative lives.

From first-time filmmaker Bill Benz comes a densely woven and increasingly fractured commentary on reality, identity and authenticity. A music documentary like no other (that screened in Doc’n’Roll Festivall in November) this is the story of two close friends who attempt to wrestle the truth out of a complex subject before the hall of mirrors that is their artistic lives devours them completely.

Keyboard Fantasies: The Beverly Glenn-Copeland Story
UK 2019 Dir Posy Dixon, 91 min
Available to stream: Fri 26 Nov – Fri 24 Dec
Pay per view: Full: £10.00 | Young Barbican: £4.00 | Barbican Members £8.00

Keyboard Fantasies tells the story of Beverly Glenn-Copeland, a black transgender septuagenarian (and musical genius) who finally finds his place in the world. When Glenn receives an unexpected email in 2016 from a record collector in Japan enquiring about copies of his 1986 self-release, Keyboard Fantasies, everything changes. Now signed to a major indie label, and sharing a timely message with the world, Glenn's emergence from obscurity transpires as an intimate coming of age story that spins the pain and suffering of prejudice into rhythm, hope and joy.

New Releases  
 
For the latest information on new release screenings in the Barbican Cinemas and Cinema On Demand please visit the Barbican website.  
 
The Barbican believes in creating space for people and ideas to connect though its international arts programme, community events and learning activity.

To keep its programme accessible to everyone, and to keep investing in the artists it works with, the Barbican needs to raise more than 60% of its income through ticket sales, commercial activities and fundraising every year.  
Donations can be made here: barbican.org.uk/donate  

ENDS