The much-anticipated follow-up to 2019’s Academy Award-winning “Joker,” which earned more than $1 billion at the global box office and remains the second highest-grossing R-rated film of all time.
“Joker: Folie À Deux” finds Arthur Fleck institutionalized at Arkham awaiting trial for his crimes as Joker. While struggling with his dual identity, Arthur not only stumbles upon true love, but also finds the music that's always been inside him. The film also stars Oscar nominees Brendan Gleeson (“The Banshees of Inisherin”) and Catherine Keener (“Get Out,” “Capote”), alongside Zazie Beetz, reprising her role from “Joker.
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PADDINGTON DAY !!!
A one-day celebration that will allow audiences to see a sneak peek from the next instalment, PADDINGTON IN PERU (at The Riverside in November), ahead of watching either of our screenings of PADDINGTON 1 and 2.
An accident-prone bear from deepest Peru arrives in London searching for a home, but finds himself lost and lonely at Paddington station. However he quickly meets the Brown family, who take him in, having read the label around his neck – “Please look after this bear”. This heartwarming film is packed with an all-star British cast, with Nicole Kidman on hand to lend pantomime villainy as a wicked taxidermist. Showcasing the modern city at its diverse, multicultural best, there are thoughtful messages around being kind to strangers and helping everybody to fit in sprinkled in amongst the fun. A charming family film to watch while munching on marmalade sandwiches.
There’ll be prizes for the best dressed person who comes as Paddington. We’ll have other giveaways too and we might even be able to persuade our restaurant to provide marmalade sandwiches in between the two film screenings!
So come along and watch both of the Paddington films before the release of Paddington in Peru next month, or feel free to just come and watch one of them.
All tickets just £5.00 for everyone - on sale from 16th September
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PADDINGTON DAY !!!
A one-day celebration that will allow audiences to see a sneak peek from the next instalment, PADDINGTON IN PERU (at The Riverside in November), ahead of watching either of our screenings of PADDINGTON 1 and 2.
Following the mayhem and excitement of arriving in London from Peru, Paddington is now happily settled in with the Brown family. Looking to save up some money to buy his Aunt Lucy a birthday present, he gets various jobs in and around the local area. Opting to buy her a pop-up book of London, Paddington doesn’t know that a secret treasure map is hidden inside. When the book is stolen, it’s up to Paddington and his family to try and track down the thief, but little does he know, Paddington is being framed for the crime himself! Finding everyone’s favourite marmalade-loving bear stuck in jail, the community rally round to campaign for his release.
There’ll be prizes for the best dressed person who comes as Paddington. We’ll have other giveaways too and we might even be able to persuade our restaurant to provide marmalade sandwiches in between the two film screenings!
So come along and watch both of the Paddington films before the release of Paddington in Peru next month, or feel free to just come and watch one of them.
All tickets just £5.00 for everyone - on sale from 16th September
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In a working-class area of Sweden, sisters Laura (16), Mira (12), and Steffi (7), get by on their own, left to their own devices by an absent mother. With summer on the way and no parents around, life is wild and carefree, vivacious and anarchic. But when social services call a meeting, Laura has to find someone to impersonate their mom, or the girls will be taken into foster care and separated. Laura keeps the threat a secret, so as not to worry her younger sisters. But as the moment of truth draws closer, new tensions arise, forcing the three sisters to negotiate the fine line between the euphoria of total freedom and the harsh realities of growing up.
After suffering a catastrophic and almost fatal spinal cord injury, professional rugby player Ed Jackson's world changed forever. The Mountain Within Me follows Ed's journey on his recovery as he achieves the mental and physical heights of Snowdonia, the Alps and Himalayas to the life-altering challenges closer to home. From multi-award-winning director, Polly Steele and BAFTA and EMMY nominated producer, George Chignell, THE MOUNTAIN WITHIN ME is an inspiring, thought-provoking documentary about unexpected change, hope and finding renewed purpose in life.
From DreamWorks Animation comes a new adaptation of a literary sensation, Peter Brown’s beloved, award-winning, #1 New York Times bestseller, The Wild Robot. The epic adventure follows the journey of a robot—ROZZUM unit 7134, “Roz” for short — that is shipwrecked on an uninhabited island and must learn to adapt to the harsh surroundings, gradually building relationships with the animals on the island and becoming the adoptive parent of an orphaned gosling. A powerful story about the discovery of self, a thrilling examination of the bridge between technology and nature and a moving exploration of what it means to be alive and connected to all living things.
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Director Ridley Scott brought the glorious battles of ancient Roman arenas back to the big screen for the first time in decades with Gladiator, a sweeping story of courage and revenge. The great Roman General Maximus (Crowe) has once again led his legions to victory on the battlefield. The war won, Maximus dreams of home, wanting only to return to his wife and son; however, the dying Emperor Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris) has one more duty for the general - to assume the mantle of his power. Jealous of Maximus’ favour with the emperor, the heir to the throne, Commodus (Phoenix), orders Maximus’ execution - and that of his family. Barely escaping death, Maximus is forced into slavery and trained as a gladiator in the arena where his fame grows. Now he has come to Rome, intent on avenging the murder of his wife and son by killing the new emperor - Commodus. The film was a huge hit with audiences and critics alike garnering 12 Academy Award nominations and winning 5 including Best Picture and Actor (Crowe).
Gladiator II will be with us in November
The classic, distinctly beautiful British animated feature film Watership Down, which follows a group of rabbits on a perilous journey to find their own utopia, is back on the big screen again this autumn, the first time in nearly 50 years. A building project threatens the tranquil lives of the wildlife residing in a British woodland area, not least the rabbits who reside in one of the local warrens. Littlest rabbit Fiver, who has a sixth sense, has distressing visions of destruction lying ahead and persuades a small group to join him on what is to be a challenging journey to safety in the halcyon location of Watership Down. Some of Britain’s best-known actors including John Hurt, Richard Briers, Ralph Richardson, Denholm Elliott, Roy Kinnear and Hannah Gordon, brought the rabbits to life and made them eternally memorable.
This thrilling tale of adventure, courage and resilience, one of the greatest of British animations, will continue to enthral new and old audiences alike, and is unmissable on the big screen this autumn in this wonderful new 4K restoration.
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With the full festival taking a break this year we still wanted to champion our local talent and introduce new filmmakers to new audiences at The Riverside.
So we’ll be offering an evening of short films from local Suffolk filmmakers or films that have been produced, written by, starring or shot in and around Suffolk, and calling our special event - The Suffolk Connection.
After the programme Director Matthew Reed will be discussing his beautifully crafted Suffolk short, Village Hours, which gets to the heart of village life, and was inspired by "Akenfield" by Ronald Blythe; an ethnographic study of life in an English village.
We believe that short films are the future, so come along for an evening of specially selected Suffolk Shorts!
All tickets £5.00
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Screening in tribute to the late Dame Maggie Smith
Like many we were devastated to hear of the death of Dame Maggie Smith at 89, whose career has spanned the theatrical, film and television world without equal. Her work, which ranged from The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie to Harry Potter to Downton Abbey, brought her global recognition, as well as two Oscars and eight Baftas.
But Smith also excelled in non-comedic dramatic roles, performing opposite Laurence Olivier for the National Theatre, winning a best actress Bafta for The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne, and playing the title role in Ingmar Bergman’s 1970 production of Hedda Gabler. She was ther recipient of countless awards and nominations for her theatrical performances including a Tony Award and one of the few to receive the Triple Crown of Acting.
Following a recent poll on our social media channels, the Alan Bennett film THE LADY IN THE VAN received the most number of votes and remains one of the most popular films screened at The Riverside.
We are delighted to be able to screen this film in her honour and for a percentage of the ticket sales to go to one of the many charities of which she was a supporter.
All tickets £7.00 with membership list suspended
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Screening in tribute to the late Dame Maggie Smith
Like many we were devastated to hear of the death of Dame Maggie Smith at 89, whose career has spanned the theatrical, film and television world without equal. Her work, which ranged from The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie to Harry Potter to Downton Abbey, brought her global recognition, as well as two Oscars and eight Baftas.
But Smith also excelled in non-comedic dramatic roles, performing opposite Laurence Olivier for the National Theatre, winning a best actress Bafta for The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne, and playing the title role in Ingmar Bergman’s 1970 production of Hedda Gabler. She was ther recipient of countless awards and nominations for her theatrical performances including a Tony Award and one of the few to receive the Triple Crown of Acting.
Following a recent poll on our social media channels, the Alan Bennett film THE LADY IN THE VAN received the most number of votes and remains one of the most popular films screened at The Riverside, but THE PRIME OF MISS JEAN BRODIE was a close second, and as it was the film in which she won her first Oscar, we have decided to screen that too.
We are delighted to be able to screen these films in her honour and for a percentage of the ticket sales to go to one of the many charities of which she was a supporter.
All tickets £7.00 with membership list suspended, or see both films for £10 (simply select a seat for each film and the overall ticket price will be reduced in your basket)
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Deftly fusing the sublime with the ridiculous, this ketamine-fuelled adrenaline ride through the back streets of Belfast sees the most unlikely of figureheads propelled to the front of a movement to preserve their native tongue. In a post-Troubles Belfast, childhood best friends Liam Óg and Naoise find themselves disenfranchised and uninterested in much beyond having a good time. When a chance encounter with a mild-mannered music teacher sparks the creation of the first group to rap in Irish, everything changes. The trio’s anarchic energy and lyrics reflect a resentment felt throughout their runaway train of a following, transforming their anger into a hedonistic rallying cry. Holding the same antipathy for the conventions of the music biopic as it does for colonial legacies, Peppiat’s film overflows with the fearless humour and livewire creativity that fuelled the band’s real-life ascent.
Our Manager Neil’s favourite film of the year so far, and following the screening there will be a pre-recorded interview between Neil and the film’s director, Rich Peppiatt.
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HARDER THAN THE ROCK – the fascinating story of Cimarons, the first UK band to embrace the thrilling new sound coming out of Jamaica.
Reggae exploded in the 1970s, with Cimarons at its heart. Thousands of miles from Jamaica, they brought excitement, experimentation and sheer anticipation booming from speaker boxes, putting the new generation of Black British youth in touch with their roots – in contact with who they really were. Industry legends, Cimarons worked with reggae-royalty Bob Marley, Toots & the Maytals, Jimmy Cliff, Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry and even Paul McCartney, but have been hugely under-recognised when it comes to their own music, impact and legacy. Having lost drummer Maurice Ellis to cancer, the band persists, despite decades of exploitation. Harder Than The Rock tells the story of their amazing history and follows the band’s final chapter as they dream of performing in front of live audiences again, one last time.
Screening as part of Black History Month
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It's time for another one of our popular Film Quizzes and this time its on Halloween Night!
The last four quizzes sold out very quickly so don't delay in booking a team space!
James King from BBC Radio, ITV and Sky will be quiz master along with our manager, Neil, live on stage asking the questions to test your knowledge of film, and they'll be giving prizes away to the top 3 winning teams.
Teams can include up to a maximum of 6 people or minimum of 2, but team entry price regardless is £10 - a maximum of 17 teams allowed.
Why not stay afterwards and watch the 20th Anniversary edition of SHAUN OF THE DEAD for just £7.00
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Shaun of the Dead first graced movie screens in 2004, quickly becoming a cultural phenomenon and solidifying its place in the annals of horror-comedy history. The film, directed by friend of The Riverside, Edgar Wright, and co-written by Wright and Simon Pegg, who also stars alongside Nick Frost, has since amassed a dedicated following who have eagerly awaited its return to the big screen.
Edgar Wright said, "20 years ago, the worldwide release of Shaun of the Dead changed my life forever. Its reception since then has continued to be incredible, largely due to the passionate fans who have championed it with cricket bats aloft. Now, as we celebrate its bloody 20th anniversary with a brand-new Dolby Atmos and Vision remastered version, I’m beyond excited for everyone to experience it once again on the big screen—the way it was always meant to be seen: large, loud, and with quite a lot of red on it."
There comes a day in every man's life when he has to get off the couch…and kill some zombies. When flesh-eating zombies are on the hunt for a bite to eat, it's up to slacker Shaun (Simon Pegg) and his best pal (Nick Frost) to save their friends and family from becoming the next entrée.
All tickets £7.00
John (BAFTA-winner JARED HARRIS) and Mary (BAFTA-nominee JULIET STEVENSON) have lived in an agonizing limbo of grief and guilt for the past ten years. Their only child, Clare, ran away from home when she was fourteen and no trace of her whereabouts has ever been found. When Clare (ERIN DOHERTY) returns, now a young woman of twenty-four, Mary is overjoyed. But John comes to believe that Clare is not who she claims to be. As old tensions resurface, a gripping search for the truth unfolds.
Reawakening is the powerful, psychologically piercing and searingly emotional second feature from BAFTA-nominated writer-director Virginia Gilbert.
We are delighted that the film's director, Virginia Gilbert, will be joining us for the screening on Friday 1st November for a Q&A on stage with Neil. This screening will not feature any ads but an introduction instead, so please ensure all seated by 7:30pm
Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom Of The Opera is a worldwide entertainment phenomenon. It has been staged in 145 cities across 27 countries and its box office sales eclipse Avatar, Titanic and Star Wars.
To celebrate its 25th Anniversary year, Cameron Mackintosh presented The Phantom Of The Opera in a fully-staged, lavish production set in the sumptuous Victorian splendour of the Royal Albert Hall.
Phantom Of The Opera At The Albert Hall stars Ramin Karimloo as ‘The Phantom’ and Sierra Boggess as ‘Christine’. They are joined by a supporting cast and orchestra of over 200, plus some very special guest appearances.
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Delve deeper into the labyrinthine psyche of surrealist nightmare-weaver David Lynch with these unsettling, hallucinatory shorts that reflect the origins and evolution of his singular style. Spanning the early experimental and painterly works that laid the foundation for his cult sensation ERASERHEAD through his darkly absurdist web animation series DUMBLAND, these films are replete with the sinister, uncanny imagery that could have emerged only from an artist so deeply in tune with his subconscious.
Six Men Getting Sick (1967): 1 minutes film projected on sculptured screen. The Alphabet (1968): 16mm 4 minutes The Grandmother (1970): 16mm 34 minutes The Amputee (1973): Video - 2 versions 5 minutes / 4 minutes The Cowboy And The Frenchmam (1988): 35mm 26 minutes Lumiere (1995): 35mm 55 seconds using original Lumiere Brothere's camera, Weather Report (2020) - 1min
Screening as part of our year-long retrospective - Dreaming of Darkness: The Films of David Lynch
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Please note this screening is part of Woodbridge Film Society's 2024/2025 Season and therefore not open to the public. You can read more about the Film Society and how to join here
Eliza Hittman inhabits a mode of low-key but relentlessly accumulating naturalism here that is familiar from the Dardenne brothers or contemporary Romanian cinema. Autumn is a teenager who needs to travel from Pennsylvania to New York in order to get an abortion without her parents' knowledge; her friend Skylar accompanies her. There are no explanatory flashbacks, just a few hints of backstory. Through the drag of several days and nights, through endless rides on bus and train, dealing with troublesome handicaps (like a lack of money), the girls push on, not saying much. Hélène Louvart's cinematography is crisp and understated. There is no overt melodrama, only a touch of suspense – Hittman avoids any sensationalism. There are passing characters in official positions (doctors, nurses, train station guards), but they are never demonized; they too are just ordinary people trying to do their jobs in conditions of daily difficulty. The film's dramatic center is deliberately displaced, hidden: it is the toxic masculine culture that expresses itself in offhand actions, words, exchanges, and pressures. At the heart of the film, a tell-tale, wordless gesture between the girls expresses everything left unspoken
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A creative biography of the Scottish artist Wilhelmina Barns-Graham. One of the most important women in British modern art, the painter Wilhelmina Barns-Graham was a highly inspirational figure, whose work was deeply impacted by a pivotal event in her life.
In May 1949, this leading representative of the modernist St. Ives group of artists climbed to the top of the Grindelwald glacier in Switzerland, an experience which was to transform the way she saw the world. She spent the rest of her life capturing its shapes and colours, indeed its very essence.
In his essayistic portrait Mark Cousins delves into complex themes of gender, climate change and creativity, while laying bare the artist’s character and vast imagination so pervasively that he creates the impression we are seeing the world through her eyes.
Gallery East in Church Street are holding an exhibition of art by Wilhelmina Barns-Graham from 19th September to 2nd November
Folllowing our screening there will be an exclusive pre-recorded interview between our manager, Neil, and the director of the film, Mark Cousins
In the face of nightly air raids, East End mum Rita (yet another impressive turn by Saoirse Ronan) grows increasingly worried about her son George’s safety. Under the counsel of her father, Gerald (Paul Weller), she makes the heart-wrenching decision to send him to the countryside. But a few hours into his journey, George alights the train, determined to return to Stepney Green and his family. Friends and foes stalk London’s streets, but each encounter populates George’s map of his world, giving him an understanding of how his fellow citizens are affected by these tumultuous times.
From multi-award winning British director, Steve McQueen (12 Years a Slave, Small Axe, Hunger)
It is 1985 in the run-up to Christmas in a small town in County Wexford, Ireland. Bill Furlong (Oppenheimer's Cillian Murphy) toils as a coal merchant to support himself, his wife and his five daughters. Early one morning while out delivering coal at the local convent, he makes a discovery that forces him to confront his past and the complicit silence of a town controlled by the Catholic Church.
Based on the acclaimed novel of the same name by Claire Keegan.
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200 years after its opening and a century after acquiring its first Van Gogh works, the National Gallery is hosting the UK’s biggest ever Van Gogh exhibition. Van Gogh is not only one of the most beloved artists of all time, but perhaps the most misunderstood.
This film is a chance to reexamine and better understand this iconic artist. Focusing on his unique creative process, Van Gogh: Poets & Lovers explores the artist’s years in the south of France, where he revolutionised his style.
Van Gogh became consumed with a passion for storytelling in his art, turning the world around him into vibrant, idealised spaces and symbolic characters.
Poets and lovers filled his imagination; everything he did in the south of France served this new obsession. In part, this is what caused his notorious breakdown, but it didn’t hold back his creativity as he created masterpiece after masterpiece. Explore one of art history’s most pivotal periods in this once-in-a- century show.
Made in close collaboration with the National Gallery.
We are delighted that founder of Exhibition on Screen, Phil Grabsky, will be joining us and the composer of the score for the film for a Q&A after the film.
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Thomas Anderson (Keanu Reeves) works as a lowly IT programmer, leading a double-life as a hacker at night, under the alias ‘Neo’. One night he is visited by a group of rebels led by charismatic seer Morpheus (Laurence Fishburne), who imparts a shattering revelation about life as we know it, and seeks to recruit Neo to fight evil forces at work.
Rising to the reality-bending potential of their premise, writer-directors the Wachowski sisters pushed computer-generated imagery to stage gravity-defying fight sequences between Neo and the Matrix’s black-suited villain Agent Smith (Hugo Weaving).
Alongside its breathtaking spectacle, the film also tapped into contemporary philosophical unease about our over-mediated perception of reality, with radical thinkers such as Jean Baudrillard referenced in the smart screenplay.
25th Anniversary and screening as part of the British Film Institute's Art of Action series.
Art of Action is a new BFI season celebrating the artistry of real action choreography, that has kept film audiences on the edge of their seats since the early days of cinema. Presented by the BFI Film Audience Network (BFI FAN) using funds from the National Lottery, Art of Action will take place at cinemas across the UK from October-December 2024
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A quintessential big-budget thriller, with director Kathryn Bigelow utilising the physical prowess of her two leads to tell the story of an FBI agent drawn into a cat-and-mouse game with surfing bank robbers. Working on his partner’s hunch that a spate of bank robberies is being committed by a tight-knit gang of surfers, undercover agent Johnny Utah infiltrates the California surfing fraternity to uncover the identity of the ‘Ex-Presidents’, who commit heists while wearing facemasks of Ronald Reagan, Richard Nixon, Lyndon B. Johnson, and Jimmy Carter. But Johnny comes under the charismatic spell of Bodhi, a free-style philosopher obsessed with extreme sports, becoming hooked on the adrenaline-rush of a life on the edge. Racing from one fast-paced and technically dazzling set piece to the next, with action unfolding on the surf, in the sky and through the streets of LA, Kathryn Bigelow simultaneously relishes and deconstructs the tropes of the ‘bromantic’ action spectacular. It’s a visually dazzling (especially in the new 4K restoration) and heady ride.
Screening as part of the British Film Institute's Art of Action series.
Art of Action is a new BFI season celebrating the artistry of real action choreography, that has kept film audiences on the edge of their seats since the early days of cinema. Presented by the BFI Film Audience Network (BFI FAN) using funds from the National Lottery, Art of Action will take place at cinemas across the UK from October-December 2024
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The third instalment brings Paddington's story to Peru as he returns to visit his beloved Aunt Lucy, who now resides at the Home for Retired Bears. With the Brown Family in tow, a thrilling adventure ensues when a mystery plunges them into an unexpected journey through the Amazon rainforest and up to the mountain peaks of Peru.
The incredible ensemble cast includes Hugh Bonneville, Emily Mortimer, Antonio Banderas, Olivia Colman, Julie Walters, Madeleine Harris, Samuel Joslin, Carla Tous and Jim Broadbent. Ben Whishaw and Imelda Staunton both return as the voices of Paddington and Aunt Lucy.
Adrian Dunbar (Line of Duty, Ridley) and Broadway royalty Stephanie J. Block (Into The Woods, The Cher Show) lead a stellar cast in a sizzling new 5-star production of Kiss Me, Kate, filmed live at the Barbican in London especially for the big screen. ‘A glorious Golden Age spectacular’ (★★★★★ The Telegraph), Cole Porter’s legendary musical comedy has backstage shenanigans, Shakespearean sonnets and singing gangsters – not to mention a romance that’s just too darn hot – and a full-scale orchestra performing the show tune classics Brush Up Your Shakespeare, Too Darn Hot, Always True To You (In my Fashion) and Tom, Dick or Harry. A simple love story about two people who just can’t stand each other, Kiss Me Kate is unmissable all-zinging entertainment with ‘great songs, hot dancing, smart gags and glorious characters.’ (★★★★★ The Daily Mail)
TICKETS ON SALE 25TH SEPTEMBER
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While the state of the world today is no laughing matter, readers of 'The Daily Telegraph' can always raise a smile as they open up the newspaper.
No matter what the day’s news brings, cartoonist Matt Pritchett is sure to find something bizarre, silly or ridiculous.
‘I don’t ever think what I’m doing is important,’ he says. ‘But I think if you can laugh about something, it does suddenly seem less scary, less ominous.'
His wry illustrations and witty captions, tucked into a corner of the front page, have delighted the nation (whether Telegraph readers or not) for more than 30 years and are collated into ‘The Best of Matt’ annual, which is a staple for most Christmas stockings.
Now considered a local (he lives on the Norfolk-Suffolk border!) we are thrilled that Matt will be joining us to share some of the secrets of his working day.
How does he decide what is the subject for that day’s cartoon? How does he ’test’ a cartoon? Has there ever been a day when there is nothing to joke about? Who has inspired his cartoon characters?
Matt will be talking us through some of his cartoons from the past year as well as his career as a whole in what is sure to be an entertaining evening.
Tickets are £17.50 including a signed copy of ’The Best of Matt 2024’ (RRP £9.99) which will be presented on the night.
Early bird ticket is £15 if purchased before 14 October.
One additional ticket may be purchased for £12 without the book (after selecting a ticket with book, select General Admission ticket only and when you go to checkout this ticket will then be reduced to £12).
Written and directed by celebrated playwright Conor McPherson and featuring Tony Award-winning orchestrations by Simon Hale, Girl From The North Country reimagines 20 legendary songs of Bob Dylan as they’ve never been heard before, including “Forever Young,” “All Along The Watchtower,” “Hurricane,” and “Like A Rolling Stone.”
It’s 1934 in Duluth, Minnesota. We meet a group of wayward travellers whose lives intersect in a guesthouse filled with music, life and hope. Experience this “profoundly beautiful” Broadway production (The New York Times) brought to vivid life by an extraordinary company of actors and musicians.
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First the chandelier is dismantled in the foyer, each string of lamps lowered to the floor one by one. The other retro light fittings come later, after the curtain that lines the walls of the auditorium has been pulled down and before the seats are unscrewed and carried out. As the director narrates in impassive voiceover, the Scala has recently ceased operations, the last of the three great cinemas built in Bangkok in the 1960s to close its doors to the public. Her father used to work at the already shuttered Siam, and she spent much of her childhood there, sleeping behind the projection room, her sheets of the same fabric as the curtains. Her recollections flow into those of who appear on camera, those whose lives are just as linked to such spaces as hers and who now strip it bare. As the space empties out ever further, it is perversely filled by something else: an almost unbearable sense of melancholy that infects director, staff and audience alike, at a life, at a culture, at a community that will soon disperse, even if its importance remains undimmed, here and elsewhere too. In the dark windows behind the palms, the only moving images are reflections of the glowing billboards.
Following SCALA (2022) we will be screening a selection of short films from the Riverside film archive covering various significant events that have happened at The Riverside over the last 40+ years.
Young Bailey feels caged in her Gravesend squat home. Reckless, wannabe drug dealer dad Bug (Saltburn's Barry Keoghan) plans to marry his new girlfriend. Older brother Hunter plots to elope with his underage partner. Meanwhile, across town, Bailey’s near-feral younger siblings are menaced by her mum’s new and violent lover. Small wonder she’s intrigued by the enigmatic Bird, a flighty free spirit searching for his own roots. Arnold (Fish Tank, American Honey) once again displays her wondrous ability to infuse coming-of-age stories focused on marginalized lives with uncompromising grit and a sensual connection to nature.
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In the late 1970’s British Inventor Sir Clive Sinclair had a vision of creating an affordable home computer that could change the world. In 1982 Sir Clive released the ZX Spectrum home computer, selling millions of units worldwide and quickly becoming one of the most important technological developments of its time, opening the door to a world of possibilities for millions of people. The ZX Spectrum's accessibility meant many people learned to program and create their own games, kicking off the British Video Games Industry in the 1980’s!
The Rubber Keyed Wonder tells the story of the creation and development of the ZX Spectrum, the success it brought Sinclair, what impact it had through the various versions of the computer that followed, as well as covering a stunning array of games that were developed on the Spectrum including: Jet Set Willy, Knightlore, Chuckie Egg, Ant Attack, Saboteur and many, many more!
This highly nostalgic film features, rare archive combined with newly shot interviews with the original ZX Spectrum's designers, Sir Clive’s son and nephew as well as some of the Spectrum's greatest game developers from back in the day all sharing their memories of the extraordinary rise of the ZX Spectrum.
Whether you are a fan of the ZX Spectrum, grew up in the 80’s or 90’s or just love video games or tech history this film is for you!
Deliciously dark and frequently hilarious, this chamber horror considers how an innocent chat about theology can go terribly awry. Starring Hugh Grant in a brilliantly against-type performance, Heretic is a fiendishly irreverent tale of battling convictions. Two young missionaries are forced to prove their faith when they knock on the wrong door and are greeted by a diabolical Mr. Reed (Hugh Grant), becoming ensnared in his deadly game of cat-and-mouse.
Half the fun of Heretic is waiting to see where it leads you next. It’s a chilling, provocative thrill ride, and it showcases Grant’s immense talents.
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The work of the artist and printmaker Angela Harding is instantly recognisable and much loved.
The intricate, stylised linocut designs of wildlife and landscapes were first popular through her greetings cards and magazine illustrations.
Then she became known for her distinctive book covers. She created the iconic image for 'The Salt Path' by Raynor Winn and has recently worked with the poet laureate Simon Armitage for his book ‘Blossomise’ and Isabella Tree for the illustrated version of ‘Wilding’.
Increasingly Angela’s beautiful artwork has been used for other products too - calendars, jigsaws, notebooks, bags and homeware.
This autumn, Angela has released a new book telling us something about this current stage in her life - her exploits watching birds and whales during a residency in Shetland, her time at the Knepp Estate compiling images for the ‘Wilding’ book, her return to watercolour painting, time on the wooden sailing boat with her husband, and travelling the countryside on her Brompton bike, but above all her love of being by the water.
This book is called ’Still Waters and Wild Waves’ and features over 50 original illustrations of dramatic seascapes and reflective rivers in both her stunning linoprint but also some striking watercolour images. There is also beautiful photography of Angela at work and viewing the scenery which inspires her, and there are images from her sketchbooks too.
Angela shares so much of her story and her work in this glorious new book, but she is also a warm, generous and hugely entertaining speaker so we’re delighted that she’s visiting us in Woodbridge to tell us more. And it’s a special place for her, too.
Angela and Mark moor their boat near Woodbridge and, each summer, sail the rivers and coastline of East Anglia. Scenes of Suffolk regularly feature in Angela’s work.
This is sure to be a tremendously uplifting and inspiring event, to cheer us as we anticipate the approach of winter and mark the first day of advent!
There will be the opportunity to buy Christmas gifts as well as getting your copy of ’Still Waters and Wild Waves’ personally signed.
Early bird ticket £22, if purchased before 14 October, includes a signed copy of ’Still Water and Wild Waves’ presented at the event. After 14 October, tickets are £25 including a signed copy of the book (RRP £25).
One additional ticket may be purchased for £12 without the book (after selecting a ticket with book, select General Admission ticket only and when you go to checkout this ticket will then be reduced to £12)
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Speaking into a vintage microphone from his painting studio in the hills above Hollywood, Lynch takes us on an intimate journey through his youth. He talks about his childhood in small-town America, his family, the awkward teenage years, his anxieties and fears, and the people who helped him become who he is. Lynch recounts the influence his youth had on him as an artist and his subsequent move into filmmaking.
Combining home movies, stock footage, moody artworks and observations of him working on his paintings and sculptures, David Lynch: The Art Life, which premiered at the BFI London Film Festival in 2016, is an immersive and compelling experience. He’s an entrancing storyteller who delivers fascinating anecdotes. And the soundtrack, as you’d expect, is deliciously strange, dark and beautiful.
Screening as part of our year-long retrospective - Dreaming of Darkness: The Films of David Lynch
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Please note this screening is part of Woodbridge Film Society's 2024/2025 Season and therefore not open to the public. You can read more about the Film Society and how to join here
Everyone has their own Chimera, something they try to achieve but never quite manage to find. For a band of tombaroli (tomb raiders, who steal ancient goods and archaeological wonders), the Chimera means redemption from work and the dream of easy wealth. For Arthur (Josh O’Connor of THE CROWN), the Chimera looks like the woman he lost, Beniamina. To find her, Arthur challenges the invisible, searches everywhere, and goes inside the earth – in search of the door to the afterlife of which myths speak.
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Academy Award-winners Marlon Brando and Gene Hackman head an all-star cast in the fantastic, action-packed film that made Christopher Reeve an international star playing the greatest superhero of all time. From the doomed planet of Krypton, two parents launch a spaceship carrying their infant son to earth. Here he grows up to become Clark Kent, mild-mannered reporter for the Metropolis Daily Planet. But with powers and abilities far beyond those of mortal men, he battles for truth and justice as Superman.
Screening to accompany the new documentary film SUPER / MAN: THE CHRISTOPHER REEVE STORY which is on Sunday 8th December at 6pm
Celebrate the holiday season with André Rieu's dazzling Christmas Concert, "Gold and Silver," exclusively in cinemas! This magical event embodies the festive spirit of Christmas, bringing joy, warmth, and sparkle to the big screen.
Get ready to be transported to the wondrous world of enchanting glamour that is André's winter wonderland! Under the sparkle of 150 chandeliers and 50 Venetian candelabras,feel your heart warm with the magical melody of all your favourite Christmas classics.
André Rieu will be joined on stage by his beloved Johann Strauss Orchestra, along with special guest artists and the young and talented Emma Kok.
Don’t miss this chance to celebrate music, love, and Christmas sparkle, with André Rieu's new Christmas Concert in cinemas - " Gold and Silver ".
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Join us for a fun filled all immersive production as we bring A Vicar of Dibley Christmas - the Second Coming to Woodbridge Community Hall on Saturday 7th December.
Geraldine Granger is the much loved and chocolate addicted village vicar where she runs chaotic committee meetings and organises quizzes. She decides to set up Radio Dibley, which unsurprisingly does not run as smoothly as expected with a rather startling on-air confession from boring Parish Clerk, Frank. With the Christmas Nativity play to audition, cast and rehearse. how about Elvis as one of the three Kings? But then who will play Joseph? With Hugo having been to furniture-making classes, he seems like the perfect choice and with his wife Alice expecting, the casting of Mary could not be better. Needless to say there is a riotous conclusion. This specially written stage play by Ian Gower and Paul Carpenter is adapted from the original TV series by Richard Curtis and Paul Mayhew-Archer. and includes all your favourite characters plus a few 'extras' to help get you in the festive mood.
Doors open at 6.45pm with the main performance starting at 7.30pm.
Tickets are £15.00 and include Festive Nibbles. There will also be a fully licenced bar.
This amatuer production is performed with kind permission of Tiger Aspect Productions.
For this production The Riverside Musical Theatre Company are supporting Comic Relief as their chosen charity.
TICKETS ON SALE FROM 9TH SEPTEMBER
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The character that made Christopher Reeve famous was so much a reflection of the person who played him, as this moving documentary portrait reveals.
The story of Christopher Reeve is an astonishing rise from unknown actor to iconic movie star, and his definitive portrayal of Clark Kent/Superman set the benchmark for the superhero cinematic universes that dominate cinema today. Reeve portrayed the Man of Steel in four Superman films and played dozens of other roles that displayed his talent and range as an actor, before being injured in a near-fatal horse-riding accident in 1995 that left him paralyzed from the neck down.
After becoming a quadriplegic, he became a charismatic leader and activist in the quest to find a cure for spinal cord injuries, as well as a passionate advocate for disability rights and care - all while continuing his career in cinema in front of and behind the camera and dedicating himself to his beloved family.
From the directors of McQueen, Ian Bonhôte and Peter Ettedgui, this film includes never-before-seen intimate home movies and an extraordinary trove of personal archive material, as well as the first extended interviews ever filmed with Reeve’s three children about their father, and interviews with the A-list Hollywood actors who were Reeve’s colleagues and friends. The film is a moving and vivid cinematic telling of Reeve’s remarkable story.
We're screening the original SUPERMAN (1978) on Saturday 7th December at 3:45pm
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his Christmas, be transported into an ethereal world where a sprinkling of fairy dust makes dreams come true. This enchanting ballet by The Royal Ballet’s Founding Choreographer Frederick Ashton is a theatrical experience for all the family.
Cast: To be confirmed
Choreography: Frederick Ashton | Music: Sergei Prokofiev
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The film recounts the troubled life of French child prodigy sculptor Camille Claudel and her long relationship with the married sculptor Auguste Rodin. Claudel was the daughter of a devoutly Catholic, socialite mother and a wealthy French businessman. While the latter was sympathetic to her highly iconoclastic, secular art, her mother found it odious.
Beginning in the 1880s, with the young Claudel's first meeting with Rodin, the film traces the development of their intense romantic bond. The growth of this relationship coincides with the rise of Claudel's career as she overcomes prejudices against female artists.
However, their romance soon sours due to the increasing pressures of Rodin's fame and his love for another woman. After Claudel's father dies, she's at the mercy of her mother's ire. These difficulties combine with her increasing doubts about the value of her work, driving Claudel into emotional tumult.
While her zealot mother wants her institutionalized, her sympathetic brother tries to comfort her and promote her artwork. The film contributes to a broader exploration of mental illness in films, depicting Camille Claudel's emotional tumult and the societal challenges she faced.
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Discover the enchantment of ballet with this sparkling festive treat for the whole family. Julia Trevelyan Oman’s period designs bring festive charm to Peter Wright’s beloved Royal Ballet production, as fairytale magic comes together with spectacular dancing in this unforgettable classic ballet.
Choreography: Peter Wright after Lev Ivanov | Music: Pyotr Il’yich Tchaikovsky
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A celebration of youth, friendship and the everlasting magic of the movies, Cinema Paradiso won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film and is considered a classic of world cinema. Restored in 4K.
Giuseppe Tornatore’s loving homage to the cinema tells the story of Salvatore, a successful film director, returning home for the funeral of Alfredo, his old friend who was the projectionist at the local cinema throughout his childhood.
Soon memories of his first love affair with the beautiful Elena and all the highs and lows that shaped his life come flooding back, as Salvatore reconnects with the community he left 30 years earlier.
A homage to the inspirational power of the moving image, played out to a gorgeous score by the maestro Ennio Morricone..
Screening as part of our year-long season - CINEMA ON SCREEN
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Please note this screening is part of Woodbridge Film Society's 2024/2025 Season and therefore not open to the public. You can read more about the Film Society and how to join here
Two childhood friends meet after years apart and rekindle a deep bond, in Celine Song’s remarkably assured feature debut.
This outstanding first feature by Celine Song is a beautiful, deeply romantic modern love story that embraces destiny, nostalgia and the immigrant experience. Na Young’s family emigrated from Seoul to Canada when she was 12. She left behind and lost contact with her childhood best friend Hae Sung. A decade later, Na Young is now ‘Nora’, an aspiring New York playwright. She becomes curious as to the whereabouts of her playground sweetheart, so searches for him online, only to find him looking for her.
Song’s profound romantic drama is an astonishing debut. Greta Lee and Teo Yoo bring nuance and sensitivity to their portrayal of Na Young and Hae Sung at different points in their lives, drawing out the subtleties of their internal selves. The relationship unfolds against a gorgeously shot backdrop, which is complemented by Daniel Rossen and Christopher Bear’s (Grizzly Bear) elegant score. A divine cinematic experience, this is what we go to the movies for.
The film is partly in English and in Korean with English subtitles
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Olivier award-winning director Damiano Michieletto (Carmen, Cavalleria rusticana/Pagliacci) returns to The Royal Opera for a new production of Offenbach’s The Tales of Hoffmann. Conductor Antonello Manacorda, with whom Michieletto previously collaborated on Carmen, leads Juan Diego Flórez and Leonardo Caimi, who share the role of the poet E.T.A. Hoffmann, Alex Esposito as the Four Villains, Julie Boulianne as Nicklausse and Ermonela Jaho, Olga Pudova and Marina Costa-Jackson as Hoffmann’s unforgettable trio of lovers.
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Helsinki, 1945. The end of the war brings a new sense of artistic and social freedom for painter Tove Jansson. Modern art, dizzying parties and an open relationship with a married politician: Her unconventional life puts her at odds with her sculptor father's strict ideals.
Tove's desire for liberty is put to the test when she meets theatre director Vivica Bandler. Her love for Vivica is electric and all-consuming but Tove begins to realise that the love she truly yearns has to be reciprocated. As she struggles with her personal life, her creative endeavours take her in an unexpected direction. While focusing her artistic dreams on her painting, the work that started as a side project, the melancholic, haunting tales she told scared children in bomb shelters, rapidly takes on a life of its own.
The exploits of the Moomins, infused with inspiration from her own life, bring Tove international fame and financial freedom. There's a daily comic strip, a stage play and stories that continue to delight people around the world. But as she begins to find her artistic identity she has to learn to find herself. Her unrequited love for Vivica is preventing her true liberty and only by learning to break away from her can she truly be free.
TOVE is a captivating drama about the creative energy of an iconic talent and her turbulent search for identity, desire and freedom.
A screening of the stage concert of the musical phenomenon, filmed at the Gielgud Theatre.
To mark the 40th anniversary of the world’s most popular musical, a unique opportunity to experience the spectacular staged concert version on the big screen featuring an all-star cast including Michael Ball, Alfie Boe, Carrie Hope Fletcher, Matt Lucas and John Owen Jones.
With a cast and orchestra of over 65 and including the songs I Dreamed A Dream, Bring Him Home, One Day More and On My Own, this sensational staged concert is not to be missed!
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Please note this screening is part of Woodbridge Film Society's 2024/2025 Season and therefore not open to the public. You can read more about the Film Society and how to join here
Suitable for all ages, this wordless nature documentary showcases the spectacular forest ecosystem supported by a majestic, 210-year-old French oak tree. Dispensing with voiceover, the film instead fuses innovative camerawork with environmental sounds and a vibrant score to immerse the viewer in diverse life stories from root to branch. Its cast of characters includes ants, acorn weevils, field mice, squirrels, Eurasian jays and tawny owls. The result is a mesmerising kaleidoscope of arboreal adventure, as entertaining as it is educational.
David Tennant (Doctor Who, Broadchurch) and Cush Jumbo (The Good Wife, Criminal Record) lead a stellar cast in an ‘enthralling’ (★★★★★ Daily Telegraph) new production of Shakespeare’s MACBETH, filmed live at the Donmar Warehouse in London, especially for the big screen. Unsettling intimacy and brutal action combine at breakneck speed as Max Webster (Life of Pi, Henry V) directs this tragic tale of love, murder, and nature’s power of renewal. With staging ‘full of wolfish imagination and alarming surprise’ (★★★★★ The Guardian), the immersive 5.1 cinema surround sound places the audience inside the minds of the Macbeths, asking are we ever really responsible for our actions?
TICKETS ON SALE 16TH OCTOBER
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Join us for an afternoon of fast moving, hard hitting, toe tapping contemporary jazz from a spectacular 18 piece big band that features soloists and ensemble players from around East Anglia.
Horn Factory perform an impressive and extensive range of contemporary big band jazz by composers such as Buddy Rich, Bob Mintzer, Quincy Jones, Oliver Nelson, Maynard Ferguson, James Morrison, Bobby Shew, Sammy Nestico and Gordon Goodwin, plus arrangements of music normally associated with smaller groups, including Thelonious Monk, Joe Henderson, Chuck Mangione, Chick Corea and Horace Silver.
“There is nothing quite like the sound of a Big Band up close . Not to be missed!”
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Three-time Olivier Award-winner Sharon D Clarke is joined by Ncuti Gatwa (Doctor Who; Sex Education) in this joyful reimagining of Oscar Wilde’s most celebrated comedy. While assuming the role of a dutiful guardian in the country, Jack lets loose in town under a false identity. Meanwhile, his friend Algy adopts a similar facade. Hoping to impress two eligible ladies, the gentlemen find themselves caught in a web of lies they must carefully navigate. Max Webster (Life of Pi) directs this hilarious story of identity, impersonation, and romance, filmed live from the National Theatre in London.
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Out hunting, Prince Siegfried chances upon a flock of swans. One among them transforms into the beautiful human Odette and he is immediately enamoured. But Odette is bound by a spell which keeps her captive as a swan during the day. Can Siegfried free her? Tchaikovsky’s sensational score combines with the evocative imagination of choreographer Liam Scarlett and designer John Macfarlane to heighten the dramatic pathos of Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov’s quintessential ballet classic. Opening in Spring and returning in Summer, Swan Lake remains to this day one of the best-loved works in the classical ballet canon.
Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s rock classic Jesus Christ Superstar returns to its roots with this sensational performance filmed in the UK during the Live Arena Tour.
An incredible cast including Tim Minchin as Judas Iscariot, Melanie Chisholm as Mary Magdalene, Chris Moyles as King Herod and Ben Forster as Jesus Christ, perform hit songs including “I Don’t Know How to Love Him,” “Gethsemane,” “Heaven on Their Minds,” “Everything’s Alright,” “King Herod’s Song” and “Superstar” in an exciting and contemporary interpretation.
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Please note this screening is part of Woodbridge Film Society's 2024/2025 Season and therefore not open to the public. You can read more about the Film Society and how to join here
The stunning and utterly compelling directorial debut of Riley Keough (star of Daisy Jones and The Six) and Gina Gammell, winner of Cannes’ Caméra d'Or
At 23, Bill (Jojo Bapteise Whiting) just wants to make something of himself.
Whether it’s syphoning gas, delivering goods or breeding Poodles, he is determined to carve his way to the “American Dream”.
Meanwhile, 12-year-old Matho (LaDainian Crazy Thunder) can’t wait to become a man.
Desperate for approval from his young, unavailable father, a series of destructive decisions turns Matho’s life upside down and he finds himself unequipped to deal with the harsh realities of the adult world.
A powerful tale of life, hope and belonging created over a period of four years in collaboration with members of the Pine Ridge Reservation.
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"Frida" chronicles the life Frida Kahlo shared unflinchingly and openly with Diego Rivera, as the young couple took the art world by storm. From her complex and enduring relationship with her mentor and husband to her illicit and controversial affair with Leon Trotsky, to her provocative and romantic entanglements with women, Frida Kahlo lived a bold and uncompromising life as a political, artistic, and sexual revolutionary.
Magdalena Carmen Frida Kahlo y Calderón was a Mexican painter known for her many portraits, self-portraits, and works inspired by the nature and artifacts of Mexico. Inspired by the country's popular culture, she employed a naïve folk art style to explore questions of identity, postcolonialism, gender, class, and race in Mexican society. Her paintings often had strong autobiographical elements and mixed realism with fantasy. In addition to belonging to the post-revolutionary Mexicayotl movement, which sought to define a Mexican identity, Kahlo has been described as a surrealist or magical realist. She is also known for painting about her experience of chronic pain.
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Shakespeare’s great love story is brilliantly retold through this modern ballet classic celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2025. The fervent longing of the star-crossed lovers is perfectly captured by Kenneth MacMillan’s impassioned choreography. The flourishing of young love is just as present in Romeo and Juliet's meeting on the balcony as in their final moments when they desperately cling to life in the tomb.
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Come and enjoy a fantastic evening of entertainment jam-packed with non-stop hits, big-screen action, expert narrative and lots of fun.
You will be taken on a journey through several decades of pop as we celebrate the music of Jeff Lynne’s ELO, Roy Orbison, Bob Dylan, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers and The Beatles’ George Harrison, as well as the collective genius that was The Traveling Wilburys.
Although the Wilburys never toured, here you have the chance to experience what it might have been like to see them live, as we explore their many collaborative hits.
Now in its ninth year of successful touring this popular show is an up-tempo feel-good celebration of classics such as Pretty Woman, Mr Blue Sky, Please Please Me, End of The Line, Handle With Care, Free Falling, Blowin’ in the Wind, Tweeter and the Monkey Man, Heading for the Light, Only the Lonely and many more.
Based on the Academy Award® nominated film, Billy Elliot the Musical has won the hearts of millions since it opened in London’s West End in 2005. Set in a northern mining town, against the background of the 1984/85 miners’ strike, Billy’s journey takes him out of the boxing ring and into a ballet class where he discovers a passion for dance that inspires his family and whole community and changes his life forever. The original creative team behind the film, including writer Lee Hall (book & lyrics), director Stephen Daldry, and choreographer, Peter Darling, is joined by music legend Elton John (music) to produce a funny, uplifting and spectacular theatrical experience that will stay with you forever.
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Drawing on Chinese and Italian theatrical tradition to evoke a richly-imagined, mythical Peking, Andrei Șerban’s dazzling production is a ‘blazing masterpiece’ (Financial Times). Rafael Payare and Francesco Ivan Ciampa conduct Puccini’s opera of love and revenge, with Sondra Radvanovsky and Ewa Płonka sharing the title role and SeokJong Baek and Gwyn Hughes Jones sharing the role of Calaf.
In the final months of his life Puccini struggled to depict Calaf's triumph: he died before finishing the final act of this grand opera. Turandot was completed by Franco Alfano two years later and given its premiere in 1926 at La Scala, Milan.
Turandot has gone on to have great worldwide success.
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The Impressionists are the most popular group in art history - millions flock every year to marvel at their masterpieces. But, to begin with, they were scorned, penniless outsiders.
1874 was the year that changed everything; the first Impressionists, “hungry for independence”, broke the mould by holding their own exhibition outside official channels. Impressionism was born and the art world was changed forever.
What led to that first groundbreaking show 150 years ago? Who were the maverick personalities that wielded their brushes in such a radical and provocative way?
The spectacular Musée d’Orsay exhibition brings fresh eyes to this extraordinary tale of passion and rebellion. The story is told not by historians and curators but in the words of those who witnessed the dawn of Impressionism: the artists, press and people of Paris, 1874.
Made in close collaboration with the Musee d’Orsay and National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C.
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Please note this screening is part of Woodbridge Film Society's 2024/2025 Season and therefore not open to the public. You can read more about the Film Society and how to join here
Travis has just been released from prison and it quickly becomes apparent that everything has changed while he’s been gone. While girlfriend Candice is on the up and auditioning to star in a musical, teenage daughter Kenisha is struggling in school and her relationship with her mum is tense. When Travis buys Candice her dream dress for an audition, rather than smoothing over the family’s problems, it ends up creating even more… As secrets and desires left unsaid threaten to spill out, Travis is forced to re- examine who he is and how he wants to be perceived in the world.
A debut feature from writer and director Dionne Edwards, Pretty Red Dress features breakthrough performances from Natey Jones and newcomer Temilola Olatunbosun, as well as the chart-topping singer and West End actor Alexandra Burke in her first film role.
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Please note this screening is part of Woodbridge Film Society's 2024/2025 Season and therefore not open to the public. You can read more about the Film Society and how to join here
Robin Campillo, director of the acclaimed 120 BPM and Eastern Boys, mines the memories of his upbringing in post-colonial Madagascar to create a spellbinding, autobiographically inspired drama that mixes forms and textures to stunning and imaginative effect.
Inspired by his own childhood, the film is set in the early 1970s and follows eight-year-old Thomas growing up on a French Air Force base in recently independent Madagascar. From the innocent perspective of a child, the island is a paradise and a playground. But as adolescence grows near, he begins observing his parents and their circle of friends with new eyes, and childhood innocence slowly gives way to a more shadowy understanding of the hypocrisy and racism that defines France’s military involvement on the island.
As Peter Bradshaw from The Guardian beautifully summarised, ‘Robin Campillo has surrendered to the flow of memory to bring audiences a wonderfully personal film, created with tenderness, unsentimental artistry and visual flair.’
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Love and death, gods and mortals, heroes and villains: it’s all here, in the thunderous second chapter of the Ring cycle. Following the glittering triumph of Das Rheingold in 2023, Barrie Kosky and Antonio Pappano plunge back into Wagner’s mythic universe. Christopher Maltman’s Wotan returns alongside an international cast including Elisabet Strid as Brünnhilde, Lise Davidsen as Sieglinde and Stanislas de Barbeyrac as Siegmund.
It has become the most performed opera of the cycle, loved and admired for its nuanced and intelligent exploration of complex family entanglements, expressed through music of astonishing power – perhaps nowhere more so than in the glorious music for the incestuous lovers Siegmund and Sieglinde.
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Michelangelo - Love and Death offers a cinematic journey through the great chapels and museums of Florence, Rome and the Vatican, to the print and drawing rooms of Europe, to explore Michelangelo's tempestuous life. The film goes in search of a greater understanding of this charismatic and enigmatic figure, both through his relationships with his contemporaries and his ongoing artistic legacy.
The film invites audiences to intimately examine Michelangelo’s art and artistic process - from the Carrara quarries where Michelangelo sourced his marble, to the new technology being used to attribute works. The film also offers a rare chance to get up close to the mesmerising Rothschild Bronzes, which, following an extensive research project carried out by Academics in Cambridge in 2015, were positively attributed to Michelangelo after over a century of debate.
Key contributors to the film include art critics Martin Gayford and Jonathan Jones, Deputy Director of the Vatican Museums Professor Arnold Nesselrath and contemporary artist Tania Kovats.
Filming locations include Casa Buonarroti in Florence, Carrara marble mines, the Medici Chapel and the Vatican. These beautiful locations, combined with high-resolution views of Michelangelo’s greatest works, convene to create a staggering visual experience.
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Please note this screening is part of Woodbridge Film Society's 2024/2025 Season and therefore not open to the public. You can read more about the Film Society and how to join here
Ulzii, a teenager from a poor neighbourhood in Ulaanbaatar, is determined to win a physics competition to get a scholarship. His illiterate mother finds a job in the countryside, leaving him and his younger brother and sister in the middle of winter.
Ulzii needs to find ways to keep their yurt warm and look after his siblings while preparing for the national competition.
If Only I Could Hibernate is the first Mongolian film to ever play in the official selection at Festival de Cannes.
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Please note this screening is part of Woodbridge Film Society's 2024/2025 Season and therefore not open to the public. You can read more about the Film Society and how to join here
Donya, a young Afghan who moved to Fremont, California after serving as a translator for the American army, spends her days working at a fortune cookie factory and her nights wide awake battling between her desire to rebuild her life and the overbearing guilt she carries within. In a bid to connect with the world, she sends an unconventional message through a fortune cookie. Tinged with Jarmuschian deadpan humour, this sensitive immigrant tale premiered in the 2023 Sundance NEXT section before playing at SXSW and Karlovy Vary and closed the 2023 Edinburgh International Film Festival.