THE CRITIC is a deliciously dark and sharp-witted thriller set in 1930s London featuring an all-star British cast including Ian McKellen, Gemma Arterton, Mark Strong, Ben Barnes, Alfred Enoch, Romola Garai and Lesley Manville.

When the most feared and vicious theatre critic in town Jimmy Erskine (McKellen), finds himself suddenly in the cross hairs of the Daily Chronicle’s new owner David Brooke (Strong), he strikes a sinister Faustian pact with struggling actress Nina Land (Arterton) who is desperate to win his favour.

The sing along screening of the classic film starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John. Ever wanted to know what it's like to be a T-bird or a Pink Lady but never quite felt cool enough to pull it off? 

Well, now is your chance to don those pink jackets, grease up those quiffs and let your inhibitions go for an evening where you are the stars and remember GREASE is the word... 

Sit back and watch Danny & Sandy and the gang, while singing and dancing along to the lyrics as shown on the screen. It couldn’t be easier... or more fun! Fancy dress is strongly encouraged and full audience participation essential. 

We can offer a discount for groups of 10+ just give us a call

Pierre Auguste Renoir is known and loved for his impressionist paintings of Paris which rank among the world’s favourites. Renoir, however, grew tired of this style and changed course.      

This stunning film – based on the remarkable Renoir collection at Philadelphia’s Barnes Foundation – explores the artist’s new approach. These later works still provoke extreme reactions – some people are repulsed by them and others seduced.

Two 20th century titans– Picasso and Matisse are intriguingly among the many artists who were clearly influenced by Renoir’s later direction. This film is a new biography of an artistic giant – Renoir – but also uncovers an untold story that identifies him as a significant link between the art world’s old order and the new.

THE MOVIE MAN  introduces us to colorful entrepreneur Keith Stata and his bizarre multiplex set deep in the forest of small-town Ontario, Canada. After 40 years in business, Keith is forced to confront his current limitations, dwindling health, and a global pandemic. The future of his quixotic cinema becomes more and more uncertain as the film unfolds.

Has the pandemic ended movies as we knew them? Is the collective experience of sitting in the cinema quickly fading away?

The film explores Highlands Cinemas and it’s importance to the town of Kinmount as a microcosm of the world facing COVID-19. What happens to a small town when it’s only allure is forced to close? Will 2022 be the last season at Highlands Cinemas?

Keith Stata opened Highlands Cinemas during the summer of 1979. What began as a single screen, transformed into a 5-screen multiplex showing first-run films over the course of it’s 40-year history. Changes in technology, dwindling ticket sales, a popcorn-eating bear, and his 50 cats all contribute to the chaos.

Despite his steadfast passion, we follow Keith as he is beaten down with issues and complications due to COVID-19. With no family and few friends to help, Keith is confronted with insurmountable challenges of keeping his unlikely cinema open for another season.

Screening as part of our year-long season - CINEMA ON SCREEN

A rare chance to experience this classic of New Hollywood, which pierces straight to the heart of American darkness, on the big screen for its 50th anniversary.

Faye Dunaway and Jack Nicholson smoulder against the backdrop of late 1930s Los Angeles, depicted as a hotbed of corruption in a narrative firmly grounded in historical reality. Robert Towne was a central screenwriter at the heart of the New Hollywood’s sharp socially-alert scripts. He was tuned into the dramatic cultural changes going on in America and could pull together tightly plotted cinematic stories with authentic dialogue.

In the year 1815, Edmond Dantès (Pierre Niney) finds himself incarcerated within the formidable fortress of the Château d’If for a crime he did not commit. Enduring fourteen years of imprisonment, he eventually engineers his escape, embarking on a meticulously crafted quest for vengeance. Assuming multiple identities – “the Count of Monte Cristo” among them – Dantès first courts his enemies, now highly placed dignitaries, the better to strike them down. But the price of revenge is heavy for one’s soul.

Alexandre Dumas’s epic novel The Count of Monte Cristo comes in a truly lavish adaptation with breathtaking backdrops and a mind-blowing pace, receiving an 11 minute standing ovation at the Cannes Film Festival !

One of the world’s biggest and most successful cults, the Rajneesh movement, had communes in more than 30 countries in the 70s and 80s and was immortalised in the Netflix series ‘Wild Wild Country’. But until now, a central truth about the organisation has remained hidden. Filmmaker Maroesja Perizonius, herself brought up in the Rajneesh communes, has connected with other former commune children and together, they’ve decided to change that. This film tells the barely believable story of the treatment of children within the cult. The organisation still thrives today, profiting from Bhagwan’s teachings, yet no one has yet been called to account for the harm caused to children in its communes across the world. In the course of her unflinching investigation Maroesja unmasks perpetrators and demands answers from the closest members of the Cult’s inner circle.

A section of the film focuses on a commune here in Suffolk called Medina Rajneesh which was operational during the early 1980's.

Based on the novel of the same name by Andrew Michael Hurley, Starve Acre, like many films before it is set in God's Own Country of Yorkshire.

Matt Smith (Dr Who, Last Night in Soho) and Morfydd Clark (St Maud) excel in their roles of a grieving couple stretched to breaking point by an unspeakable tragedy. On the remote family farm of Starve Acre, an archaeologist becomes increasingly fascinated by a local myth that the ancient oak tree that once stood on their land holds the dark powers and the secret to 'Dandelion Jack', whilst his wife Juliette turns to her sister and the local community to find some kind of peace. But sinister forces are unwittingly allowed into their home, offering a disturbing possibility of reconnection

Inland Empire is to-date the last feature film by renowned director, David Lynch. One of his most challenging and provocative works, known for its complex, nonlinear narrative and dreamlike visuals, the film is an intense, ethereal experience made to be seen in cinemas.

The film follows the story of Nikki (Laura Dern) who lands a role in a new film directed by Kingsley (Jeremy Irons). As Nikki delves deeper into her character, she becomes entangled in a surreal and nightmarish web of reality and illusion. As the film within the film unfolds, Nikki finds herself facing a series of bizarre and inexplicable events that challenge her perception of what is real and what is imagined.

Lynch's trademark use of enigmatic symbolism and haunting imagery creates a sense of unease and throughout and demands multiple viewings to unravel its layers of meaning.

Screening as part of our year-long retrospective - Dreaming of Darkness: The Films of David Lynch

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

Seydou and Moussa, two Senegalese teenagers, leave Dakar to travel to Europe where they believe opportunities await. On a journey neither could have imagined, the boys face the dangers and the beauty of the desert, the shock of detention centres in Libya, and the perils of the sea in their pursuit of a better life, in an epic story that offers a deeply human perspective on the migrant crisis.

Directed by two-time BAFTA-nominee Matteo Garrone (Gomorrah, Tale of Tales), IO CAPITANO was nominated for Best International Feature at the Academy Awards, and won Best Director and Best Young Actor Awards at Venice Film Festival.

Following numerous requests from customers we are delighted to be partnering with Aldeburgh Cinema for this special screening of Gary Hustwit’s new documentary, ENO, on Woodbridge-born musician and music producer, Brian Eno.

For the past five decades, visionary musician, producer & artist Brian Eno has been at the forefront of artistic innovation and technology. Eno reveals his creative processes in this groundbreaking new documentary, a film that’s different every time it’s shown.

Filmmaker Gary Hustwit and digital artist Brendan Dawes have developed a bespoke generative software that dynamically combines original interviews with Eno’s rich archive of unreleased footage and music. The result? Each screening is unique, presenting different scenes, order & music. Therefore the version you see at Aldeburgh Cinema on the 8th October will not be the same version you will see at The Riverside on the 10th October!

The infinite quality of Eno resonates with the artist’s own creative practice and methods of using technology to compose music & his endless deep dive into the mercurial essence of creativity.

Because of the unique nature of the film, it would be too costly to bring multiple versions to our respective cinemas.

So the most practical solution was to collaborate in a way that served both our audiences and provide the option of an alternative version.

All tickets £10 with membership list suspended.

A romantic and thrilling story that spans several decades and continents, following one man's emotional journey to find his first love again. Spanning several decades and continents, we follow 70-year-old widower Kristófer who embarks on a remarkable journey to London. 50 years earlier, as an economics student in London, young Kristófer meets his first love, Miko in a Japanese restaurant. Their love blossoms, but one day Miko suddenly disappears without a trace. Decades later, with time ticking away, Kristófer is on a quest to track down Miko to find out what happened to her. From London, his journey takes him halfway across the globe and all the way to Japan.

Film adaptation of Amy Liptrot’s bestselling memoir. A young woman finds herself washed up back home on the Scottish archipelago of Orkney. She has no idea how or if she can rebuild her life after a decade of addiction. Flashing back and forth between Orkney and London, we get a glimpse into her former urban existence and its intoxicating temptations that pushed her to the point of destruction. She must find a way to navigate the alluring wildlife and wildness of both environments. Smith's urgent retelling speaks to the impact of isolation and loneliness and – ultimately – the resilience of people.

This definitive portrait of Paul Simon follows him inside the studio making his new album Seven Psalms while looking back on his six-decade career with countless musical peaks from Sounds of Silence to Graceland.

At 81, Paul Simon remains happily engaged in the making of new music and is willing to reflect on his life’s highs and lows. Oscar-winning filmmaker Alex Gibney captures the artist looking both forward and back in this definitive film portrait.

Simon invites Gibney inside the studio as he works on his 2023 album Seven Psalms and we get to watch as he tries out lyrics, explores new sounds, and performs a duet with Edie Brickell, his wife of 30 years. As the album comes together, Simon opens up about his six-decade career that’s visualized with a bounty of archival footage, some of it never before seen. The film takes us on a journey starting out in Queens with his childhood friend Art Garfunkel for a partnership that produced many indelible classics. Simon then shifted to an even longer solo career, during which he constantly sought new ways of crafting songs. The musical peaks are numerous: Sounds of Silence, Bridge Over Troubled Water, Still Crazy After All These Years, Graceland, and The Rhythm of the Saints, to name only a few. What a joy it is to revisit them in this film.

The word “restless” in the title is key. Simon’s life is abundant with love affairs, breakups, inspirations, and setbacks. But he always comes back to the magic of making a new record. “I’m looking for the edge of what you can hear,” he says. “I can just about hear it, but I can’t quite. That’s the thing I want.”

Please note that due to the film's length there will be no ads or trailers before the film and there will be a 10 minute interval built into the screening

“Awe-inspiring” ROLLING STONE

“An unabashed celebration of musical genius” CNN

“Masterfully done” THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

“A grand theatrical experience” VARIETY

“One of the most essential musicians in history” ROGEREBERT.COM

“A transcendent film packed with great archive footage, fantastic music and Simon's raw humanity” SHADOWS ON THE WALL

“A graceful tribute” THE WALL STREET JOURNAL

“Remarkable” STEPHEN KING

Sam (Elliot Page) hasn’t been home since his transition, and after four years in Toronto, he takes a long-dreaded trip back to Cobourg for his father’s birthday. On the train there, he runs into Katherine (Hillary Baack), a friend from high school with her own complicated life now, and feelings from their unresolved past begin to bubble to the surface. It’s a serendipitous encounter, as Sam worries about seeing his family after so much time apart — not for fear that they’ll reject him, but because of the unsolicited comments and questions he’ll receive about his transition, placing the weight of his family’s ignorance and discomfort squarely on his shoulders.

From National Geographic Documentary Films and directed by Chai Vasarhelyi, Jimmy Chin and Natalie Hewit, ENDURANCE tells the inspiring stories of two landmark expeditions, bound by their shared grit and determination.

Surviving the ice ⚓️

In a legendary feat of leadership and perseverance, Antarctic explorer Ernest Shackleton kept alive his crew of 27 men for over a year despite the loss of their ship in frigid pack ice. Now, history broadcaster Dan Snow and award-winning filmmakers Chai Vasarhelyi, Jimmy Chin and Natalie Hewit join a team of modern-day explorers on a quest to find his sunken ship.

Nationwide previews on 14 October in association with BFI London Film Festival.

Tickets on Sale 17th September

Finding Vivian Maier is the critically acclaimed documentary about a mysterious nanny, who over the course of five decades, secretly took over 100,000 photographs that were hidden in storage lockers. Vivian would further indulge in her passionate devotion to documenting the world around her through homemade films, recordings and collections, assembling one of the most fascinating windows into American life in the second half of the twentieth century.

Maier was an inveterate wanderer and self-taught photographer with an artful and comic eye and an uncanny ability to get close to people from all walks of life. Would Maier have even wanted to be discovered in this way? Answering that question depends on how you interpret different bits of evidence in this film. However, seeing the world through Vivian Maier’s eyes is a real wonder.

Screening as part of our "There Are Great Women Artists" Season

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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.

We believe that short films are the future, so come along for an evening of specially selected Suffolk Shorts!

All tickets £5.00

The beauty of cinemas as a cultural hub and gathering place for the community is explored in this touching story set within the aisles of a cinema named Splendor and focusing on three main characters: Jordan, Luigi, and Chantal. Jordan, portrayed by the great Marcello Mastroianni, is an old projectionist who has dedicated his life to the cinema. Luigi, played by Massimo Troisi, is a man who inherits the old theatre and tries to keep it running despite facing financial difficulties and Chantal, portrayed by Marina Vlady, is the woman who both Jordan and Luigi love.

Echoes of Giuseppe Tornatore’s Cinema Paradiso flow through the narrative as it presents themes of love, nostalgia, and the passage of time. It reflects on the magic and significance of cinema as a place where dreams and reality intertwine.

Receiving critical acclaim for its heartfelt storytelling and the remarkable performances of its cast, particularly Marcello Mastroianni and Massimo Troisi, Splendor remains a cherished gem among cinephiles and is indeed an ode to the golden age of cinema.

Screening as part of our year-long season - CINEMA ON SCREEN