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.

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

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.

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