LONDON-WIDE
Film and Movie Bar Nights: Many bars are turning their venues into pop-up cinemas, offering weekly or monthly film nights. See if there is one near you.
CENTRAL
Cine Lumiere, South Kensington, SW1: Part of the Institut Francais, it has established itself as one of London’s top repertory cinemas. As you might expect its emphasis is on showing French, European and World cinema.
The Frozen Island, Covent Garden, WC2 Neighbourhood Cinema present a three-month pop-up cinema experience where people can watch their favourite Christmas movies “around a shimmering lake of ice, as snowflakes fall all around you.” Creating a winter wonderland there is fun for all the family as well as boozy adult sing-a-longs.
Films at the Horse Hospital,Russell Square, WC1 The Horse Hospital provides space for underground and avantgarde media. Based in Bloomsbury, they run a regular schedule of progressive and underground films. They have a huge archive of rare films and work with a wealth of underground filmmakers who participate in its success. They champion the outsider, the unfashionable and the other. They embrace “the DIY, the independent, the difficult, the intuitive, the romantic and the life affirming.” This ethos is reflected in their film programming.
Classics in the Courtyard, Hush Restaurant, W1
This club screens classic films al fresco in the courtyard of Hush restaurant in Mayfair, W1. Screenings are every Sunday starting at 6.30pm. They provide blankets and pop corn and you can dine a la carte throughout the night. Showing modern classics such as The Greatest Showman and Mean Girls to festive favourites like Elf and Love Actually.
National Film Theatre, Southbank, SE1 As the ‘home’ of the British Film Institute, this is the premier UK venue for all things film. With a four-screen cinema it shows an incredible range of classic and contemporary films every year. It regularly has film seasons with director and actor retrospectives carefully curated to demonstrate the very best of film. It also shows new and re-releases. There is also a cafe, a bookshop and a library making it a great day out, as well as a place to see films.
Saturday Film Clubs for Children, Southbank, SE1 Held at the BFI on Southbank, the programme includes film screenings and creative workshops especially for kids. They also run filmmaking and screening courses for young people during school holidays.
Soho Hotel Film Club, W1 Providing an opportunity for luxurious viewing, the Soho Hotel offers a weekly film club where they screen popular movies for adults. You can enjoy a three-course lunch, dinner or Afternoon Tea followed by the movie of the week.