Tony Rayns discusses Hou Hsiao-Hsien’s A Time to Live, A Time to Die in a pre-recorded introduction as part of our New Taiwanese Cinema season.

Inspired by filmmaker Hsiao-hsien Hou’s own childhood, this drama centers on Ah-Ha-Gu (You Anshun), a boy who comes of age during a tumultuous time in his family’s history. When the Gu family made the move from China’s mainland to Taiwan, the elder family members struggled to adapt in their new environment while the adolescent Ah-Ha thrived. Indeed, as Ah-Ha grows to maturity, the generation gap grows fearsomely wide, threatening to alienate the young man from his family and their traditions.

Our screening of Atonement was followed a discussion with Oscar winning composer of Atonement Dario Marianelli. This was the first in an ongoing series of discussions hosted by Oscar nominated composer Gary Yershon.

Atonement’s unusual structure offered up a challenge to which Dario rose spectacularly. The result was a unique score, both sweepingly romantic and formally innovative. Gary and Dario will discuss how this remarkable achievement came into being.

Recorded on 11th October 2023 at The Garden Cinema
39-41 Parker Street London WC2B 5PQ

Recorded at The Garden Cinema on 1st October 2023.

This Autumn, The Garden Cinema is celebrating Ealing Comedies!

Every Wednesday, from October 25th and all the way to November, Dr. Grazia Ingravalle [QMUL] and Dr. Lawrence Napper [KCL] will be taking turns diving into The Ladykillers, Hue and Cry, The Man in the White Suit, Kind Hearts and Coronets, and Passport to Pimlico. They will be touching on the humour, political undertones, and lovable eccentricity of films that have made a mark on film history and are still admired by cinephiles worldwide.

Two pigs recently joined us our family screening of Babe! Bambi and Kingsley came all the way from Kew Little Pigs farm in Amersham and stayed in the screen to watch the film. After the pigs stayed in the screen to watch the film, they joined us in the Garden Bar for petting and drawing.

Our Films for the Family season is Pay What You Can and includes a free children’s activity.

Thanks to Kew Little Pigs for coming down. Visit them at kewlittlepigs.cm

Mia Bays, director of the BFI’s Film Fund talks to the director of Medusa Deluxe, Thomas Hardiman, as part of EFN Short Film Festival (Emerging Filmmakers Night). Together they discuss the journey from being a short filmmaker to directing an ambitious debut feature.

Recorded at The Garden Cinema on 1st October 2023.

As the nights draw in, and the mercury drops, steel your nerves as unfathomable horrors and restless spirits re-emerge into The Garden Cemetery…

Throughout October we’re celebrating cinema of the eldritch and condemned, with a macabre Members’ choice screening, a selection of creepy classics, several burnt offerings from some of our favourite regular partners, one dangerously cursed film quiz, and The Garden Cinema’s own Colour in the Dark mini-season, curated by our most Sinister Sister.

Watch on Youtube or listen as a podcast: Dave Turner discusses what it was like to work on Ken Loach’s final film The Old Oak, with journalist Steve Topple.

Recorded at The Garden Cinema on 29 September 2023.

Our third industry panel was focussed on non-fiction filmmaking and distribution. Director Edward Lovelace and Dogwoof’s Head of Theatrical Sales Tom Howson join our own Special Programmes & Discussions curator Abla Kandalaft to discuss all things documentary.

Edward Lovelace is a British documentary filmmaker known for his critically acclaimed work, including the recently released Grierson-nominated feature Name Me Lawand.

Tom Howson joined Dogwoof in 2022 and is responsible for building relationships with cinemas across the globe. Tom’s career began in exhibition, managing at Everyman and Picturehouse cinemas, before moving into international sales at The Salt Company and then distribution at Vertigo.

Recorded on 1 August 2023 at The Garden Cinema